Hospice Nurse Practitioner

Gentiva Hospice • Vicksburg, MS

3d

About The Position

The Nurse Practitioner provides comprehensive, patient-centered care to individuals with serious illnesses. Depending on market needs, the position may serve patients in hospice, palliative care, or both. The role delivers advanced clinical care, conducts patient-management visits and hospice Face-to-Face (F2F) encounters for eligibility certification and recertification, and partners with physicians and interdisciplinary teams to provide high-quality, compliant, compassionate care. It combines independent clinical practice with collaboration to support patients and families with complex medical decisions, symptom management, and end-of-life care.

The Nurse Practitioner conducts visits required for patients on service, including Medicare-required F2F visits within CMS timeframes, initial comprehensive and history-and-physical visits, symptom-management visits, admissions, goals-of-care discussions, and routine follow-ups. The role assesses patients’ physical, emotional, functional, and psychosocial needs; helps develop individualized care plans; manages diagnoses, symptoms, treatments, medications, and referrals; and coordinates care across home, skilled nursing, and assisted-living settings. The practitioner also supports advance care planning and care transitions, applies LCD criteria to hospice eligibility and recertification, and documents care in compliance with applicable requirements.

The position collaborates with medical directors, primary and attending providers, specialists, and interdisciplinary group/team members. It communicates findings and recommendations, participates in on-call rotation as needed, and follows federal, state, organizational, OSHA, and hospice Conditions of Participation requirements. Care may involve coverage across multiple provider numbers as needed and approved.

Requirements

• Master of Science in Nursing (MSN) or higher from an accredited program.
• Completion of an accredited Nurse Practitioner program.
• Current RN license and Nurse Practitioner license or certification in the state of practice.
• National Nurse Practitioner certification through ANCC or AANP.
• Collaborative Practice Agreement with a supervising internal physician, or proof of Independent Practice Authority in accordance with state regulations.
• Controlled Substance Agreement, if applicable.
• DEA registration and prescriptive authority in accordance with state regulations.
• Current CPR certification.
• Valid driver’s license and current automobile insurance.
• Strong clinical assessment and critical-thinking skills across palliative and hospice populations.
• In-depth understanding of palliative care principles, hospice philosophy, home health eligibility, and end-of-life care.
• Working knowledge of LCD criteria, Medicare and Medicaid regulations, coding and billing, and documentation requirements.
• Excellent interpersonal, written, and verbal communication skills.
• Knowledge of Hospice & Palliative Quality Measures collection, documentation, and reporting, and the QAPI process.
• Ability to work autonomously and collaboratively in a fast-paced, evolving environment.
• Compassion, emotional intelligence, and sensitivity to the needs of patients and families.
• Proficiency with point-of-care technology and electronic medical records.
• Willingness and ability to meet organizational productivity and documentation standards.
• Sensitivity and tact in addressing life-and-death issues with terminally ill patients and their families; ability to support others during crises.
• Flexibility to shift among tasks without loss of efficiency or composure.
• Ability to communicate effectively with people of varied socioeconomic and cultural backgrounds.
• Maturity, cooperation, flexibility, and tact when working with coworkers and hospice team members.
• Compliance with OSHA, State Board of Nursing, and federal regulations related to hospice Conditions of Participation.

Nice To Haves

• At least two years of Nurse Practitioner experience is preferred.
• Experience in hospice, palliative care, oncology, geriatrics, family or adult medicine, home health, or acute care is preferred.
• Experience with Part B billing is preferred.
• ACHPN certification is preferred.

Responsibilities

• Complete patient visits, including Medicare-required hospice Face-to-Face encounters within CMS regulatory timeframes, initial comprehensive visits, symptom-management visits, admissions, goals-of-care discussions, and routine follow-ups.
• Collaborate with hospice and palliative medical directors, interdisciplinary teams, primary care or attending providers, and specialists to coordinate patient care and plans of care.
• Perform in-depth physical, emotional, functional, and psychosocial patient assessments.
• Support individualized care plans in partnership with patients, families, caregivers, and the interdisciplinary group or team.
• Manage patient care, including diagnosis, acute and chronic symptoms, treatment, medication management, assessments, longitudinal serious-illness support, quality-of-life optimization, and consultations.
• Prescribe medications and treatments, including controlled substances, when permitted by law and within applicable practice parameters or collaborative agreements.
• Order and interpret laboratory and other diagnostic tests within the applicable scope of practice and collaborative agreement.
• Facilitate goals-of-care discussions, advance care planning, and appropriate level-of-care transitions.
• Coordinate care across home, skilled nursing facilities, and assisted-living settings.
• Initiate referrals to supportive services and community resources as needed.
• Use Local Coverage Determination criteria to support hospice eligibility and recertification.
• Accurately document clinical findings and attest F2F encounters in the medical record in accordance with regulatory standards.
• Communicate findings, treatment plans, diagnostic information, and medication reviews to the interdisciplinary group or team, and provide clinical recommendations based on assessment findings.
• Ensure alignment with Medicare, Medicaid, accrediting-body, OSHA, and hospice Conditions of Participation requirements.
• Promptly notify appropriate team members of barriers to completing scheduled visits.
• Provide care and visit coverage across multiple provider numbers when needed and approved.
• Maintain comprehensive knowledge of hospice and palliative care.
• Communicate compassionately with patients, caregivers, and families, and support them through serious illness and end-of-life transitions.
• Participate in the on-call rotation as needed.
• Maintain timely, accurate, and compliant clinical documentation and follow applicable federal, state, and organizational regulations.
• Demonstrate understanding of hospice eligibility, documentation standards, and Part B billing practices, as applicable.

Benefits

• Competitive pay.
• 401(k) with company match.
• Career advancement opportunities.
• National and local recognition programs.
• Teammate Assistance Fund.
• Medical insurance for full-time associates.
• Dental insurance for full-time associates.
• Vision insurance for full-time associates.
• Mileage reimbursement or fleet vehicle program for full-time associates.
• Generous paid time off and seven paid holidays for full-time associates.
• Wellness programs, including telemedicine, diabetes management, and joint and spine concierge care, for full-time associates.
• Education support and tuition assistance for ASN-to-BSN and BSN-to-MSN programs for full-time associates.
• Free continuing education units for full-time associates.
• Company-paid life and long-term disability insurance for full-time associates.
• Voluntary benefits, including pet, critical illness, accident, and long-term care coverage, for full-time associates.

What This Job Offers

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