Hospice Registered Nurse

Gentiva Hospice•Pueblo, CO

13d•$85,000 - $87,000•Onsite

About The Position

The Hospice Registered Nurse provides personalized hospice and palliative nursing care to patients with life-limiting illnesses and supports their families. The RN serves as a primary contact, delivers and documents skilled nursing care under individualized plans of care, assesses patient condition, manages symptoms, and coordinates services with an interdisciplinary team. Care may be provided in patients’ homes or institutional settings. The role also includes patient and caregiver education, emotional support, communicating changes in condition, maintaining clinical records and regulatory compliance, and participating in on-call and continuity-of-care activities.

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.
Knowledge of terminally ill patients and their families and of 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 oral and written communication skills.
Knowledge of documentation and program management, general nursing practice, managed care principles, and regulatory guidelines including Medicare, Medicaid, and ACHC.
Ability to operate nursing assessment tools, computers, facsimile equipment, copier, and cell phone or beeper.
Must have and maintain transportation for work.
Ability to support patients and families facing end-of-life issues and to communicate effectively with people from all socioeconomic backgrounds.
Flexibility, maturity, cooperation, tact, and the ability to change tasks without loss of efficiency or composure.

Nice To Haves

Hospice or palliative care experience.

Responsibilities

Perform comprehensive patient assessments and reassessments, including in-person and telephonic assessments or screenings, and educate patients, families, and caregivers.
Deliver skilled nursing interventions and symptom management aligned with goals of care.
Develop and update individualized plans of care, including visit frequency and identified patient risks.
Coordinate care with interdisciplinary team members 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 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 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 warranted by the care plan.
Participate in on-call and patient support activities, providing clinically competent and responsive on-call services.
Provide emotional, physical, and spiritual support to patients and loved ones, including comfort and bereavement guidance.
Teach caregivers safe care techniques and provide practical training and emotional reassurance.
Follow infection control, compliance, regulatory, and organizational standards.
Support quality improvement and scheduling initiatives.