Hospice Registered Nurse

Gentiva Hospice•Liberty Lake, WA

About The Position

Gentiva Hospice is hiring a Hospice Registered Nurse 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, delivering skilled nursing care according to individualized plans of care in patients’ homes, assisted living facilities, or other settings where they live. The role includes patient assessment, symptom management, caregiver education, interdisciplinary coordination, clinical documentation, and support through changes in condition and care transitions. The nurse provides physical, emotional, and spiritual support to patients and loved ones, including education about hospice services, medication administration, symptom and pain management, and end-of-life processes. The position also participates in on-call and patient-support activities as applicable and contributes to quality improvement, scheduling, regulatory compliance, and continuity of care. Work takes place in patients’ homes and/or institutional settings, as well as in an automobile. The role 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 equipment, a copier, and a cell phone or beeper.

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.
Knowledge of terminally ill patients and their families and understanding of hospice care.
Ability to apply knowledge of the special needs of hospice patients and families and of 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 skills.
Knowledge of general nursing practice and managed-care principles, regulatory guidelines (including Medicare, Medicaid, and ACHC), and human-resource management principles.
Sensitivity to life-and-death issues faced by people with terminal illness and tact in dealing with patients and families.
Ability to support others during a crisis and to shift among varied tasks without losing efficiency or composure.
Ability to communicate effectively with people of all socioeconomic backgrounds.
Responsible, mature, cooperative, flexible, and tactful approach when working with coworkers and hospice-team members.
Ability to operate nursing assessment tools, computers, fax equipment, a copier, and a cell phone or beeper.
Must have and maintain transportation for work.

Nice To Haves

Hospice or palliative care experience.

Responsibilities

Perform comprehensive patient assessments and reassessments, including in-person or telephonic RN assessments and screenings.
Deliver skilled nursing interventions and symptom management aligned with each patient’s goals of care.
Develop and update individualized plans of care, including visit frequency, based on patient needs and identified risks.
Coordinate care with interdisciplinary team members 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.
Communicate changes in condition and signs or symptoms of decline to the appropriate provider.
Support continuity of care, including appropriate home health, palliative care, and hospice referrals and transitions in levels of care.
Maintain timely 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 needed to achieve desired outcomes.
Participate in on-call and patient-support activities as applicable, providing clinically competent and responsive service.
Provide emotional, physical, and spiritual support to patients and their loved ones, including education, comfort, and bereavement guidance.
Teach caregivers to care for patients safely and confidently.
Follow infection-control, compliance, and regulatory standards and 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, including ASN-to-BSN and BSN-to-MSN programs, 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 benefits, including pet, critical illness, accident, and long-term care coverage, for full-time associates.