Hospice Registered Nurse

Gentiva Hospice•Paragould, AR

About The Position

The Hospice Registered Nurse (RN)/RN Case Manager provides personalized hospice and palliative nursing care to patients with life-limiting illnesses and supports their families. The RN serves as a primary contact, delivers and documents skilled nursing care according to individualized plans of care, performs assessments, coordinates with an interdisciplinary team, and provides education and emotional, physical, and spiritual support. Care may be provided in patients’ homes or institutional settings. The role includes managing symptoms and pain, communicating changes in patient condition, helping patients and families understand hospice services and end-of-life care, and supporting appropriate transitions between levels of care. The RN maintains clinical records and follows infection-control, regulatory, and organizational standards. On-call and patient-support activities are part of the role as applicable. This is a safety-sensitive position.

Requirements

Registered Nurse education.
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 employment.
CPR certification.
Current automobile insurance and a valid driver’s license.
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.
Strong patient assessment, oral and written communication, documentation, and program-management skills.
Ability to support patients and families facing life-and-death issues and crises, communicate effectively with people of diverse socioeconomic backgrounds, and work with tact, maturity, cooperation, and flexibility.
Ability to perform varied tasks and adapt 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.
Must meet applicable state-specific requirements and minimum requirements for benefits eligibility.

Nice To Haves

Hospice or palliative care experience.

Responsibilities

Perform comprehensive in-person and telephonic patient assessments and reassessments, including screenings, and provide education to patients, family members, and caregivers.
Deliver skilled nursing interventions and symptom management aligned with the 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, including 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, and transitions between home health, palliative, hospice, and other levels of care.
Document assessments, screening findings, physician orders, progress notes, and care plans accurately and promptly.
Maintain effective working relationships with the interdisciplinary group and involve the team when patient care plans warrant participation.
Participate in on-call and patient-support activities as applicable, providing clinically competent and responsive service.
Teach caregivers safe care practices and help patients and families understand medication administration, hospice services and philosophy, symptom and pain management, and end-of-life processes.
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 pet, critical illness, accident, and long-term-care benefits for full-time associates.