Travel Hospice Nurse Jobs

For jobs available on Vivian as of Tuesday, December 6th 2022, the average weekly salary for a Travel Hospice Nurse is $2,265, but can pay up to $3,659 per week.

The agencies on Vivian that currently have the most Travel Hospice Nurse jobs are Core Medical Group (105), Skyline Med Staff Home Health (49), and OneStaff Medical (35).

Hospice and palliative care nurses are registered nurses who specialize in providing compassionate care for patients with life-threatening illnesses that may be terminal. Care goals focus on relieving symptoms, rather than curing disease, and ensuring the patient is kept as comfortable as possible. Working with terminally ill patients can be emotionally challenging, but it can also be the most rewarding career choice.

Hospice and palliative care nurses often work together. However, hospice nurses provide care and comfort for terminally ill patients, while palliative care nurses focus on symptom control for patients with life-threatening, potentially terminal, illnesses. Both types of nurses provide hands-on patient care to ensure comfort and quality of life. 

It’s possible to become a hospice or palliative care nurse with an associate degree in nursing, but some employers prefer candidates with a Bachelor of Science in Nursing. After completing a degree from an accredited nursing program, graduates must pass the NCLEX-RN exam, complete state licensing requirements to obtain RN licensure, and earn certifications in Basic Life Support and Advanced Cardiovascular Life Support.

Most acute care hospitals now have a full palliative care team and hospice is consulted and brought in if need be. Palliative care nurses may also work in acute care settings. Hospice care nurses may work in various settings, but hospice patients often prefer to receive care in their private homes when possible. Otherwise, hospice nurses may work in residential care institutions, such as nursing homes, skilled nursing facilities, and residential hospice facilities.

Hospice and palliative nurses are extremely skilled at pain management because it can be a fine line between alleviating pain and over-sedating a patient. They’re also skilled at recognizing and managing various other symptoms, such as dyspnea, anorexia, fatigue, delirium, nausea, and constipation. Skills in symptoms recognition and management should extend to emotional symptoms, including anxiety, depression, and fear.

Palliative/Hospice care nurses may hold Basic Life Support (BLS), Certified Hospice and Palliative Nurse (CHPN), Certified Hospice and Palliative Pediatric Nurse (CHPPN) or Advanced Certified Hospice and Palliative Nurse (ACHPN), among others.

Some healthcare employers may prefer hospice palliative care nurse job candidates with Certified in Thanatology - dying, death and bereavement (CT) or AHNCC - Holistic Nurse-Board Certified (HN-BC), and some may even require specific professional certifications.

Having a Certified in Thanatology - dying, death and bereavement (CT) validates your knowledge and skills as a hospice/palliative nurse and your dedication to continuing your education in your chosen field. All of which makes you a more desirable job candidate to healthcare employers.

Having a AHNCC - Holistic Nurse-Board Certified (HN-BC) validates your knowledge and skills as a hospice palliative care nurse and your dedication to continuing your education in your chosen field. All of which makes you a more desirable job candidate to healthcare employers.