Hospice Registered Nurse

SouthernCare New Beacon Hospice • Alexander City, AL

26d • Onsite

About The Position

SouthernCare New Beacon Hospice, part of Gentiva, is seeking a Hospice Registered Nurse to provide personalized hospice and palliative care to patients with life-limiting illnesses and support their families. The nurse serves as a primary point of contact, delivering skilled nursing care in patients’ homes, assisted living facilities, or other places they call home. The role includes assessment, symptom management, individualized care planning, caregiver education, coordination with an interdisciplinary team, and timely clinical documentation. The nurse also provides emotional, physical, and spiritual support to patients and loved ones, and participates in on-call and patient-support activities as applicable.

The position is performed in patients’ homes and/or institutional settings, as well as in an automobile. It may involve exposure to infections, communicable diseases, odors, blood, excreta, and hazardous materials. The employee must maintain transportation for work and be able to use nursing assessment tools, computers, fax equipment, a copier, and a cell phone or beeper.

Requirements

• Registered Nurse.
• 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 license to practice nursing in the state of requested employment.
• CPR certification.
• Current automobile insurance and a valid driver’s license.
• Knowledge of terminally ill patients and their families, hospice, hospice disciplines, community resources, and general nursing practice.
• Strong patient assessment, oral and written communication, documentation, and program-management skills.
• Knowledge of managed care principles and regulatory guidelines, including Medicare, Medicaid, and ACHC.
• Ability to support patients and families facing life-and-death issues and crises, communicate effectively across socioeconomic backgrounds, and work with tact, maturity, flexibility, cooperation, and composure.
• Ability to maintain transportation for work and effectively operate nursing assessment tools, computers, fax equipment, a copier, and a cell phone or beeper.

Nice To Haves

• Hospice or palliative care experience.

Responsibilities

• Perform comprehensive patient assessments and reassessments, including in-person and telephonic RN assessments or screenings, and provide education as appropriate.
• Deliver skilled nursing interventions and symptom management aligned with each patient’s goals of care.
• Develop and update individualized plans of care, including visit frequency, based on patient needs and identified risks.
• Coordinate care with interdisciplinary team members and consult with physicians and nurse practitioners.
• Educate patients and caregivers about disease processes, self-care, end-of-life care, medications, nutrition, and dietary needs.
• Communicate changes in condition and signs or symptoms of decline to the appropriate provider.
• Support continuity of care, including appropriate referrals and transitions among home health, palliative, hospice, and other levels of care.
• Document screening and assessment findings, physician orders, progress notes, and care plans in a timely manner.
• Maintain effective working relationships with the interdisciplinary group and involve the team when the care plan warrants collaboration.
• Participate in on-call and patient-support activities as applicable, providing clinically competent and responsive service.
• Provide patients and families with guidance about medication administration, hospice philosophy and services, symptom and pain management, and end-of-life processes and expectations.
• Teach caregivers safe care techniques and provide practical and emotional support.
• Follow infection-control, compliance, and regulatory standards, and support quality-improvement and scheduling initiatives.

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 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.

What This Job Offers

• Job Type: Full-time
• Career Level: Mid Level
• Education Level: No Education Listed