As our population ages, there’s an increasing need for medical professionals — including people who specialize in hospice. The U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics estimates we’ll need many more hospice care staff nationwide: almost 50% as many home health aides and nearly 20% more registered nurses than about a decade ago.

More than 650 new operating hospices were added nationwide in the four years between 2016 and 2020. Meanwhile, we’ve been here serving southwest Michigan since 1981 — unlike these newer businesses, Centrica Care Navigators isn’t trying to figure out how to run a successful agency or provide quality care. We’re doing our best at those tasks every day.

A need for staff

A growing field like hospice also means there’s a growing need for trained staff. Take a look at the Careers page here on our website. We’re always looking for nurses and certified nurse’s aides, among other positions. It’s part of our drive to keep expanding, offering more services to more people in southwest Michigan.

Nursing students learn a lot of the fundamentals at school, and concentrate on end-of-life care when they’re working at hospitals or other places. We build on that knowledge to help nurses become advocates for their patients.

“Nurses and nurse’s aides are the true unsung heroes when it comes to what our agency does for the community,” says Kaylee, our recruiting and training specialist. “We are constantly looking to add dedicated nurses and aides to our growing teams.”

There’s definitely a need for medical specialists in hospice. The needs of a person in end-of-life care are significantly different from medical needs at any other time of life. Caring for hospice and palliative patients is a specialty, one with promising job prospects since the need for services keeps growing.

The Centrica Care Navigators care team are the ones meeting with patients and families every day. The team includes a physician, nurse, aide, social worker, and chaplain. Some have medical training, and some have other skills. But they’re not the only ones playing a part in our agency.

Volunteer Coordinator Maddie says she enjoys the opportunity to connect with the community, and offering the same to our patients and their caregivers.

“A volunteer could be the only person a patient sees all week,” she says. “For caregivers, respite is important — the relief they get from having time to themselves is invaluable.”

There are other care team members who visit with patients, like our music therapists. Grief counselors are there to support caregivers and families even before their loved one dies. And everyone “in the field” is backed up by trainers, administrative staff, and other behind-the-scenes people (for example, the person who wrote this blog post!).

What a successful candidate should be

A successful candidate for a Centrica Care Navigators job needs to be skilled and knowledgeable, and they also need to be a good listener, kind, and friendly. We use the term “compassionate care” a lot, because we think that’s the best way to connect with our patients, their caregivers, and their families.

What’s the advantage of working at Centrica Care Navigators? Full- and part-time employees have access to a comprehensive employee assistance program from their first day, among other competitive benefits.

But for many of our staff, the healthcare field offers something different than other kinds of work. For some people, it’s a calling — something they feel is important to do — and for others, it’s a way to give back: they first encountered hospice as a caregiver and want others to have the positive experience that they did.

Hospice aide Amy started in the hospice field straight out of nursing school. She feels it fits her “helper” personality. Given her religious beliefs, she’s also one who believes end-of-life care is her calling.

“My passion is for helping,” Amy says. “Who better than the most vulnerable?”

Hospice care is a field where the work isn’t going away. Southwest Michigan and the U.S. will need qualified people to help our aging population for many years to come.

“Our nurses and aides become part of patients’ lives,” says Director of Business Development Leslie. “I would want that for any of my loved ones.”

Though it can be a challenge to start the conversation about appropriate end-of-life care, knowing there’s a team of friendly, compassionate experts families can turn to when it is time to take that step can make things easier. We’re looking for people who can help make our teams better.

You can learn more about our open positions by exploring our website or calling Centrica Care Navigators at 269.345.0273.