This certification is no longer offered to new applicants, but hospice nurses with current CHPCA certification can continue to recertify through ongoing clinical work and accruing continuing education hours.
Hospice nurses provide care to patients with terminal conditions, typically in hospitals, residential care settings, or the patient’s home. This challenging career can prove very rewarding to nurses passionate about end-of-life care.
Hospice nurses care for patients with terminal conditions, often focusing on keeping the patient as comfortable as possible and minimizing pain. They work under the supervision of physicians or advanced practice nurses and may supervise nursing assistants.
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Certification Options: Certified Hospice and Palliative Care Nurse (CHPN); Advanced Certified Hospice and Palliative Care Nurse (ACHPN);
Certified Hospice and Palliative Care Administrator (CHPCA); Certified Hospital and Palliative Pediatric Nurse (CHPPN)
Hospice nurses work in hospitals, residential care centers, and in patient homes.
This certification is no longer offered to new applicants, but hospice nurses with current CHPCA certification can continue to recertify through ongoing clinical work and accruing continuing education hours.
For CHPN certification, hospice nurses should hold at least 500 hours of experience in the last year as a palliative care or hospice nurse, or 1,000 hours in the last two years of work, hold an unrestricted RN license, and pass an examination.
Hospice nurses seeking CHPPN certification need at least 500 hours of experience in the last year of palliative care and pediatric nursing, or 1,000 hours in the past two years. They also need an unrestricted RN license and a passing grade on the examination.
The ACHPN certification is for advanced practice nurses and requires either certified nurse specialist or nurse practitioner status, recent experience as a palliative care or hospice nurse, an unrestricted RN license, and a passing score on the certification exam.
The average hospice nurse salary is $67,250. Nurses with a BSN degree make more than those with an ADN and advanced practice nurses and nurse practitioners earn more than BSN-holders.
RN jobs are projected to grow by 7% between 2019 and 2029. Hospice nurse jobs may likely grow faster, given the aging U.S. population and the growth of hospice care in general, especially in-home hospice care.
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Hospice nurse jobs require a two-year ADN or a four-year BSN, and then typically 2-3 more years of experience as an acute care nurse, depending on certification type.
Only advanced practice hospice nurses, such as certified nurse specialists and nurse practitioners, can prescribe medicine, such as controlled substances. Hospice nurses without this certification cannot prescribe medication.
Palliative care involves reducing pain and distress for those with serious chronic conditions, whether or not the condition is terminal. Hospice care emphasizes managing pain and psychological distress specifically for those with terminal conditions.
Hospice nurses work alongside physicians or advanced practice nurses who prescribe treatments. They often supervise certified nursing assistants and collaborate with chaplains, social workers, psychologists, and others who provide non-clinical care.
Nicole Galan, RN, MSN
Nicole Galan, RN, MSN is a registered nurse who started in a general medical/surgical care unit and then moved to infertility care where she worked for almost 10 years. She has also worked for over 13 years as a freelance writer specializing in consumer health sites and educational materials for nursing students. Galan currently works as a full-time freelancer and recently earned her master’s degree in nursing education from Capella University.
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