Hospice Registered Nurse (RN)

Location & Practice Overview

This position is based in the Houston, Texas area and operates within a community hospice model that brings care to patients in the places they live.

Responsibilities

• Provide comfort-focused nursing care during in-home visits
• Serve as an advocate so that each patient’s and family’s goals of care remain central to the plan
• Deliver basic hospice education and training to patients, families, and caregivers
• Coordinate care activities with LPNs, aides, chaplains, social workers, and physicians
• Attend the weekly interdisciplinary team meeting at the local program office

The nurse’s day-to-day work consists of direct patient visits and active representation of patient preferences within the larger care team.

Qualifications & Requirements

Applicants must hold the credentials and experience needed to practice as a registered nurse in a community hospice setting.

Compensation & Benefits

Hourly pay is paired with a benefits package that covers health coverage, retirement, education support, and personal assistance programs.

• Compensation: $38–$41 per hour
• Health, dental, vision, life, and disability insurance
• 401(k) plan with company match and multiple investment options
• Tuition reimbursement of up to $4,000 per year
• Pre-tax FSA/HSA options, paid time off, Employee Assistance Program, cancer/critical illness benefit, legal insurance, and 24/7 roadside assistance

Schedule & Work Environment

Patient Population & Clinical Setting

The nurse works with individuals who have elected hospice care and whose expected prognosis is six months or less.

Clinical Focus & Key Services

The clinical substance of the role is comfort-oriented end-of-life nursing provided in the patient’s chosen residence rather than in an acute-care unit.

Role Highlights

Distinctive operational features of this specific home hospice RN position include a defined daily visit range and a fixed weekly interdisciplinary meeting structure.

• Structured daily volume of 4–6 patient visits
• Mandatory weekly interdisciplinary team meeting held on-site at the local program office
• Explicit advocacy function that keeps patient and family goals at the center of the care plan

About VITAS Healthcare

VITAS Healthcare has provided end-of-life care since 1978 and operates hospice programs in more than 15 states and the District of Columbia. The organization is a wholly owned subsidiary of Chemed Corporation.

Frequently Asked Questions

Hospice Registered Nurse (RN) in Houston, TX

Home hospice nursing in Houston places the registered nurse inside the environments patients regard as home—private residences, assisted living communities, and skilled nursing facilities—rather than inside a hospital unit. Clinical assessment, comfort measures, and ongoing communication must therefore adapt to each living situation and to the presence of family caregivers who often manage day-to-day needs between visits. The nurse’s work is organized around a series of discrete patient encounters, requiring clear documentation, continuity of information, and regular coordination with physicians, social workers, chaplains, and other hospice professionals. This community-based model differs from acute-care practice in its emphasis on goal-aligned comfort rather than curative intervention and in the practical demands of independent travel and scheduling across multiple residential sites. Nurses evaluating this type of role should understand both the clinical orientation toward end-of-life support and the organizational realities of delivering that support outside institutional walls.

Career Opportunities for Hospice Registered Nurse (RN) in Houston, TX

Hospice nursing may appeal to registered nurses whose professional interests extend beyond acute treatment toward comfort, dignity, and meaningful support during serious illness. Nurses with backgrounds in medical-surgical care, oncology, geriatrics, palliative care, long-term care, or other patient-centered specialties may bring relevant clinical perspective to this area of practice. Experience communicating with patients and families during difficult health circumstances can also provide a foundation for developing a deeper interest in end-of-life nursing. Some nurses are drawn to hospice because they value relationship-based care, thoughtful communication, and understanding the individual priorities that shape a patient's experience of serious illness. For RNs exploring hospice careers in Houston, considering personal professional values alongside previous clinical experience can help determine whether this specialty fits the kind of nursing practice they want to pursue. Hospice can represent one distinct direction within the broader range of registered nursing careers.