Onboarding models needed to sustain hospice nursing workforce

Nurses entering the hospice field often are unprepared for the quantity and complexity of emotional, physical and spiritual needs among the dying population, making onboarding programs necessary. Many students do not receive adequate exposure to hospice and palliative care during their rotations. Onboarding can teach novice nurses effective and empathetic communication skills to engage effectively in conversations discussing goals of care. Additional hands-on training and exposure to hospice care earlier during clinical rotations could improve recruitment and retention of hospice nurses, according to Michelle White, DNP, RN, director of home and transitional care and homecare providers at North Carolina-based Cone Health. (Hospice News article, 5/28/24)