Hospice Registered Nurse

Gentiva Hospice • Russellville, AR

8d

About The Position

The Hospice Registered Nurse provides personalized, skilled hospice and palliative nursing care to patients with life-limiting illnesses and supports their families. The RN serves as a primary contact for patients and caregivers, delivering care in patients’ homes, assisted living facilities, or other settings where they live. The role includes comprehensive assessments, symptom management, individualized care planning, caregiver education, and emotional, physical, and spiritual support.

The nurse works with an interdisciplinary team—including physicians, nurse practitioners, LPNs, CNAs, social workers, and chaplains—to coordinate care, respond to changes in condition, support transitions between care settings, and maintain continuity of care. The position requires timely and accurate clinical documentation, compliance with applicable standards, and participation in on-call and patient-support activities as applicable.

Work takes place in patients’ homes and/or institutional settings and in an automobile. The role may involve exposure to infections, communicable diseases, odors, blood, excreta, and hazardous materials. This is identified as a safety-sensitive position.

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, general nursing practice, community resources, managed care principles, and applicable regulatory guidelines, including Medicare, Medicaid, and ACHC.
• Strong patient assessment, oral and written communication, documentation, and program management skills.
• Ability to apply knowledge of the special needs of hospice patients and families and to provide support during times of crisis.
• Ability to communicate effectively with people of all socioeconomic backgrounds.
• Ability to adapt to varied tasks while maintaining efficiency and composure, and to work cooperatively and tactfully with coworkers and hospice team members.
• Ability to operate nursing assessment tools, computers, facsimile equipment, copier, and cell phone or beeper.
• Must have and maintain transportation for work.

Nice To Haves

• Hospice or palliative care experience.

Responsibilities

• Perform comprehensive patient assessments and reassessments, including in-person and telephonic RN assessments or screenings.
• Deliver and document skilled nursing interventions and symptom management in alignment with the patient’s goals of care.
• Develop and update individualized plans of care, including visit frequency and risk identification.
• Coordinate care with interdisciplinary team members and consult with physicians and nurse practitioners.
• Educate patients, family members, 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, appropriate referrals, and transitions among home health, palliative, hospice, and other levels of care.
• Maintain timely and accurate clinical records, including assessment findings, physician orders, progress notes, and care plans.
• Maintain effective working relationships with the interdisciplinary group and involve the team when the care plan warrants team participation.
• Participate in on-call and patient-support activities as applicable, providing clinically competent and responsive on-call services.
• Provide patients and caregivers with education and support about medication administration, hospice philosophy and services, symptom and pain management, and end-of-life processes and expectations.
• Support quality improvement and scheduling initiatives and follow infection-control, compliance, and regulatory standards.

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, including ASN-to-BSN and BSN-to-MSN support, 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, for full-time associates.

What This Job Offers

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