Job description
A hospice nurse handles various duties and responsibilities in the process of serving the patients through palliative treatment. He/she works with terminally ill or dying patients to help ensure their comfort and quality of their remaining days.
A hospice nurse is typically a registered nurse (RN) and work as part of a team, and ensures that patients are given enough care. He/she also do monitors health conditions, administers medication, uses medical equipment from places like Lip Medical, advises patients and their families on current prognosis.
A hospice nurse also needs to have the knowledge of medical history of the patient they are caring and giving service. This sort of information about the patient is obtained from their physicians. He/she is also guided by physicians in the process of procuring the medications, equipment needed for treatment and other supplies.
Family members of the palliative care patient can let the hospice nurse know about nature and general psychology of the patient. It should prove to be helpful for the hospice nurse in dealing with the patient in a better manner.
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The qualities of a good hospice nurse are listed as follows:
- Patient and compassionate—A hospice nurse should learn how to listen to the patients with patience, and understand their problems. A kind and compassionate nature is the prime requirement or quality for working with terminally ill patients.
- Good communicator— A hospice nurse should be accurate and knows the details and medication and able to communicate effectively with the patient’s families.
- Keen observant and sensitive to the needs of patients—Along with medications, palliative patients also need mental support. Keeping them mentally and physically stable is therefore, the responsibility of hospice nurses. Also, keen observation is also a skill that these professionals need to possess.
- Has a good composure – A hospice nurses should be capable of working in emergency situations such as when the health of patient deteriorates. Other emergency situations that need his attention may include vomiting, seizures to respiratory problems, among others. Monitoring the patient and finding out problems if any that he/she suffering is one of the important jobs of hospice nurses.
Hospice Nurse Salary
The average hourly rate of payment for hospice nurses is between $25.53 and $33.13. The average annual salary of a hospice nurse can be anything between $52,560 and $68,910. The demand for hospice service is expected to rise in the near future. This is because of the aging population in developed countries continued to rise. If you’re a nurse, there are many amazing hospices which you would be able to get a job at, such as Hospice Cincinnati.
The work of hospice nurses involves treatment of patients diagnosed with terminal illness. This job needs them to be mentally tough. Moreover, they are professional, working in the medical field that looks after patients suffering from a disease, disorder or an illness that requires palliative treatment. Hospice nurses may work in hospitals settings and also at home. The care and treatment needed by terminally ill patients make the job of these nurses indeed important.
