Hospice Registered Nurse

Gentiva Hospice • Sevierville, TN

13d

About The Position

The Hospice Registered Nurse (RN)/RN Case Manager provides skilled, individualized hospice nursing care to patients with life-limiting illnesses and supports their families and caregivers. The role serves as a primary contact for patients and families, delivering care in patients’ homes, assisted living settings, or other places they call home. The RN performs initial and ongoing assessments, develops and updates individualized plans of care, manages symptoms, and coordinates services with an interdisciplinary team.

The RN provides education and emotional, physical, and spiritual support to patients, caregivers, and loved ones, including guidance about medications, hospice services, symptom and pain management, end-of-life processes, and caregiving. The position documents clinical care and follows applicable infection-control, regulatory, and organizational standards. It also supports continuity of care, quality improvement and scheduling initiatives, and participates in on-call and patient-support activities as applicable.

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

Requirements

• Registered Nurse education.
• 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.
• Ability to maintain transportation for work.
• Knowledge of terminally ill patients and their families and an 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.
• Excellent 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 operate nursing assessment tools, computers, facsimile equipment, copier, and cell phone or beeper.
• Sensitivity and tact in addressing life-and-death issues and supporting patients and families during crises.
• Flexibility to perform varied tasks and communicate effectively with people from all socioeconomic backgrounds.
• Responsible, mature, cooperative, and tactful conduct with coworkers and hospice team members.

Nice To Haves

• Hospice or palliative care experience preferred.

Responsibilities

• Perform comprehensive patient assessments and reassessments, including in-person and telephone RN assessments or screenings.
• Deliver skilled nursing interventions and symptom management in accordance with patients’ goals of care and individualized plans.
• Develop and update individualized plans of care, including visit frequency and identification of patient needs and risks.
• Coordinate care with interdisciplinary team members, including physicians and nurse practitioners.
• Provide education to 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 by recognizing and supporting appropriate home health, palliative care, and hospice referrals and transitions between levels of care.
• Document timely clinical records, including screening and assessment findings, physician orders, progress notes, and care plans.
• Maintain effective working relationships with the interdisciplinary group and involve the team when patient care plans warrant team participation.
• Participate in on-call and patient-support activities as applicable, providing clinically competent and responsive on-call services.
• Serve as a primary point of contact for patients and families throughout the hospice journey.
• Provide emotional, physical, and spiritual support to patients and their loved ones, including bereavement guidance.
• Teach caregivers to provide safe care and offer practical training and emotional reassurance.
• Maintain accurate clinical documentation and follow infection-control, compliance, regulatory, and policy standards.
• Support organizational 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 insurance (full-time associates)
• Dental insurance (full-time associates)
• Vision insurance (full-time associates)
• Mileage reimbursement or fleet vehicle program (full-time associates)
• Paid time off (full-time associates)
• Seven paid holidays (full-time associates)
• Wellness programs, including telemedicine, diabetes management, and joint and spine concierge care (full-time associates)
• Education support and tuition assistance, including ASN-to-BSN and BSN-to-MSN support (full-time associates)
• Free continuing education units (full-time associates)
• Company-paid life insurance (full-time associates)
• Company-paid long-term disability insurance (full-time associates)
• Voluntary pet, critical illness, accident, and long-term care benefits (full-time associates)

What This Job Offers

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