Making the last days of a terminally ill patient’s life easier is considered to be one of the main jobs of a hospice nurse. To know more about the job description of a hospice nurse and the requirements for this career, read this article further.
It is difficult to deal with an emotional experience where you have to witness your loved one dying in front of your own eyes, and there is nothing you can do to stop it. As they say, everyone has to leave this world one fine day, and ultimately how you live is more important than how much you live. It is wiser to focus on the life that comes with each moment instead of counting the moments in life. If you feel the same and have the passion to make life easier for terminally ill patients, then hospice nursing is a career for you. But before you become one, it is essential to know in detail about the hospice nurse job description and to know that, go through the following content.
Job Description of a Hospice Nurse
A hospice nurse generally works in the home environment when the patient decides to spend the rest of the days in his/her house and not the hospital. But there are times when a patient has to spend the rest of the days in hospital and in such situations too, hospice nurse can be appointed as their care takers. Hospice nurse is supposed to have a strong emotional composure as he/she has to deal with death of the patient and loved ones of the patient suffering the agony. But, apart from being a strong emotional and moral support, a hospice nurse has to perform various other tasks and responsibilities which are as following:
- Monitoring the health status of the patient and recording the progress or deterioration of health of the concerned person.
- Making sure that the patient is following prescribed medicines and drugs on time and, if not, reminding them to do the same.
- One of the important jobs of a hospice nurse is to educate and guide the loved ones of the patient about how to take better care of the patient.
- A professional has to assist the family and friends of the patient to keep the patient happy and content during his/her last days.
- A hospice nurse has to be in constant touch with the doctor and report to him or her about the daily health status changes of the patient.
- A trained hospice nurse has to be alert and knowledgeable enough to use prompt medical assistance in case of an emergency.
- In a home setting, a nurse has to perform certain household chores so that the family members can spend some quality time with the patient.
A nurse has to make herself available when the patient needs any emotional or physical assistance.
In a nut shell, hospice nurse is more like a full-time care giver, who monitors the health changes taking place in the terminally ill patient and ensures that the last days of that patient are as pain free as possible. For this job a professional not only has to be endowed with nursing qualities but he or she must also have a compassionate and empathetic mind along with some essential bedside manners. If you think you have all the qualities needed to become a successful hospice nurse then you must also know how to become one. And the following paragraph tells you the same, take a look.
Becoming a Hospice Nurse
To become a hospice nurse, you have to complete a basic bachelor’s in nursing from an accredited institute to get a recognized degree certificate. After passing with good marks in nursing, you also have to become a registered nurse by appearing for a licensing exam. You may take up this exam after gaining some primary experience in this field. Once you pass the exam, you become a registered nurse with a license to practice nursing independently.
You may think of gaining a master’s degree with specialization in hospice nursing. But there are employers who hire employees even with significant experience in hospice nursing. But it is always advisable to have a higher qualification with significant experience as it helps you get a job with desired salary. An average salary of a hospice nurse falls somewhere around $50,000 per year, which is subject to change as per each professional, depending on the experience, qualification, and the employer.
Hospice nurse cares for the patient and his/her family till the last breath of that patient, which indeed is a noble job. So, if you have the passion and dedication to help people in tough times, go ahead and start preparing for this career from today. I don’t know how much money you would earn at the end of your career, but I am sure you will earn a lot of job satisfaction and good wishes for yourself!