Hospice Nurse, LPN

HOME HEALTH & HOSPICE CARE INC • Smithfield, NC

4d

About The Position

The Hospice Nurse, LPN administers skilled nursing care to hospice patients who require intermittent professional nursing services, as outlined in the patient’s individualized plan of care and delegated by the RN. The role supports patient comfort, quality of life, and death with dignity through delegated nursing care, observation, documentation, communication, and collaboration with the RN and interdisciplinary team.

The LPN performs skills, treatments, and procedures within the individualized plan of care and applicable policies and nursing practice requirements; observes and reports changes in patients’ physical or emotional condition; reinforces teaching completed by the RN; supports patients and families; and assists the RN or physician with specialized procedures. The position includes documenting care electronically, maintaining medication profiles, participating in team and quality activities, and providing coverage as assigned. Weekend, after-hours, and holiday on-call rotations are required, with an RN providing backup call.

Requirements

• Current North Carolina license to practice as a Licensed Practical Nurse.
• Current CPR (BCLS) certification.
• Dependable, with the ability to deal pleasantly and tactfully with patients, families, staff, providers, and the public.
• Competent to perform delegated tasks that facilitate positive patient outcomes as specified in the patient’s individualized plan of care.
• Valid driver’s license and reliable transportation.

Nice To Haves

• At least two years of nursing experience in an acute care setting.
• Previous experience working with terminally ill patients.

Responsibilities

• Follow 3HC’s Compliance Program and Code of Ethics, and comply with applicable laws, regulations, and agency policies.
• Provide courteous, knowledgeable service to patients, families, referral sources, vendors, community members, staff, and visitors.
• Perform delegated skills, treatments, and procedures according to the patient’s individualized plan of care, agency policies and procedures, and applicable nursing practice requirements.
• Observe patients’ signs and symptoms and report treatment reactions and changes in physical or emotional condition to the RN.
• Reinforce teaching completed by the RN and counsel patients and families about nursing care needs and preventive or rehabilitative procedures as assigned.
• Assist the RN or physician with specialized procedures and duties, and support continuity of care and the emotional needs of patients and immediate family members.
• Report outcomes of unscheduled visits to the RN within 24 hours of service.
• Observe patients’ physical and mental health and home environments; gather and document data, relate findings to health status and treatment plans, and identify needs for immediate nursing intervention.
• Document services, clinical and progress notes, conferences, condition or home-situation changes, and supervised care-plan revisions in the electronic medical record; download patient information and submit paperwork, including time and travel, daily.
• Update medication profiles when medications change, keep current on reimbursement and hospice criteria and charting requirements, and respond to documentation correction or completion requests within 48 hours.
• Collaborate with the supervisor to meet clinical needs; rotate weekend, after-hours, and holiday on-call with an RN on backup call; cover visits in other offices and make home health visits as assigned.
• Participate in interdisciplinary group (IDG) meetings and report patient-visit updates to the interdisciplinary team.
• Maintain regular communication with the supervisor, promptly communicate patient problems through the chain of command, and use 3HC’s current communication processes and technology.
• Participate in staff meetings, patient care conferences, record audits, utilization reviews, quality improvement activities, in-services, and interdisciplinary team conferences; attend IDG at least 75% of the time.
• Attend mandatory agency in-services and satisfy State Board of Nursing continuing education requirements; pursue ongoing professional learning and recommend educational opportunities for staff.
• Use agency resources cost-effectively, monitor waste, and use supplies and equipment properly and safely.
• Follow 3HC’s Personnel Policy and perform other appropriate duties assigned by the supervisor.

What This Job Offers

• Job Type: Full-time
• Education Level: No Education Listed