Hospice Nurse Practitioner

Gentiva Hospice•Paragould, AR

About The Position

The Nurse Practitioner provides comprehensive, patient-centered care to individuals with serious illnesses. Depending on market needs, the role may involve hospice care, palliative care, or both. The position delivers advanced clinical care, patient management visits, and hospice Face-to-Face (F2F) encounters for eligibility certification and recertification, while partnering with physicians and interdisciplinary teams to provide high-quality, compliant, compassionate care. It combines independent clinical work with collaboration and supports patients and families through complex medical decisions, symptom management, and end-of-life care. The Nurse Practitioner completes required visit types, including Medicare-required hospice F2F visits, initial comprehensive visits, symptom management visits, admissions, goals-of-care discussions, and routine follow-ups. The role includes patient assessment and care planning, diagnosis and treatment management, prescribing and ordering or interpreting tests within applicable authority, coordination across care settings, referrals to supportive services, and hospice eligibility and recertification support. The Nurse Practitioner documents and communicates clinical findings in accordance with regulatory and organizational requirements and provides recommendations to the interdisciplinary group. The position works with physicians, nurses, social workers, chaplains, patients, caregivers, and families. It may include participation in an on-call rotation and coverage across multiple provider numbers as needed and approved. The role requires compliance with applicable Medicare, Medicaid, OSHA, hospice Conditions of Participation, state, and organizational requirements.

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 and 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.
Ability and willingness to meet organizational productivity and documentation standards.
Ability to support patients and families during crises and sensitivity to the impact of life-and-death issues.
Flexibility to perform varied tasks while maintaining efficiency and composure.
Ability to communicate effectively with people of diverse 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

Minimum of 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 visits within CMS timeframes, initial comprehensive visits, symptom management visits, admissions, goals-of-care discussions, and routine follow-ups.
Collaborate with Hospice and Palliative Medical Directors and interdisciplinary teams to deliver comprehensive, patient-centered care.
Coordinate the patient plan of care with primary care or attending providers and specialists, as applicable.
Conduct in-depth physical, emotional, functional, and psychosocial patient assessments.
Develop 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, within applicable state and federal regulations and practice authority.
Order and interpret laboratory and other diagnostic tests within the applicable scope of practice and collaborative practice agreement.
Facilitate goals-of-care discussions, advance care planning, and transitions in level of care when appropriate.
Coordinate care across home, skilled nursing, 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.
Document clinical findings accurately and attest F2F encounters in the medical record in compliance with regulatory standards.
Communicate findings, treatment plans, diagnostics, and medication reviews to the interdisciplinary group or team, and provide clinical recommendations based on assessment findings.
Ensure alignment with Medicare, Medicaid, and accrediting-body requirements, including ACHC requirements.
Promptly notify appropriate team members of barriers to completing scheduled visits.
Provide care and visit coverage across multiple provider numbers as needed and approved.
Maintain comprehensive knowledge of hospice and palliative care.
Partner effectively with physicians, nurses, social workers, chaplains, and other interdisciplinary team members.
Communicate clearly and compassionately with patients, caregivers, and families, and support them through serious illness and end-of-life transitions.
Participate in an on-call rotation as needed.
Maintain timely, accurate, and compliant clinical documentation.
Adhere to federal, state, and organizational regulations, including OSHA requirements and hospice Conditions of Participation.

Benefits

Competitive pay
401(k) with company match
Career advancement opportunities
National and local recognition programs
Teammate Assistance Fund
Medical, dental, and vision insurance for full-time associates
Mileage reimbursement or fleet vehicle program for full-time associates
Generous paid time off and 7 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 (CEUs) 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