Hospice Nurse Practitioner

Gentiva Hospice•Palm Desert, CA

About The Position

The Nurse Practitioner provides comprehensive, patient-centered care to people with serious illnesses. Depending on market needs, care may include hospice, palliative care, or both. The role delivers advanced clinical care, patient management visits, and hospice Face-to-Face (F2F) encounters for eligibility certification and recertification, working with physicians and interdisciplinary teams to provide high-quality, compliant, compassionate care. It combines autonomous practice with collaboration and supports patients and families through complex medical decisions, symptom management, and end-of-life care. The Nurse Practitioner performs patient assessments and visits, develops and supports individualized care plans, manages diagnoses, symptoms, treatments, medications, and consultations, and coordinates care across home, skilled nursing, and assisted living settings. The position also facilitates goals-of-care and advance-care-planning discussions, supports transitions in level of care, documents findings and F2F encounters, and provides recommendations to interdisciplinary groups. Practice must comply with applicable state and federal regulations, Medicare and Medicaid requirements, hospice Conditions of Participation, and accrediting standards. The role requires effective communication with patients, families, caregivers, physicians, and interdisciplinary colleagues; participation in on-call rotation as needed; and maintenance of clinical documentation and productivity standards. The position is safety-sensitive and requires a valid driver’s license and current automobile insurance.

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, 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 to maintain productivity and documentation standards in alignment with organizational expectations.
Sensitivity and tact when supporting people facing terminal illness and life-and-death issues; ability to support others during a crisis.
Flexibility to move between different 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

Minimum of two years of Nurse Practitioner experience preferred.
Experience in hospice, palliative care, oncology, geriatrics, family or adult medicine, home health, or acute care preferred.
Experience with Part B billing preferred.
Advanced Certified Hospice and Palliative Nurse (ACHPN) certification preferred.

Responsibilities

Complete patient visit types, including Medicare-required hospice Face-to-Face visits within CMS timeframes, History & Physical/Initial Comprehensive visits, symptom-management visits, admission visits, goals-of-care discussions, and routine follow-up visits.
Collaborate with Hospice and Palliative Medical Directors, interdisciplinary teams, primary care or attending providers, and specialists to coordinate patient plans of care.
Perform in-depth physical, emotional, functional, and psychosocial patient assessments.
Support individualized care plans with patients, families, caregivers, and interdisciplinary groups or teams.
Manage patient care, including diagnoses, 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.
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 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.
Document clinical findings accurately and attest F2F encounters in the medical record in accordance with regulatory standards.
Communicate findings, treatment plans, diagnostics, and medication reviews to interdisciplinary teams and provide clinical recommendations based on assessment findings.
Ensure alignment with Medicare, Medicaid, accrediting-body requirements, and applicable regulations; promptly notify appropriate team members of barriers to scheduled visits.
Provide patient care and visit coverage across multiple provider numbers as needed and approved.
Maintain comprehensive knowledge of hospice and palliative care.
Partner with physicians, nurses, social workers, chaplains, and other interdisciplinary team members; communicate compassionately with patients, caregivers, and families.
Support patients and families through serious illness and end-of-life transitions.
Participate in the on-call rotation as needed.
Maintain timely, accurate, compliant clinical documentation and adhere to federal, state, and organizational requirements, including OSHA and hospice Conditions of Participation.
Demonstrate understanding of hospice eligibility, documentation standards, and Part B billing practices as applicable.
Maintain productivity and documentation standards in alignment with organizational expectations.

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 seven paid holidays for full-time associates
Wellness programs, including telemedicine, diabetes management, and Joint & Spine Concierge Care, for full-time associates
Education support and tuition assistance 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, for full-time associates