Hospice Registered Nurse

Gentiva Hospice • Bainbridge, GA

20d

About The Position

The Hospice Registered Nurse (RN Case Manager) serves as a primary point of contact for hospice patients and their families, delivering personalized, skilled nursing care in patients’ homes, assisted living facilities, and other institutional settings. The RN conducts initial and ongoing assessments, provides symptom management and education, and develops and updates individualized plans of care in accordance with each patient’s goals and needs.

The role coordinates care with an interdisciplinary team that may include physicians, nurse practitioners, LPNs, CNAs, social workers, and chaplains. The nurse supports patients and loved ones emotionally, physically, and spiritually; teaches caregivers about safe care, medications, nutrition, hospice services, and end-of-life processes; communicates changes in condition to appropriate providers; and maintains timely, accurate clinical documentation while following regulatory, infection-control, and organizational standards. The position also supports continuity of care, quality improvement, scheduling initiatives, and on-call patient support as applicable.

The work takes place in patients’ homes and/or institutional settings, as well as in an automobile. Potential exposures include infections, communicable diseases, odors, blood, excreta, and hazardous materials. The nurse must maintain transportation for work and be able to operate nursing assessment tools, computers, fax equipment, a copier, and a cell phone or beeper. This is a safety-sensitive position.

Requirements

• Registered Nurse education and current license to practice nursing in the state of requested 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.
• CPR certification.
• Current automobile insurance and a valid driver’s license.
• Maintain transportation for work.
• Knowledge of terminally ill patients and their families, 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 skills, and program-management knowledge.
• Thorough knowledge of managed-care principles and regulatory guidelines, including Medicare, Medicaid, and ACHC.
• Ability to operate nursing assessment tools, computers, fax equipment, a copier, and a cell phone or beeper.
• Sensitivity to life-and-death issues affecting people with terminal illness; tact and ability to support patients and families in crisis.
• Flexibility to perform varied tasks without loss of efficiency or composure; ability to communicate effectively with people of all socioeconomic backgrounds.
• Maturity, cooperation, tact, and flexibility in working with coworkers and hospice team members.

Nice To Haves

• Hospice or palliative care experience.

Responsibilities

• Perform comprehensive patient assessments and reassessments, including in-person and telephone 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 and identification of patient risks.
• Coordinate care with interdisciplinary team members and consult with physicians and nurse practitioners.
• Educate patients and caregivers about disease processes, self-care techniques, 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 referrals to home health, palliative care, or hospice and transitions between levels of care.
• Document screening and assessment findings, physician orders, progress notes, care plans, and other clinical records in a timely manner.
• Maintain effective working relationships with the interdisciplinary group and involve the team when the care plan warrants participation.
• Participate in on-call and patient-support activities as applicable, providing clinically competent and responsive service.
• Serve as a primary point of contact for patients and families throughout the hospice journey.
• Provide emotional, physical, and spiritual support to patients and loved ones, including comfort and bereavement guidance.
• Teach caregivers to care for their loved ones safely and confidently.
• Follow infection-control, compliance, regulatory, and organizational 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 insurance (full-time associates)
• Dental insurance (full-time associates)
• Vision insurance (full-time associates)
• Mileage reimbursement or fleet vehicle program (full-time associates)
• Generous paid time off and 7 paid holidays (full-time associates)
• Wellness programs, including telemedicine, diabetes management, and joint and spine concierge care (full-time associates)
• Education support and tuition assistance, including ASN-to-BSN and BSN-to-MSN programs (full-time associates)
• Free continuing education units (full-time associates)
• Company-paid life and long-term disability insurance (full-time associates)
• Voluntary pet, critical illness, accident, and long-term care benefits (full-time associates)

What This Job Offers

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