Hospice Registered Nurse

Gentiva Hospice • Waldron, AR

4d

About The Position

The Hospice Registered Nurse provides personalized hospice and palliative nursing care to patients with life-limiting illnesses and supports their families and caregivers. The nurse serves as a primary contact, delivers skilled care in patients’ homes or institutional settings, assesses patient needs and changes in condition, and develops and updates individualized plans of care. The role includes symptom management, patient and caregiver education, emotional and practical support, coordination with an interdisciplinary team, timely clinical documentation, and participation in on-call and patient-support activities as applicable. The position also supports continuity and quality of care while complying with clinical, regulatory, infection-control, and organizational standards.

The work takes place in patients’ homes, institutional settings, and 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 use 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.
• Maintain transportation for work.
• Knowledge of terminally ill patients and their families, hospice, hospice disciplines, community resources, general nursing practice, managed care principles, and applicable regulatory guidelines, including Medicare, Medicaid, and ACHC.
• Excellent patient assessment skills and oral and written communication skills.
• Ability to document and manage programs effectively.
• Ability to support patients and families facing end-of-life issues and crises, communicate with people from varied socioeconomic backgrounds, and work with flexibility, tact, maturity, and cooperation.
• Ability to operate nursing assessment tools, computers, fax equipment, a copier, and a cell phone or beeper.
• Meet applicable state-specific requirements and minimum requirements for benefits eligibility.

Nice To Haves

• Hospice or palliative care experience.

Responsibilities

• Serve as a primary point of contact for hospice patients and families and guide them through their hospice care.
• Perform comprehensive initial and ongoing patient assessments and reassessments, including in-person and telephonic assessments or screenings.
• Deliver and document skilled nursing interventions and symptom management in accordance with individualized plans of care and goals of care.
• Develop and update individualized plans of care, including visit frequency and identification of patient needs and risks.
• Coordinate care with interdisciplinary team members, including physicians, nurse practitioners, LPNs, CNAs, social workers, and chaplains.
• Provide education to patients, families, and caregivers about disease processes, self-care, medications, nutrition, hospice services, symptom and pain management, and end-of-life care.
• Provide emotional, physical, and spiritual support to patients and their loved ones, including comfort and bereavement guidance.
• Communicate changes in patient condition and signs or symptoms of decline to the appropriate provider and care team.
• Support continuity of care, appropriate referrals, and transitions between home health, palliative care, hospice, and 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 needed to achieve desired outcomes.
• Participate in on-call and patient-support activities as applicable and provide responsive, clinically competent on-call service.
• Follow infection-control, compliance, regulatory, 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 benefits, including pet, critical illness, accident, and long-term care coverage.

What This Job Offers

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