Hospice Registered Nurse

SouthernCare • Foley, AL

14d

About The Position

The Hospice Registered Nurse serves as a primary point of contact for hospice patients and their families, delivering personalized nursing care and support in patients’ homes, assisted living residences, and other settings where they live. The RN conducts assessments, provides symptom management and skilled nursing interventions, and develops and updates individualized plans of care in collaboration with patients, caregivers, providers, and the interdisciplinary team.

The role also includes educating patients and caregivers about medications, disease processes, hospice services, end-of-life care, and practical care techniques; offering emotional, physical, and spiritual support; and communicating changes in patients’ conditions to appropriate providers. The nurse maintains accurate clinical documentation, follows infection-control and regulatory requirements, supports continuity of care and transitions between services or levels of care, and participates in on-call and team activities as applicable.

Work takes place in patients’ homes and/or institutional settings, as well as in an automobile. The position may involve exposure to infections, communicable diseases, odors, blood, excreta, and hazardous materials. The employee 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 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 and understanding of hospice care and their special needs.
• 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, and program-management abilities.
• Knowledge of managed care principles and regulatory guidelines, including Medicare, Medicaid, and ACHC.
• Ability to provide sensitive, tactful support to patients and families facing terminal illness, death, or crisis.
• Flexibility to perform varied tasks and change tasks without loss of efficiency or composure.
• Ability to communicate effectively with people from all socioeconomic backgrounds.
• Maturity, cooperation, flexibility, and tact 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 is preferred.

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 patients’ goals of care.
• Develop and update individualized plans of care, including visit frequency and identification of patient 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 appropriate providers.
• Support continuity of care, referrals to home health, palliative care, and hospice, and transitions between levels of care.
• Document screening and assessment findings, physician orders, progress notes, and care plans in timely clinical records.
• 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.
• Provide patients and families with education and support regarding medication administration, hospice philosophy and services, symptom and pain management, and end-of-life processes and expectations.
• Follow infection-control, regulatory, compliance, 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 insurance for full-time associates
• Dental insurance for full-time associates
• Vision insurance for full-time associates
• Mileage reimbursement or fleet vehicle program
• Generous paid time off and seven paid holidays
• Wellness programs, including telemedicine, diabetes management, and joint and spine concierge care
• Education support and tuition assistance for ASN-to-BSN and BSN-to-MSN pathways
• Free continuing education units (CEUs)
• Company-paid life insurance 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: Mid Level
• Education Level: No Education Listed