How it feels to be a hospice nurse

How it feels to be a hospice nurse 
Post Independent; by Oanh Hoang, Hospice of the Valley; 1/22/25 
If someone had asked me this question seven years ago, when I was a new graduate nurse, I would have said it felt terrifying, depressing, frightening, and sad. However, my feelings have changed since I became a hospice nurse 4.5 years ago. ... If someone were to ask me how it feels to be a hospice nurse now, I would tell them to grab a soda, popcorn, and snacks, and get comfortable because I could talk for hours about what it’s like. My feelings start with gratitude. I am grateful to be a part of the final phase of my patients’ lives, walking alongside them and their families toward a peaceful end. For all my hospice patients, time is the most valuable thing they have. ... Along with all these rewarding feelings, I also feel sadness when my patients pass away. But this sadness is different from the sadness I felt seven years ago.  ...
Editor's note: How would your hospice nurses answer, "how it feels to be a hospice nurse"? Calling all non-clinical, business leaders to read this. Better yet, shadow a nurse in the field for a day. Experience their role, skills, interactions. Examine your role and your responsibilities to equip and empower them to best "be a hospice nurse."