Hospice Admissions RN

HOSPICE OF THE CHESAPEAKE • Pasadena, MD

11d • $41 - $50 • Onsite

About The Position

Our Admission RNs serve as the first point-of-contact on the journey into hospice care. You will take the lead in conducting an initial assessment of the patient, engage with the patient and family to provide education on our services, and establish the plan of care. The Registered Nurse (RN) is a professional caregiver who assumes responsibility for admissions, liaison, focused Skilled Nursing Visits (SNVs) and death visits. The RN renders professional care in accordance with the physician/provider treatment plan and the nursing process of assessment, diagnosis, planning, implementation and evaluation. The RN is a clinical practitioner who coordinates and implements patient care specific to the patient population served. He/She ensures that compassionate, engaged care meets or exceeds quality standards. Care is provided in an efficient and safe manner consistent with the Maryland Board of Nursing licensure and Hospice of the Chesapeake (HOC) standard of care. Utilizes nursing skills to determine the biophysical, psychosocial, environmental, self-care, cultural, ethnic and spiritual and educational needs of the patient/family/significant other to develop, implement and revise the plan of care. The RN recognizes the legal responsibilities as specified by law and abides within those responsibilities. The RN may participate in weekend, and holiday, on-call, and evening/night rotations.

Requirements

• Current Maryland Board of Nursing RN license and thorough knowledge of nursing principles.
• Two or more years of med/surg or home health experience required.
• Demonstrated ability to provide quality patient care and to assess patient needs, including physical, teaching, mental, and spiritual needs.
• Basic computer skills, including but not limited to Microsoft Word and Outlook.
• Ability to assess safety risks and implement the use of lifts or other personnel to lift and move patients of all sizes and weights safely.
• Ability to handle multiple assignments and projects simultaneously with attention to detail, efficiency, accuracy, and deadlines.
• Current Maryland driver's license, clean driving record, and reliable transportation.
• Compliance with the organization's health screening and vaccination requirements, including annual TB screening and influenza vaccination.
• Field-based work in patient homes, nursing facilities, ALFs, CHH, and hospitals, with regular local travel between sites.
• Must be able to safely lift or move up to 50 lbs.
• Must be able to perform the essential functions of the position with or without reasonable accommodation.

Nice To Haves

• hospice experience preferred

Responsibilities

• Provides admission assessment and immediately engages with patients to develop rapport and a sense of trust.
• Performs an appropriately timed physical assessment through observation, palpation, and auscultation, including medical stability and presenting symptoms, and accurately assesses the patient's physical, psychosocial, ethnic, cultural, spiritual, and safety needs (e.g., fall risk, abuse, and neglect).
• Consistently uses established assessment criteria for identification of victims of abuse.
• Identifies, communicates, and collaborates on patient problems, priorities, and issues based on assessment data; establishes measurable patient goals; and communicates the initial plan of care to the interdisciplinary team.
• Collaborates with the patient and family in developing the plan of care, adjusting communication style as necessary, and establishes care priorities based on the patient's immediate condition and mutually set needs and expectations.
• Obtains and documents a complete list of the patient's current medications and enters it electronically in a timely manner.
• Performs liaison visits as scheduled to provide information regarding HOC services.
• Adapts communication style to meet the population-specific needs of the patient, creates a supportive environment, and provides an atmosphere that supports each patient's dignity.
• Conducts focused SNVs wherever a patient resides, whether in a private home, nursing facility, ALF, CHH, or hospital, to address a specific concern.
• Evaluates, treats, and documents pain and symptom issues as appropriate to patient condition or need, using the appropriate pain scale.
• Follows all prescribed and accepted standards in providing patient care, administering medications, moving/transporting/lifting patients, documenting patient condition, infection control, universal precautions, and discarding of medical waste.
• Follows policy and procedure for all waived testing and complies with Standard Precautions for all bedside invasive procedures.
• Uses appropriate resources (pharmacy, drug manuals) to ensure understanding of drug actions, interactions, side effects, and proper administration.
• Recognizes and reports adverse drug reactions and medication variances per policy and procedure.
• Communicates relevant information to the provider, including any change in referral diagnosis, and notifies the physician to obtain necessary orders.
• Accurately transcribes physician orders per policy and procedure, places all information on the appropriate forms, and reads back orders to the provider when orders are called in.
• Conducts death visits and assists in assessing family needs for bereavement services following the patient's death.
• Conveys bereavement information to bereavement staff no later than three days after the patient's death.
• Notifies the attending physician of the death, disposes of medications per HOC policy, and completes and submits the death packet in a timely manner.

Benefits

• Competitive salary and generous paid time off, including 16 vacation days, 9 sick days, 2 wellness days and 8 paid holidays in your first year of employment with HOC.
• Educational assistance to pursue professional development, additional certifications and degree programs.
• Comprehensive health, dental, and vision coverage, company-paid Short Term Disability and Life Insurance, and available accident and critical illness coverage.

What This Job Offers

• Job Type: Full-time
• Career Level: Mid Level