Hospice Registered Nurse

Gentiva Hospice•Pueblo, CO

12d

About The Position

The Hospice Registered Nurse serves as a primary point of contact for patients and families throughout the hospice journey, providing skilled nursing care and support in patients’ homes, assisted living residences, or other institutional settings. The RN conducts initial and ongoing assessments, delivers symptom management, and develops and updates individualized plans of care. The position coordinates care with an interdisciplinary team and supports patients, caregivers, and loved ones with education and emotional, physical, and spiritual support. The nurse documents clinical care, communicates changes in patient condition, follows infection-control and regulatory requirements, and participates in on-call and patient-support activities as applicable. The role requires travel between care settings and may involve exposure to infections, communicable diseases, bodily fluids, odors, and hazardous materials.

Requirements

Registered Nurse education and current license to practice nursing in the state of employment.
At least one year of RN experience in acute care hospital, oncology, long-term care, hospice, or home health; school internships and clinical hours may be considered in individual cases.
Current CPR certification.
Valid driver’s license and current automobile insurance.
Knowledge of terminally ill patients and their families and understanding of hospice and the special needs of hospice patients and families.
Knowledge of the roles of disciplines providing hospice services and of community resources.
Strong patient assessment skills and knowledge of general nursing practice.
Good oral and written communication skills, documentation, and program management knowledge.
Knowledge of managed care principles and regulatory guidelines, including Medicare, Medicaid, and ACHC.
Ability to provide sensitive, tactful support to patients and families facing life-and-death issues and crises.
Ability to adapt to a variety of changing tasks without losing efficiency or composure.
Ability to communicate effectively with people of all socioeconomic backgrounds and cooperate with coworkers and hospice team members.
Ability to maintain transportation for work and effectively operate nursing assessment tools, computers, fax equipment, copier, and cell phone or beeper.

Nice To Haves

Hospice or palliative care experience preferred.

Responsibilities

Serve as a primary point of contact for hospice patients and their families.
Perform comprehensive patient assessments and reassessments, including in-person and telephonic assessments or screenings.
Deliver and document skilled nursing interventions and symptom management in accordance with patients’ goals of care and individualized plans of care.
Develop and update individualized plans of care, including visit frequency and identification of patient risks.
Monitor patient condition and communicate changes or signs of decline to the appropriate provider.
Coordinate care with physicians, nurse practitioners, LPNs, CNAs, social workers, chaplains, and other interdisciplinary team members.
Educate patients, family members, and caregivers about disease processes, self-care, end-of-life care, medications, nutrition, and dietary needs.
Provide emotional, physical, and spiritual support to patients and loved ones, including comfort and bereavement guidance.
Teach caregivers practical skills to care safely and confidently for their loved ones.
Support continuity of care, including appropriate home health, palliative care, and hospice referrals and transitions between levels of care.
Maintain timely and accurate clinical records, including assessment findings, physician orders, progress notes, and care plans.
Follow infection-control, regulatory, compliance, and organizational policy standards.
Maintain effective working relationships with the interdisciplinary group and involve the team when care needs warrant participation.
Participate in on-call and patient-support activities as applicable, providing clinically competent and responsive service.
Support quality-improvement and scheduling initiatives and contribute to team collaboration and patient satisfaction.
Maintain transportation for work and use nursing assessment tools, computers, fax equipment, copier, and cell phone or beeper.