Hospice Nurse
Many tasks are involved with hospice nursing. RNs can be relied on to perform these tasks. Shalom Hospice nurses’ jobs can take our RNs to work in hospitals, Nursing Homes, Assisted living facilities, and very often in the home. Different types of hospice RNs include:
- Admission nurses. As the first point of contact for patients, they guide a patient and their family through assessments, work closely with physicians, formulate a care plan for them, and play a vital role in patient education, and more.
- Case manager. Case managers have a direct, hands-on role in the hospice setting. Overseeing the direction and coordination of care, they learn whether the needs of the patient are still being met and coordinate with physicians and medical professionals to help meet those needs. They regularly meet with family and caregivers to create changes in the care plan. Case managers help prepare the family and patient for counseling, education, and services before and after a patient’s death.
- Visit nurse. Visit nurses are the ones providing the care coordinated for the patient. They do routine duties like administering prescriptions, accompanying the patient during walks, providing wound care, and more. They are also responsible for ensuring proper documentation.
- Triage nurse. Triage nurses are on-call nurses ready to help patients with emergencies. Working with visiting nurses or case managers, triage nurses assess the situation and advise care to help determine if an immediate visit is required. When it comes to hospice care, they can prioritize care needs, explain to patients and caregivers what to do, and be ready to act quickly.
- Dietitians. A healthy diet is vital for many hospice patients to feel as good as possible in the time they have left. Dietitians are there to help them maintain a good diet. They evaluate the patient’s condition and prepare a diet plan that can assuage them.
- Hospital liaisons. Hospice care facilities may need to work with hospitals that help their patients. Hospital liaisons are key to these partnerships. They ensure that the best care is available for patients and work with patients and their families to guide them. Hospice care is all about patients’ comfort and happiness. Hospital liaisons are needed to accomplishing this.
How do hospice nurses care for patients?
While there are different types of hospice nurses, Shalom Hospice nurses are responsible for helping patients in specific ways they require as they are finishing out their life. It’s vital for all hospice nurses to be qualified and prepared to help them. Their responsibilities include:
- Monitoring and Documenting Patient Vital Signs. Regularly checking on the health of a patient daily or multiple times a day is a requirement. A Shalom
Hospice RN will check and record any medical concerns and understand what these mean for the patient. - Administering Medications. Often, hospice patients need specific medications and it will be our RNs who will be in charge of administering it. Your hospice RNs are responsible for ensuring it is administered properly.
- Managing Symptoms and Pain. The biggest purpose of hospice to help patients feel comfortable as much as possible. Many patients often aren’t receiving treatment but rather pain medication. Hospice registered nurses are responsible for helping administer pain relief and documenting symptoms.
- Helping During Crisis Situations. End-of-life care often means that patients who are close to death can face crises. A hospice RN is responsible for handling these crises. It’s critical for a hospice RN to intervene during crises.
- Psychosocial Support. Hospice care is made complicated by demands of mental, emotional, and social support. Hospice nurses need to be professional while still offering emotional support for patients and their families.
- Spiritual Support. Many patients and their families seek spiritual support while in hospice. Hospice nurses offer help and kindness to them. Spirituality often helps hospice patients feel calm and relaxed. Our staff can promote patients’ peace and comfort by offering them spiritual support.
- Educating Families and Caregivers. Another important role of any hospice provider is to keep the patient and their family educated. Hospice nurses can educate family members on the condition of the patient, on medications, comfort, and pain crucial to helping them cope with the difficult situation.
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