Hospice Nurse Practitioner

Heartland Hospice•Wauwatosa, WI

18h

About The Position

The Nurse Practitioner provides comprehensive, patient-centered care to people with serious illnesses. Depending on market needs, the role may involve hospice care, palliative care, or both. The position combines autonomous clinical practice with collaboration with physicians and interdisciplinary teams to provide high-quality, compliant, compassionate care and to guide patients and families through symptom management, complex medical decisions, and end-of-life care. The Nurse Practitioner performs patient-management visits and hospice Face-to-Face (F2F) encounters for eligibility certification and recertification, along with assessments, care planning, treatment, medication management, and coordination across care settings. The role includes supporting patients and families through serious illness and end-of-life transitions, maintaining accurate and timely documentation, and complying with applicable regulatory and organizational requirements. Participation in an on-call rotation may be needed. Heartland Hospice is part of Gentiva, a national provider of hospice, palliative care, home health care, and advanced illness management. The company describes a collaborative work environment where achievements are recognized and kindness is celebrated.

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 patient and family needs.
Proficiency with point-of-care technology and electronic medical records.
Ability to maintain productivity and documentation standards in line with organizational expectations.
Sensitivity and tact in addressing life-and-death issues affecting people with terminal illness and their families.
Ability to support others during a crisis and to shift among changing tasks without losing 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.
ACHPN certification preferred.

Responsibilities

Complete patient visits, 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 and interdisciplinary teams to provide comprehensive, patient-centered care.
Coordinate the patient’s Plan of Care with the Primary Care Provider/Attending Provider and applicable specialists.
Perform in-depth physical, emotional, functional, and psychosocial patient assessments.
Develop individualized care plans with patients, families, caregivers, and the interdisciplinary group or team.
Manage or assist with diagnosis, acute and chronic symptoms, treatment, medication management, assessments, longitudinal serious-illness support, quality-of-life optimization, and consultations, while reducing avoidable acute-care utilization.
Prescribe medications and treatments, including controlled substances, as permitted by applicable law and within independent-practice or collaborative-practice parameters.
Order and interpret laboratory and other diagnostic tests within the state-defined scope of practice and applicable Collaborative Practice Agreement.
Facilitate goals-of-care discussions, advance care planning, and appropriate transitions between levels of care.
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 to F2F encounters in the medical record in accordance with regulatory standards.
Communicate findings, treatment plans, diagnostics, and medication reviews to the interdisciplinary group or team.
Provide clinical recommendations to the interdisciplinary group based on assessment findings.
Ensure alignment with Medicare, Medicaid, and accrediting-body requirements, including ACHC.
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.
Partner 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, compliant clinical documentation.
Follow 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.

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 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 pet, critical illness, accident, and long-term care benefits for full-time associates.