Hospice Registered Nurse

Gentiva Hospice • Aiken, SC

5d

About The Position

The Hospice Registered Nurse (RN), also described as an RN Case Manager, provides individualized hospice and palliative nursing care to patients with life-limiting illnesses and supports their families and caregivers. Care is delivered in patients’ homes, assisted living facilities, or other institutional settings. The RN serves as a primary contact for patients and families, performs assessments, delivers skilled nursing interventions and symptom management, and develops and updates individualized plans of care.

The role coordinates care with an interdisciplinary team that may include physicians, nurse practitioners, LPNs, CNAs, social workers, and chaplains. The RN educates patients and caregivers about the disease process, hospice services, medications, nutrition, self-care, symptom management, and end-of-life care; provides emotional and practical support; communicates changes in condition to appropriate providers; and maintains complete, timely clinical documentation. The position also supports continuity of care, transitions between levels of care, quality improvement, scheduling, and on-call patient support as applicable.

Work takes place in patients’ homes and/or institutional settings and in an automobile. The role may involve exposure to infections, communicable diseases, odors, blood, excreta, and hazardous materials. This is a safety-sensitive position.

Requirements

• Registered Nurse education and qualification.
• 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, 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 communicate effectively with people from all socioeconomic backgrounds.
• Flexibility, tact, maturity, cooperation, and the ability to shift among varied tasks without loss of efficiency or composure.
• Ability to operate nursing assessment tools, computers, facsimile equipment, copier, and cell phone or beeper.
• Must have and maintain transportation for work.

Nice To Haves

• Hospice or palliative care experience preferred.

Responsibilities

• Perform comprehensive patient assessments and reassessments, including in-person or telephone RN assessments and screenings.
• Provide education to patients, family members, and caregivers 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 needs and risks.
• Coordinate care with interdisciplinary teams 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, appropriate referrals to home health, palliative care, and hospice, and transitions between levels of care.
• Document clinical records in a timely manner, including assessment findings, physician orders, progress notes, and care plans.
• Maintain effective working relationships with the interdisciplinary group and involve the team when patient care plans warrant team participation.
• Participate in on-call and patient support activities as applicable, providing clinically competent and responsive on-call services.
• Guide patients and families through hospice services and provide physical, emotional, and spiritual support, including bereavement guidance.
• Teach caregivers to provide safe care and help patients and families understand medication administration, symptom and pain management, hospice philosophy, and end-of-life expectations.
• Follow infection-control, regulatory, policy, and compliance 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 insurance for full-time associates
• Dental insurance for full-time associates
• Vision insurance for full-time associates
• Mileage reimbursement or fleet vehicle program
• Paid time off for full-time associates
• Seven paid holidays for full-time associates
• Wellness programs, including telemedicine, diabetes management, and joint and spine concierge care
• Education support and tuition assistance, including ASN-to-BSN and BSN-to-MSN support
• Free continuing education units (CEUs)
• Company-paid life insurance for full-time associates
• Company-paid long-term disability insurance for full-time associates
• Voluntary benefits, including pet, critical illness, accident, and long-term care coverage

What This Job Offers

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