Hospice Nurse Salary
Before we get into the specifics of what a hospice nurse salary might be, let’s first take a look at what you can expect from being a hospice nurse. Hospice nurses have the difficult yet often rewarding task of caring for patients who are on the final stages of life. Often, their primary concern will be to manage the pain of sick patients. Some of the most common conditions that a hospice nurse will be helping their patients with or heart disease, lung disease and cancer.
While this may seem like a gloomy career choice, many hospice workers find it incredibly rewarding, allowing them to truly serve others and bring comfort to many. hospice nurses are in charge of a wide range of patient care activities including assisting physicians during examinations and procedures, the preparation of equipment, application changing of dressings and the monitoring of patients. They are also often required to administer prescribed medications and will oversee general pain management for the patient.
Average Hospice Nurse Salary
As with many jobs, the average salary will vary greatly depending on location, company worked for, and a variety of other factors. Having said that, the average hospice 
nurse salary in the United States is $65,858. Please keep in mind that this average nursing salary applies to those who are registered nurses not simply home aide workers. For home aide workers or other hospice staff that are not registered nurses, salaries can hover around the for20 to $25,000 dollar range. Clearly a significant difference!
Education Needed To Become A Hospice Nurse
In order to become a full-fledged hospice nurse you must first become a registered nurse. Becoming a registered nurse will require you to complete a bachelor’s degree in nursing. Many hospice nurses also complete a master’s degree specializing in hospice care.
Once becoming a registered nurse you will generally have to work two years in a hospice practice and then pass a test administered by the National Board for Certification of Hospice Nurses in order to gain certification as a hospice nurse.
Job Growth Outlook For Hospice Nurses
With the advancing age of baby boomers around the country work for hospice nurses is expected to explode. This truly is one of the fastest growing careers in the country with an expected growth of 24% between 2008-2018. according to the US Bureau has labor statistics this is much faster than the average for all careers. It is expected that there will be an increase of nearly 400,000 jobs over the decade. Job opportunities for those who are properly qualified should be great.
SOURCE: U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics
Registered nurses in general, are estimated to have by far the most job openings available in the next six years (2011 onwards).
As you can see a career in hospice nursing has great potential and will be growing exponentially over the next few years. If you’re interested in becoming a hospice nurse be sure to do some research on what specific requirements are needed in your specific state. Each US state has their own rules in terms of becoming a registered nurse and you should definitely become familiar with them.
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