Hospice Worker

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.

---

Personal Requirements

• reliable and responsible
• compassionate, caring, patient and mature
• empathetic with terminally-ill patients and their families
• understanding of the process of grief
• good communication and listening skills
• good life-coping skills
• willing to sacrifice time in community service

---

Employment

Hospices

---

Getting Started

• volunteer as an aide or helper at your nearest community centre, hospice or church centre
• make an appointment to speak to a hospice worker about this type of work

---

Programmes

Boston City Campus and Business College does not offer a programme that leads directly to this occupation. Please take a look at the related occupations below to see whether any of these appeal to you. Alternately, please send an email to taryn@boston.co.za and a Student Advisor will call you back.

---

Related Occupations

---