Hospice Registered Nurse

Heartland Hospice•Flint, MI

About The Position

Heartland Hospice, part of Gentiva, is seeking a Hospice Registered Nurse / RN Case Manager to provide personalized hospice and palliative care to patients with life-limiting illnesses and support their families. The nurse serves as a primary point of contact, delivers skilled nursing care according to each patient’s individualized Plan of Care, and provides care in patients’ homes, assisted-living settings, or other places they call home. The role includes assessing patients, managing symptoms, coordinating with an interdisciplinary team, educating caregivers, and offering emotional, physical, and spiritual support. The nurse documents clinical care, communicates changes in patient condition, supports continuity of care and transitions between care levels, and participates in on-call and patient-support activities as applicable. Work takes place in patients’ homes and/or institutional settings and in an automobile. The position may involve exposure to infections, communicable diseases, odors, blood, excreta, and hazardous materials. This is a safety-sensitive position.

Requirements

Registered Nurse.
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.
Must have and maintain transportation for work.
Knowledge of terminally ill patients and their families and an understanding of 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.
Knowledge of managed-care principles and regulatory guidelines, including Medicare, Medicaid, and ACHC.
Ability to provide tactful, sensitive support to patients and families facing life-and-death issues and crises.
Ability to adapt to changing tasks without losing efficiency or composure and to communicate effectively with people of all socioeconomic backgrounds.
Demonstrated maturity, cooperation, flexibility, and tact when working with coworkers and the hospice team.

Nice To Haves

Hospice or palliative-care experience.

Responsibilities

Perform comprehensive initial and ongoing patient assessments and reassessments, including in-person and telephonic RN assessments or screenings.
Deliver skilled nursing interventions and symptom management in alignment with patients’ goals of care.
Develop and update individualized plans of care, including visit frequency and identification of patient risks.
Coordinate care with the interdisciplinary team and consult with physicians and nurse practitioners.
Educate patients, family members, and caregivers about disease processes, self-care, end-of-life care, medications, nutrition, and dietary needs.
Provide emotional, physical, and spiritual support to patients and loved ones, including bereavement guidance.
Teach caregivers to safely and confidently care for patients.
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.
Maintain timely and accurate clinical records, 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 participation.
Participate in on-call and patient-support activities as applicable, providing clinically competent and responsive on-call services.
Follow infection-control, regulatory, and organizational compliance 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.
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.
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.