Hospice Registered Nurse

Gentiva Hospice • Paragould, AR

14h • Onsite

About The Position

The Hospice Registered Nurse provides skilled, individualized hospice nursing care and serves as a primary contact for patients and families throughout the hospice journey. Care is delivered in patients’ homes, assisted-living settings, or other places they call home, with a focus on comfort, dignity, symptom management, and support for patients and loved ones facing life-limiting illness.

The RN conducts comprehensive and ongoing assessments, develops and updates individualized plans of care, delivers nursing interventions, educates patients and caregivers, and coordinates care with an interdisciplinary team. The role includes communicating changes in condition to appropriate providers, maintaining timely and accurate clinical records, supporting transitions between care settings or levels, and participating in on-call and patient-support activities as applicable.

The position requires a current nursing license in the state of employment, at least one year of RN experience, CPR certification, a valid driver’s license, and current automobile insurance. 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. The RN must maintain transportation for work and be able to operate nursing assessment tools, computers, fax machines, copiers, 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 employment.
• Current CPR certification.
• Current automobile insurance and a valid driver’s license.
• Knowledge of terminally ill patients and their families, hospice, hospice disciplines, community resources, and general nursing practice.
• Strong patient-assessment, oral and written communication, documentation, and program-management skills.
• Knowledge of managed-care principles and regulatory guidelines, including Medicare, Medicaid, and ACHC.
• Sensitivity to end-of-life issues and ability to support patients and families during crises.
• Flexibility, tact, maturity, cooperation, and ability to change tasks without loss of efficiency or composure.
• Ability to communicate effectively with people from all socioeconomic backgrounds.
• Ability to operate nursing assessment tools, computers, fax machines, copiers, 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 and document skilled nursing care and symptom-management interventions aligned with patients’ goals of care.
• Develop and update individualized plans of care, including visit frequency, to address patient needs and identified risks.
• Coordinate care with interdisciplinary team members and consult with physicians and nurse practitioners.
• Educate patients, families, 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 referrals and transitions among 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 the care plan warrants participation.
• 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 loved ones, including education, comfort, and bereavement guidance.
• Teach caregivers safe and confident ways to care for their loved ones.
• Follow infection-control, regulatory, and organizational compliance 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 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 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

What This Job Offers

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