Hospice Registered Nurse

SouthernCare • Muncie, IN

11h

About The Position

The Hospice Registered Nurse serves as a primary contact for patients and families throughout the hospice journey and provides personalized nursing care in patients’ homes, assisted living facilities, or other institutional settings. The RN performs initial and ongoing assessments, delivers skilled nursing interventions and symptom management, and develops and updates individualized plans of care based on patients’ needs and goals of care.

The role coordinates care with an interdisciplinary team, including physicians, nurse practitioners, LPNs, CNAs, social workers, and chaplains. The nurse educates patients, caregivers, and families about disease processes, hospice services, medications, nutrition, symptom and pain management, self-care, and end-of-life care. The position also provides emotional, physical, and spiritual support, communicates changes in patient condition to appropriate providers, and supports care transitions and referrals.

The RN maintains timely and accurate clinical documentation, follows infection-control, regulatory, and organizational standards, participates in team and quality-improvement activities, and may participate in on-call and patient-support activities. Work takes place in patient homes or institutional settings and in an automobile; the role may involve exposure to infections, communicable diseases, odors, blood, excreta, and hazardous materials.

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.
• Must have and maintain transportation for work.
• Knowledge of terminally ill patients and their families and of hospice care 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.
• Good oral and written communication skills.
• Knowledge of documentation and program management, general nursing practice, managed care principles, and applicable regulatory guidelines, including Medicare, Medicaid, and ACHC.
• Sensitivity and tact when addressing life-and-death issues with patients and families; ability to support others in a time of crisis.
• Flexibility to perform varied tasks and move between tasks without loss of efficiency or composure.
• Ability to communicate effectively with people from all socioeconomic backgrounds.
• Maturity, cooperation, flexibility, and tact in dealing with coworkers and hospice team members.
• Ability to operate nursing assessment tools, computers, facsimile equipment, copier, and cell phone or beeper.
• Must meet applicable state-specific requirements and minimum requirements for benefits eligibility.

Nice To Haves

• Hospice or palliative care experience preferred.

Responsibilities

• Perform comprehensive patient assessments and reassessments, including in-person and telephonic RN assessments or screenings.
• Provide education to patients, family members, and caregivers.
• Deliver skilled nursing interventions and symptom management in line with goals of care.
• Develop and update individualized plans of care, including visit frequency and identified risks.
• Coordinate care with interdisciplinary teams 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 or signs and symptoms of decline to the appropriate provider.
• Support continuity of care, including appropriate home health, palliative care, and hospice referrals and transitions between 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 appropriate to achieve desired outcomes.
• Participate in on-call and patient-support activities as applicable, providing clinically competent and responsive on-call services.
• Provide emotional, physical, and spiritual support to patients and loved ones, including education, comfort, and bereavement guidance.
• Teach caregivers how to care for patients safely and confidently.
• Follow infection-control, compliance, regulatory, and policy standards.
• Support organizational 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 & 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 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
• Career Level: Mid Level
• Education Level: No Education Listed