Pros/cons of Hospice nursing for an inexperienced nurse (out for the last 10 years).

It’s according to if you’re working inpatient or in the community. Community hospice tends to have very flexible hours but lots of road time and being pretty savvy keeping supplies and keeping them organized in your vehicle.

I found hospice incredibly rewarding and a lot less stressful than acute care. I felt hospice aligned more to what nursing is than a hospital. Your role is to provide comfort and support to a patient and their family.

Pros:
You get really good at IV's because most patients are dehydrated and have poor veins.
You have opportunities to educate families on their loved ones disease diagnosis and get very acquainted with explaining body systems and their purpose, liver etc.
Hospice is a specialty area and not for everyone, if you find this area is for you count yourself blessed because there is so much reward in being able to give the level if care unimagineable in the hospital setting.
You can travel as an experienced hospice nurse.

Cons:
you see what disease and poor choices can do to the body on a regular basis.

I hope this helps!

Hospice requires strong assessment skills and ability to think through the disease process. Hospice is not easy. You have to feel comfortable with your skills. Inpatient hospice is basically caring for critically I’ll individuals without having monitors. Many times, patients who would be ICU in the hospital but who have chosen to focus on comfort go inpatient. We give things like versed, hydralizine, dilaudid, keppra, and metoprolol all IV push at our IPU. My IPU nurses can start an IV on anyone.
Home care is completely different. You are the director/manager of their care. You determine how frequently you need to see the patient to keep their symptoms managed. When you call the doctor, they not only want to know what’s happening, but what you think would help the patient.
You become very close with the family, and the patient as a case manager.
I love hospice, but it’s not for everyone. It can be the most rewarding career, but also the toughest.

Pros-independence you get to make your own hours
Cons-the many miles you drive it is very easy to drive a thousand miles west and tear on your car

Limited to end of life patient care.

Pros: you get to make real connections with families and patients the way nurses have historically done. Your care is focused on assisting the client to have the most comfortable final stage of life possible while still getting to be connected to family/friends.
You are not as torn between the number of patients like you are say, in SNF or hospital care.

Cons: it is emotionally, mentally, and at times physically draining and requires a strong level of resilience.