A hospice nurse is a nursing specialist qualified to work in close partnership with terminally ill patients. Although nurses working in hospice settings are trained as a registered nurse, they play a special role as a case manager and advocate for patients coming close to the end of their lives and their families. Hospice nurses need special training and additional experience in environments to play this specific role, which can take an emotional toll on those who are not prepared.

Hospice nurses operate in a patient’s home or hospice care facility and offer compassionate treatment to end-of-life sick patients. Instead of delivering care to cure an illness or disease, nurses in this field seek to help their patients live as safely as possible while planning for the inevitable. They can handle pain, control vitalities and take care of all the needs of a patient while caring for patients in a treatment center. In addition to providing treatment, nurses can take care of household duties while caring for in-house patients. Such tasks can include cooking, cleaning or even doing patient errands. Whatever environment they work in, all hospice nurses help families cope and provide the support they need during a difficult period.