Hospice Registered Nurse

SouthernCare • Toledo, OH

3d

About The Position

SouthernCare, 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 contact for patients and families, delivers skilled nursing care in patients’ homes or institutional settings, and helps ensure care is compassionate, coordinated, and consistent with each patient’s goals and individualized Plan of Care.

The role includes conducting initial and ongoing assessments, managing symptoms, developing and updating care plans, educating patients and caregivers, coordinating with interdisciplinary care teams, communicating changes in condition, and maintaining timely, accurate clinical documentation. The nurse also participates in on-call and patient-support activities as applicable, follows infection-control and regulatory standards, and supports quality improvement and care transitions.

The position involves working in patients’ homes and/or institutional settings and traveling by automobile. The posting describes potential exposure to infections, communicable diseases, odors, blood, excreta, and hazardous materials. The role requires current automobile insurance, a valid driver’s license, and transportation for work.

Requirements

• Registered Nurse education and qualification.
• At least one year of experience as an RN 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.
• Current CPR certification.
• Current automobile insurance and a valid driver’s license.
• Must have and 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 ability, and program-management knowledge.
• 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 to communicate effectively with people from varied socioeconomic backgrounds.
• Flexibility to perform varied tasks while maintaining efficiency and composure; maturity, cooperation, tact, and flexibility in the workplace.
• Ability to operate nursing assessment tools, computers, fax machines, copiers, and cell phones or beepers.
• Must meet applicable state-specific requirements and minimum requirements for benefits eligibility.

Nice To Haves

• Hospice or palliative care experience.

Responsibilities

• Serve as a primary point of contact for patients and families throughout the hospice journey.
• Deliver and document skilled nursing care based on individualized plans of care in patients’ homes, assisted living, or other settings where they live.
• Perform comprehensive initial and ongoing patient assessments and reassessments, including in-person or telephonic assessments and screenings.
• Provide skilled nursing interventions and symptom management aligned with patients’ goals of care.
• Develop and update individualized care plans, including visit frequency and identification of patient risks.
• Coordinate care with interdisciplinary team members and consult with physicians and nurse practitioners as needed.
• Provide patients, family members, and caregivers with education on disease processes, self-care, end-of-life care, medications, nutrition, dietary needs, hospice services, and symptom and pain management.
• Offer emotional, physical, and spiritual support to patients and loved ones, including comfort and bereavement guidance.
• Teach caregivers how to safely care for their loved ones and provide practical and emotional support.
• Communicate changes in condition and signs or symptoms of decline to the appropriate provider and care team.
• Support continuity of care, including appropriate referrals and transitions among home health, palliative care, hospice, and levels of care.
• Maintain timely and accurate 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 the care plan warrants participation.
• Follow infection-control, compliance, regulatory, and organizational policy standards.
• Participate in on-call and patient-support activities as applicable, providing clinically competent and responsive service.
• Support quality-improvement and scheduling initiatives.
• 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 insurance for full-time associates
• Dental insurance for full-time associates
• 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 programs
• Free continuing education units (CEUs)
• Company-paid life insurance and long-term disability insurance for full-time associates
• Voluntary pet, critical illness, accident, and long-term-care benefits

What This Job Offers

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