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Home care nurse vs hospice registered nurse

The differences between home care nurses and hospice registered nurses can be seen in a few details. Each job has different responsibilities and duties. It typically takes 1-2 years to become both a home care nurse and a hospice registered nurse. Additionally, a hospice registered nurse has an average salary of $74,997, which is higher than the $53,762 average annual salary of a home care nurse.

The top three skills for a home care nurse include patients, home health and CPR. The most important skills for a hospice registered nurse are home health, patients, and palliative care.

Home care nurse vs hospice registered nurse overview

Home Care NurseHospice Registered Nurse
Yearly salary$53,762$74,997
Hourly rate$25.85$36.06
Growth rate6%6%
Number of jobs692,730509,161
Job satisfaction--
Most common degreeBachelor's Degree, 35%Associate Degree, 43%
Average age4444
Years of experience22

What does a home care nurse do?

A home care nurse is responsible for providing quality health care for patients, usually in a private home setting. Home care nurses monitor patients' conditions and their medication and other treatments as prescribed by the attending physician or other health care professionals. They assist with the patients' daily activities such as bathing, feeding, and performing procedures such as taking the patients' temperature and vital signs, collecting specimens, and updating their medical chart.

What does a hospice registered nurse do?

A hospice registered nurse is primarily responsible for assisting and taking care of patients admitted to hospice facilities. Their responsibilities revolve around devising specific care plans for every patient in coordination with physicians and other health care workers, administering necessary medication, helping patients cope with the symptoms of their ailments, and maintaining accurate records. Moreover, it is vital to visit patients regularly to assess their conditions, notifying doctors should there be any urgent updates. Furthermore, it is essential to build positive relationships with patients, supporting and making them feel comfortable at all times.

Home care nurse vs hospice registered nurse salary

Home care nurses and hospice registered nurses have different pay scales, as shown below.

Home Care NurseHospice Registered Nurse
Average salary$53,762$74,997
Salary rangeBetween $34,000 And $84,000Between $50,000 And $111,000
Highest paying CityEugene, ORProvidence, RI
Highest paying stateOregonRhode Island
Best paying companyOverlake Medical Center & ClinicsOculus
Best paying industryHealth CareHealth Care

Differences between home care nurse and hospice registered nurse education

There are a few differences between a home care nurse and a hospice registered nurse in terms of educational background:

Home Care NurseHospice Registered Nurse
Most common degreeBachelor's Degree, 35%Associate Degree, 43%
Most common majorNursingNursing
Most common collegeDuke UniversityDuke University

Home care nurse vs hospice registered nurse demographics

Here are the differences between home care nurses' and hospice registered nurses' demographics:

Home Care NurseHospice Registered Nurse
Average age4444
Gender ratioMale, 13.5% Female, 86.5%Male, 10.2% Female, 89.8%
Race ratioBlack or African American, 11.0% Unknown, 4.3% Hispanic or Latino, 9.4% Asian, 8.9% White, 65.9% American Indian and Alaska Native, 0.4%Black or African American, 11.1% Unknown, 4.3% Hispanic or Latino, 9.5% Asian, 8.9% White, 65.8% American Indian and Alaska Native, 0.4%
LGBT Percentage9%9%

Differences between home care nurse and hospice registered nurse duties and responsibilities

Home care nurse example responsibilities.

  • Manage patient care monitoring vital signs, performing physical assessment, checking patients medications for effectiveness.
  • Enter the nursing profession working in an ICU step down unit, with medical and surgical patients.
  • Care for many patients with complex issues with compassion and care and enhances the standard of care within the clinical area.
  • Provide care for pediatric patients with chronic illnesses and pediatric ventilator and tracheostomy patients.
  • Provide home dialysis services to patients receiving rehabilitation in a nursing home setting utilizing NxStage machines.
  • Monitor cardiac rhythms and treat per ACLS protocols
  • Show more

Hospice registered nurse example responsibilities.

  • Manage patient pain relief and sedation by providing pharmacological and non-pharmacological intervention, monitor patient response and record care plans accordingly.
  • Follow plan of care for dying patients with care and compassion to minimize pain and discomfort.
  • Promote health and rehabilitation of patients through teaching, supervising, counseling and appropriate preventative and treatment measures.
  • Assist with ADL's, teach patients and their family members how to live safely in their home.
  • Assist staff with transition to new EMR.
  • Review ADR process and assist with appeals process.
  • Show more

Home care nurse vs hospice registered nurse skills

Common home care nurse skills
  • Patients, 25%
  • Home Health, 18%
  • CPR, 8%
  • Companionship, 8%
  • Social Work, 3%
  • Primary Care, 3%
Common hospice registered nurse skills
  • Home Health, 31%
  • Patients, 23%
  • Palliative Care, 4%
  • Quality Care, 3%
  • Symptom Management, 3%
  • Rehabilitation, 2%

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