Hospice Registered Nurse

Gentiva Hospice • Southaven, MS

1d

About The Position

The Hospice Registered Nurse (RN)/RN Case Manager delivers personalized hospice and palliative nursing care to patients with life-limiting illnesses and supports their families. The RN is a primary point of contact throughout the hospice journey, providing skilled, hands-on care in patients’ homes, assisted living facilities, or other settings where they reside. The role includes assessing patients, managing symptoms, developing and updating individualized care plans, educating patients and caregivers, coordinating with an interdisciplinary team, and documenting care in accordance with clinical, regulatory, and organizational standards.

The RN also provides emotional, physical, and spiritual support to patients and loved ones, including education and bereavement guidance. The position may involve on-call and patient-support activities, travel between care settings, and work in environments with potential exposure to infections, bodily fluids, odors, and hazardous materials.

Requirements

• Registered Nurse education or qualification.
• 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, hospice, hospice services, 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 skills.
• Knowledge of managed care principles and regulatory guidelines, including Medicare, Medicaid, and ACHC.
• Ability to provide sensitive, tactful support to patients and families dealing with terminal illness, death, and crisis.
• Flexibility to perform varied tasks while maintaining efficiency and composure; ability to communicate effectively with people from all socioeconomic backgrounds.
• Maturity, responsibility, cooperation, and tact in working with coworkers and hospice team members.
• Ability to effectively operate nursing assessment tools, computers, fax machines, copiers, and a cell phone or beeper.

Nice To Haves

• Hospice or palliative care experience.

Responsibilities

• Perform comprehensive initial and ongoing patient assessments and reassessments, including in-person and telephone assessments or screenings.
• Deliver skilled nursing interventions and symptom management aligned with patients’ goals of care.
• 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, nurse practitioners, LPNs, CNAs, social workers, and chaplains.
• Educate patients, family members, and caregivers about disease processes, self-care, end-of-life care, medications, nutrition, and dietary needs.
• Teach caregivers to provide safe care and offer practical guidance and emotional reassurance.
• Communicate changes in condition, signs of decline, and other important patient updates to appropriate providers and the care team.
• Support continuity of care, appropriate referrals, and transitions between home health, palliative care, hospice, and levels of care.
• Provide emotional, physical, and spiritual support to patients and loved ones, including bereavement guidance.
• Document 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 patient care plans warrant collaboration.
• Participate in on-call and patient-support activities as applicable, providing clinically competent and responsive service.
• Follow infection-control, compliance, regulatory, and organizational policy standards.
• Support quality-improvement and scheduling initiatives to promote consistent, compassionate, and efficient care.
• Help patients and families understand medication administration, hospice philosophy and services, symptom and pain management, and end-of-life processes and expectations.

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
• Generous paid time off and seven paid holidays
• Wellness programs, including telemedicine, diabetes management, and joint and spine concierge care
• Education support and tuition assistance, including ASN-to-BSN and BSN-to-MSN pathways
• Free continuing education units (CEUs)
• Company-paid life and long-term disability insurance
• Voluntary benefits, including pet, critical illness, accident, and long-term care coverage

What This Job Offers

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