Hospice Registered Nurse

Gentiva Hospice•Bainbridge, GA

About The Position

The Hospice Registered Nurse provides personalized, skilled hospice and palliative nursing care to patients with life-limiting illnesses and supports their families and caregivers. The RN serves as a primary point of contact, conducts comprehensive assessments and reassessments, delivers nursing interventions and symptom management, and develops and updates individualized plans of care. Care may be provided in patients’ homes, assisted living facilities, or other institutional settings. The RN coordinates care with an interdisciplinary group that includes physicians, nurse practitioners, LPNs, CNAs, social workers, chaplains, and others. The role includes educating patients and caregivers about disease processes, medications, nutrition, symptom and pain management, hospice services, and end-of-life care; communicating changes in condition to appropriate providers; documenting clinical care; and supporting continuity of care and transitions between services. The position also participates in on-call and patient-support activities as applicable and follows clinical, regulatory, infection-control, and organizational standards.

Requirements

Registered Nurse.
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.
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.
Strong patient assessment skills and knowledge of general nursing practice.
Good oral and written communication skills, documentation skills, and program-management knowledge.
Knowledge of managed-care principles and regulatory guidelines, including Medicare, Medicaid, and ACHC.
Ability to support people facing life-and-death issues and to deal tactfully with patients and families during a crisis.
Ability to adapt to varied tasks without loss of efficiency or composure and communicate effectively with people from all socioeconomic backgrounds.
Maturity, cooperation, flexibility, and tact when working with coworkers and hospice team members.
Ability to operate nursing assessment tools, computers, fax machines, copiers, and a cell phone or beeper.
Must have and maintain transportation for work.

Nice To Haves

Hospice or palliative care experience.

Responsibilities

Serve as a primary contact for patients and families throughout the hospice experience.
Perform comprehensive patient assessments and reassessments, including in-person and telephonic assessments or screenings.
Deliver skilled nursing interventions and symptom management in accordance with patient goals of care.
Develop and update individualized plans of care, including visit frequency and identification of patient risks.
Provide education to patients, family members, and caregivers about disease processes, self-care, end-of-life care, medications, nutrition, and dietary needs.
Educate caregivers in safe care techniques and provide emotional reassurance and support.
Coordinate care with interdisciplinary team members and consult with physicians and nurse practitioners as needed.
Communicate changes in condition and signs or symptoms of decline to appropriate providers.
Support continuity of care, referrals, and transitions between home health, palliative care, hospice, and different levels of care as appropriate.
Document screening and assessment findings, physician orders, progress notes, care plans, and other clinical records accurately and promptly.
Maintain effective working relationships with the interdisciplinary group and involve the team when patient care warrants participation.
Participate in on-call and patient-support activities as applicable, responding in a clinically competent and timely manner.
Follow infection-control, regulatory, compliance, and organizational policy 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 pet, critical illness, accident, and long-term care benefits for full-time associates.