Hospice Registered Nurse

Gentiva Hospice•Crossville, TN

About The Position

The Hospice Registered Nurse (RN) provides personalized hospice and palliative nursing care to patients with life-limiting illness and supports their families with dignity, comfort, and compassion. The RN serves as a primary point of contact, delivers and documents skilled nursing care according to individualized plans of care, assesses patient condition, and adjusts care as needed. Care may be provided in patients’ homes, assisted living facilities, or other institutional settings. The RN collaborates with an interdisciplinary team to develop and refine care plans, provides physical, emotional, and spiritual support, and educates patients, caregivers, and families about hospice services, medications, symptom and pain management, nutrition, and end-of-life care. The role includes communicating changes in condition to appropriate providers, maintaining accurate clinical records, supporting continuity and transitions of care, and participating in on-call and patient-support activities as applicable. The position involves work in patients’ homes or institutional settings and in an automobile. Potential exposures include infections, communicable diseases, odors, blood, excreta, and hazardous materials. The employee must maintain transportation for work and be able to operate nursing assessment tools, computers, fax equipment, a copier, and a cell phone or beeper.

Requirements

Registered Nurse education and a current license to practice nursing in the state of employment.
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 CPR certification.
Current automobile insurance and a valid driver’s license.
Knowledge of terminally ill patients and their families, hospice services, and the special needs of hospice patients and families.
Knowledge of the roles of disciplines providing hospice services, community resources, general nursing practice, managed care principles, and regulatory guidelines including Medicare, Medicaid, and ACHC.
Strong patient assessment, oral and written communication, documentation, and program-management skills.
Ability to support patients and families facing end-of-life issues and times of crisis with sensitivity and tact.
Ability to perform varied tasks flexibly and maintain efficiency and composure when priorities change.
Ability to communicate effectively with people from all socioeconomic backgrounds and cooperate with coworkers and hospice team members.
Must maintain transportation for work and effectively operate nursing assessment tools, computers, fax equipment, a copier, 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 or telephonic RN assessments and screenings.
Deliver skilled nursing interventions and symptom management aligned with patients’ goals of care and individualized plans.
Develop and update individualized care plans, including visit frequency, based on patient needs and identified risks.
Coordinate patient care with the interdisciplinary team, including physicians, nurse practitioners, LPNs, CNAs, social workers, chaplains, and other providers.
Educate patients, families, and caregivers about disease processes, self-care, end-of-life care, medications, nutrition, and dietary needs.
Communicate changes in patient condition and signs or symptoms of decline to appropriate providers.
Support continuity of care, referrals, and transitions among home health, palliative care, hospice, and appropriate levels of care.
Document screening and assessment findings, physician orders, progress notes, and care plans accurately and promptly.
Maintain effective working relationships with the interdisciplinary group and involve the team when the care plan warrants collaboration.
Participate in on-call and patient-support activities as applicable, providing clinically competent and responsive service.
Follow infection-control, regulatory, compliance, and organizational policy standards.
Support quality-improvement and scheduling initiatives to help ensure consistent, compassionate, and efficient care.

Benefits

Competitive pay.
401(k) with company match.
Career advancement opportunities.
National and local recognition programs.
Teammate Assistance Fund.
For full-time associates: 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 (CEUs).
For full-time associates: company-paid life and long-term disability insurance.
For full-time associates: voluntary pet, critical illness, accident, and long-term care benefits.