Hospice care supports patients and their families as patients approach the end of their lives. Often the final phase to a terminal illness, hospice focuses on comfort and quality of life, rather than treatment and cure. Hospice patients get quality time with family and friends and a chance to die with dignity, while their caregivers get to make a real difference in their patients’ final days. Those working in hospice often say it is among the most rewarding experiences of their lives.

If you are looking for a career in healthcare, like interacting with people, and want plenty of direct patient contact, hospice work could be the right specialty for you. Those facing the end of life often need lots of attention. Doctors, nurses, home health aides and other caregivers help patients manage pain and perform personal grooming tasks that they can no longer do for themselves.

Whatever healthcare training you have had, you’ll get to use all your skills when working with hospice patients. Hospice care workers take a holistic approach to attending to patients, helping to alleviate physical symptoms of their disease, while also considering the nutritional, psychological, and emotional challenges they might be facing.

Hospice care workers generally develop close relationships with patients. Those close to death are often at their most open and honest, ready and willing to share their lives’ stories. And those working with hospice patients in hospice facilities, nursing homes or even through home health organizations have unique opportunities to develop short, intense relationships with patients and their families.

Hospice care workers are deeply appreciated. Facing death is obviously a scary prospect for the patients and their families. Patients like the presence of someone calming and compassionate, while their family members appreciate having someone available to answer all their questions.

Are you thinking about a career in healthcare? Whether you choose to train as a medical assistant, practical nurse, or other healthcare provider, Hospice could well be the specialty you choose. More than 1 million people receive hospice care each year and as the population ages, the demand for the service is expected to grow even further.

Porter and Chester Institute offers healthcare career training at its Connecticut and Massachusetts campuses.

Contact us at 800-870-6789 to learn more or schedule a school tour today!