A number of different skills at various levels of professionalism are required in a hospice. Doctors, nurses, psychologists, social workers and accountants provide the professional services required. Hospices also rely heavily on volunteer workers, including lay counsellors, to spend time with patients and their families and help them to come to terms with death.
Volunteer hospice workers are trained to take care of the psychological and physical needs of patients and to reduce their pain and discomfort as much as possible. Hospices operate on a voluntary contribution basis, so they require the services of professional fundraisers to help them raise funds to keep the institution running.
Satisfying Aspects
- working with and helping people come to terms with death
- meeting many different kinds of people
- using your talents, such as listening skills, empathy, etc.
Demanding aspects
- sometimes working irregular hours to meet the needs of people requiring help
- not particularly good remuneration, or unpaid
- dealing with particularly sad deaths, such as those of children
Requirements
A hospice worker should:
- be reliable and responsible;
- be empathetic with terminally-ill patients and their families
- be understanding of the process of grief
- have good communication and listening skills
- have good life-coping skills
- be willing to sacrifice time in community service.
School Subjects
National Senior Certificate meeting degree requirements for a degree course required to become a professional doctor, nurse, psychologist, social worker, administrator or accountant
National Senior Certificate meeting diploma requirements for a nursing diploma course
Each institution will have its own minimum entry requirements.
No specific requirements for volunteer hospice workers
Compulsory Subjects: depend on field of study
Recommended Subjects: depend on field of study
Training
Hospices offer in-service training for hospice workers.
NOTE: For more information refer to the alphabetical list of occupations to find the job descriptions of: Medical Doctor, Nurse, Nursing Auxiliary, Psychologist, Social worker, Accountant and Counsellor
Employer
- Hospices