ESCANABA, Mich. (WZMQ) – Healthcare workers are in high demand across the country. According to U.P. Health System (UPHS), that is especially true in the field of hospice.
“Hospice is a little bit more difficult to recruit for,” said UPHS Hospice Executive Administrator Andrew Porter. “It’s not necessarily talked about as much. Some people almost find it a dirty word.”
Porter says that is largely due to misconceptions about what hospice care involves.
“Anyone that’s eligible for Medicare is eligible for hospice, as long as they have a six-month prognosis,” he explained. “It’s an important level of care for people as they’re passing because it switches from a curative treatment path to a palliative—or comfort—treatment path to make sure that as someone’s death approaches, it’s as comfortable of an experience as it can be for both the patient and their families.”
He says it is critical to find the right person to provide that type of care.
“When hiring for hospice, we really are looking more for character fit,” said Porter. “We can really teach the skills that come with it, but we can’t teach that end-of-life compassion, just someone that wants to be there for that population of patients.”
Tending to a patient—as well as their family—in their final days is an important and unique job.
“When it comes to most healthcare, it’s something that people are going to go through several times,” Porter said. “You may have multiple surgeries in your life; you may be admitted to the hospital multiple times. With hospice, you only really get one chance. It’s so important that everyone has the same mission when they go into these homes or facilities.”
Porter says hospice care is also extremely rewarding.
“I could never work anywhere else at this point,” he said. “Just because the aim of the treatment is a little bit different doesn’t mean it’s any less important than any other type of healthcare.”
U.P. Health System Hospice hosted the first of three career fairs on Monday in Escanaba. On Tuesday, October 24, UPHS Hospice will host a career fair at the Farmers Barn in Menominee. Another career fair will be held on Wednesday, October 25, at the Maple Aire Senior Housing Meeting Hall in Stephenson. Both fairs will begin at 3:30 p.m. and end at 6:30 p.m. Click here for full details.
To apply for a position with UPHS Hospice online, click here or scan the QR code below.
