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The differences between home health 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 health nurse and a hospice registered nurse. Additionally, a hospice registered nurse has an average salary of $74,997, which is higher than the $69,393 average annual salary of a home health nurse.
The top three skills for a home health nurse include home health, patients and quality care. The most important skills for a hospice registered nurse are home health, patients, and palliative care.
| Home Health Nurse | Hospice Registered Nurse | |
| Yearly salary | $69,393 | $74,997 |
| Hourly rate | $33.36 | $36.06 |
| Growth rate | 6% | 6% |
| Number of jobs | 687,941 | 509,161 |
| Job satisfaction | - | - |
| Most common degree | Associate Degree, 39% | Associate Degree, 43% |
| Average age | 44 | 44 |
| Years of experience | 2 | 2 |
A home health nurse is responsible for assisting patients usually in their households, strictly monitoring their health conditions and treatment plans for fast recovery. Home health nurses work with the patients' attending physicians and other health professionals to develop healthcare plans and administer timely medications. They update the patient's chart regularly, record temperature and vital signs, manage food intake, and respond to the patients' inquiries and requests. A home health nurse must have strong organizational and time-management skills to perform various nursing duties under certain conditions.
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 health nurses and hospice registered nurses have different pay scales, as shown below.
| Home Health Nurse | Hospice Registered Nurse | |
| Average salary | $69,393 | $74,997 |
| Salary range | Between $48,000 And $99,000 | Between $50,000 And $111,000 |
| Highest paying City | Petaluma, CA | Providence, RI |
| Highest paying state | California | Rhode Island |
| Best paying company | Senior Living Properties | Oculus |
| Best paying industry | Health Care | Health Care |
There are a few differences between a home health nurse and a hospice registered nurse in terms of educational background:
| Home Health Nurse | Hospice Registered Nurse | |
| Most common degree | Associate Degree, 39% | Associate Degree, 43% |
| Most common major | Nursing | Nursing |
| Most common college | Duke University | Duke University |
Here are the differences between home health nurses' and hospice registered nurses' demographics:
| Home Health Nurse | Hospice Registered Nurse | |
| Average age | 44 | 44 |
| Gender ratio | Male, 10.6% Female, 89.4% | Male, 10.2% Female, 89.8% |
| Race ratio | Black or African American, 11.8% Unknown, 4.2% Hispanic or Latino, 8.7% 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 Percentage | 9% | 9% |