What is a hospice registered nurse and how to become one

Updated January 8, 2025

5 min read

Quoted Experts

Lisa Rebeschi Ph.D.,

Kim Raines

A hospice registered nurse is a healthcare professional who specializes in providing care and support to patients who are terminally ill. They work in a hospice setting, where they help to manage pain and other symptoms, provide emotional support, and coordinate care with other healthcare providers. Hospice nurses also educate patients and families about end-of-life care and help them make decisions about medical treatment. They also provide spiritual and emotional support to patients and their families.

What general advice would you give to a Hospice Registered Nurse?

Lisa Rebeschi Ph.D.

Associate Dean of the School of Nursing Professor of Nursing, Quinnipiac University

One of the suggestions for new graduates is the importance of self-care. We have long known of the demanding nature of the nursing practice. However, the COVID-19 pandemic has magnified the nursing role's critical importance and the unique contributions made by nursing professionals. As the healthcare environment is extremely complex and challenging, nurses must remember to advocate for themselves and prioritize self-care.

ScoreHospice Registered NurseUS Average

Salary

5.9

Avg. Salary $74,997

Avg. Salary $59,228

Stability Level

10.0

Growth Rate 6%

Growth Rate 0.3%

Diversity

6.3

Race

American Indian and Alaska Native 0.44%

Asian 8.92%

Black or African American 11.07%

Hispanic or Latino 9.51%

Unknown 4.30%

White 65.76%

Gender

female 89.79%

male 10.21%

Age - 43

Race

American Indian and Alaska Native 3.00%

Asian 7.00%

Black or African American 14.00%

Hispanic or Latino 19.00%

White 57.00%

Gender

female 47.00%

male 53.00%

Age - 43

Stress Level

10.0

Stress level is very high

7.1 - high

Complexity Level

9.1

Complexity Level is advanced

7 - challenging

Work Life Balance

7.8

Work Life balance is good

6.4 - fair

What are the pros and cons of being a Hospice Registered Nurse?

Pros

Opportunity to provide compassionate end-of-life care
Competitive salary and benefits
Emotional fulfillment from helping patients and families through difficult times
Potential for career advancement into leadership positions
Flexible scheduling options

Cons

High emotional burden and potential for burnout
Potential for challenging patient and family dynamics
Need to maintain a high level of professionalism and composure in emotionally charged situations
Potential for exposure to infectious diseases
Potential for physical strain from lifting and transferring patients

Key steps to become a hospice registered nurse

Explore hospice registered nurse education requirements

Most common hospice registered nurse degrees

Associate

42.5 %

Bachelor's

39.9 %

Diploma

7.3 %

Start to develop specific hospice registered nurse skills

Skills	Percentages
Home Health	31.09%
Patients	23.35%
Palliative Care	4.48%
Quality Care	2.79%
Symptom Management	2.75%

Complete relevant hospice registered nurse training and internships

Accountants spend an average of 3-6 months on post-employment, on-the-job training. New hospice registered nurses learn the skills and techniques required for their job and employer during this time. The chart below shows how long it takes to gain competency as a hospice registered nurse based on U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics data and data from real hospice registered nurse resumes.

Obtain the necessary licensing

Becoming a licensed hospice registered nurse usually require a college degree. However, you need to pass an exam to become a licensed hospice registered nurse in most of states. 43 states require hospice registered nurses to have license for their work. You can see the list of states below.

State	Education	Exam	License Url
Alabama	Degree required	State exam required	Registered Nurse (RN)
Alaska	Degree required	Third-party exam required	Nurse, Registered
Arkansas	Degree required	Third-party exam required	Registered Nurse (RN)
California	Degree required	Third-party exam required	Nurse, Registered
Colorado	Degree required	Third-party exam required	Registered Nurse

Gain additional hospice registered nurse certifications

Hospice registered nurse certifications can show employers you have a baseline of knowledge expected for the position. Certifications can also make you a more competitive candidate. Even if employers don't require a specific hospice registered nurse certification, having one may help you stand out relative to other applicants.

The most common certifications for hospice registered nurses include Certified Nurse Assistant (CNA) and Certified Hospice and Palliative Nurse (CHPN).

More About Certifications

Research hospice registered nurse duties and 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.

Prepare your hospice registered nurse resume

When your background is strong enough, you can start writing your hospice registered nurse resume.

You can use Zippia's AI resume builder to make the resume writing process easier while also making sure that you include key information that hiring managers expect to see on a hospice registered nurse resume. You'll find resume tips and examples of skills, responsibilities, and summaries, all provided by Zippi, your career sidekick.

Choose From 10+ Customizable Hospice Registered Nurse Resume templates

Build a professional Hospice Registered Nurse resume in minutes. Browse through our resume examples to identify the best way to word your resume. Then choose from 10+ resume templates to create your Hospice Registered Nurse resume.