Nurse Practitioner

Our nurse practitioners are an integral part of the Homage Hospice care team and ensure that all patients’ care needs are met with kindness, compassion, and respect.

What is a Nurse Practitioner?

Like registered nurses, nurse practitioners will have their bachelor’s degrees in nursing with a master’s degree and additional certification. While both types of nurses focus on direct patient care, nurse practitioners have the authority to diagnose patients, order tests, and prescribe treatments like a physician can. In contrast, registered nurses do not have the same prescribing and diagnostic capabilities.

Both registered nurses and nurse practitioners can specialize in different areas of care. It’s common for nurse practitioners to specialize in the population to which they’ll provide care. This means choosing a specialty before earning their license.

• The Role of Nurse Practitioners at Homage Hospice. At Homage Hospice, our nurse practitioners are often referred to as the physician’s right hand because they work alongside our physicians to ensure the patient’s pain and symptoms are always managed. Nurse practitioners at Homage Hospice have a wide range of roles and responsibilities to meet our patient’s physical, spiritual, and social needs.
• Assessing patient conditions. Our nurse practitioners regularly assess patients’ conditions, including during the first consultation, to help create a tailored care plan alongside our team of physicians, nursing staff, bereavement specialists, and spiritual counselors.
• Diagnose conditions. Nurse practitioners have the authority to conduct physical exams, diagnose patients, and discuss their conditions with the patient’s family. The physician, with the nurse practitioner, can then create a care plan to manage symptoms and keep the patient comfortable.
• Monitor vital signs. Our physicians rely on nurse practitioners’ expertise to monitor patients’ vital signs, including heart rate, blood pressure, temperature, and respiratory rate.
• Educate family caregivers. Our nurse practitioners are very important in educating families and family caregivers about what to expect, the patient’s condition, what medication they’re on, and how to provide support and comfort to cope with a difficult situation.
• Collaborate with healthcare professionals. Often, nurse practitioners act as a conduit for patients. This means keeping track of changing medical information, collaborating with physicians or specialists like oncologists, updating family members, and ensuring all care team members are on the same page.

Start Your Journey With Us

With over 50 years of experience in the hospice care industry, our dedicated multi-disciplinary care team is well-seasoned in hospice care and provides a level of care that prioritizes comfort, dignity, and emotional well-being. Thanks to our excellent patient-to-staff ratio, our nurse practitioners strive to provide personalized and attentive care throughout your or your loved one’s end-of-life journey.

To learn more about nursing services, please contact our team at (469) 625-0705 and see how we can support you and your loved ones.