The hospice team is comprised of professionals from several disciplines to provide comprehensive hospice care to patients and their families. The team works together to ensure that the patient's physical, emotional, social, and spiritual needs are met and that the family feels supported.
The Hospice Physician
The hospice physician oversees the symptom management of the hospice patient. The hospice physician works with the patient's primary physician to coordinate care and provide the most comprehensive medical care possible.
Profile of a Hospice Nurse
Hospice agencies wouldn't survive without the expert care of their nurses. Hospices use nurses in different roles to make sure that patients and families are cared for safely and competently and feel supported.
The Hospice Case Manager
The nurse that patients and their loved one's will come to know best is the Case Manager Nurse. The Case Manager works to build a relationship with the hospice patient and their family to provide the best nursing care and education possible.
The Hospice Home Health Aide
The Home Health Aide provides personal care to patients and supports families in the care they provide their loved one.
The Hospice Chaplain
The Hospice Chaplain provides individualized spiritual care to patients and the families. Hospice chaplains are non-denominational and meet patients and families wherever they may be in their own spiritual journey.
Hospice Volunteers
A well-run hospice agency couldn't do what they do without the dedication of hospice volunteers. From helping in the office with administrative work to being a calm presence for dying patients and their families, hospice volunteers keep a hospice agency running smoothly.
Your Role as Part of the Hospice Team
The patient and family are an important part of the hospice team. All hospice care is centered around the priorities and wishes of the patient and their loved ones, making you the head of the hospice team.
The Hospice Social Worker
The hospice social worker is a certified Medical Social Worker (MSW) with specialized training in end-of-life care. They are an essential part of the hospice team and can do many things to enhance a patient's quality of life.
