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Home Health Care and Hospice Nurses

Education and Training Requirements

High School

If you are interested in becoming a nurse, you should take mathematics and science courses, including biology, chemistry, and physics. Health courses will also be helpful. English and speech courses will help you develop basic communication skills that you will use with patients and coworkers. Psychology and sociology classes are also recommended.

Postsecondary Training

Many home health care and hospice nurses are required to have some nursing experience, preferably in acute care, because they are required to work with patients with a wide range of health problems. Entry-level requirements depend on the home health care agency, the hospice organization, and the availability of nurses in that specialty and geographical region. Education may follow various routes, including a bachelor of science in nursing; an associate's degree in nursing; or a diploma from a nursing program. Nurses who wish to specialize in hospice or home health care may choose to attend graduate school. The University of Maryland offers a master of science in palliative care. Visit https://graduate.umaryland.edu/palliative for more information.

Certification

Some colleges and universities—such as Madonna University, the University of South Florida, University of Maryland, and Drexel University—offer certificate programs in hospice and palliative studies, adult advanced practice hospice and palliative care nursing, clinical aging sciences, and related fields. Classes in Madonna University's graduate certificate in hospice and palliative care studies program include History, Philosophy, & Practice of HSP & Palliative Care; Trauma, Loss and Grief: Helping Families Heal; Spiritual & Ethical Considerations in Palliative/End-of-Life Care; and Advanced Holistic Palliative Care. Contact schools in your area for information about available programs.

Other Education or Training

The American Academy of Hospice and Palliative Medicine, Hospice and Palliative Nurses Association (HPNA), and other professional associations provide continuing education classes, workshops, webinars, and seminars. For example, the HPNA offers learning modules such as Palliative Care RN Basics, Palliative Care Pain Management Basics, and Palliative Care Leadership Basics. Contact these organizations for more information.

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