Hospice Registered Nurse

Gentiva Hospice • Columbus, OH

3d

About The Position

The Hospice Registered Nurse / RN Case Manager provides personalized hospice and palliative nursing care to patients with life-limiting illnesses and supports their families and caregivers. The nurse serves as a primary point of contact, delivering and documenting skilled care in patients’ homes or institutional settings, conducting assessments, managing symptoms, and developing and updating individualized plans of care.

The role coordinates care with an interdisciplinary team, communicates changes in patient condition to appropriate providers, and educates patients and caregivers about disease processes, medications, nutrition, hospice services, symptom management, and end-of-life care. The nurse also provides emotional support, participates in on-call and patient-support activities as applicable, and maintains timely, accurate documentation in accordance with clinical, regulatory, infection-control, and organizational standards.

The position involves working in patients’ homes and/or institutional settings and using an automobile for work. It may involve exposure to 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 machines, copiers, and a cell phone or beeper.

Requirements

• Registered Nurse education and 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 employment.
• CPR certification.
• Current automobile insurance and a valid driver’s license.
• Knowledge of terminally ill patients and their families, hospice, hospice patient and family needs, and the roles of disciplines providing hospice services.
• Strong patient assessment skills and knowledge of community resources.
• Good oral and written communication skills, documentation, and program management.
• Knowledge of general nursing practice and managed-care principles, regulatory guidelines including Medicare, Medicaid, and ACHC, and human resource management principles.
• Sensitivity to end-of-life issues and tact in supporting patients and families during a crisis.
• Flexibility to perform varied tasks while maintaining efficiency and composure.
• Ability to communicate effectively with people of all socioeconomic backgrounds and to work cooperatively and maturely with colleagues and hospice team members.
• Ability to operate nursing assessment tools, computers, fax equipment, a copier, and a cell phone or beeper.
• Ability to maintain transportation for work.

Nice To Haves

• Hospice or palliative care experience.

Responsibilities

• Perform comprehensive patient assessments and reassessments, including in-person and telephonic RN assessments or screenings, and provide education as appropriate.
• Deliver skilled nursing interventions and symptom management aligned with patients’ goals of care.
• Develop and update individualized plans of care, including visit frequency, to address individual needs and identify risks.
• Coordinate care across interdisciplinary teams, including consultation 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 and signs or symptoms of decline to the appropriate provider.
• Support continuity of care by recognizing and supporting appropriate home health, palliative, and hospice referrals and transitions between levels of care.
• Document clinical records promptly, including 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 its participation.
• 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 families, including education, comfort, and bereavement guidance.
• Teach caregivers to provide safe, confident care for their loved ones.
• Follow infection-control, compliance, and regulatory standards.
• Support 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, 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 for ASN-to-BSN and BSN-to-MSN programs for full-time associates.
• Free continuing education units for full-time associates.
• Company-paid life and long-term disability insurance for full-time associates.
• Voluntary benefits, including pet, critical illness, accident, and long-term care coverage.

What This Job Offers

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