Hospice Registered Nurse

Gentiva Hospice•Paris, TN

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 point of contact, delivering skilled care in patients’ homes, assisted living settings, or other places they call home. Care is guided by individualized plans of care and includes assessment, symptom management, education, emotional support, and coordination with an interdisciplinary team. The role includes conducting initial and ongoing assessments, developing and updating plans of care, communicating changes in patient condition, and maintaining accurate clinical records. The RN educates patients and caregivers on hospice services, medications, symptom and pain management, nutrition, self-care, and end-of-life processes. The position also supports continuity of care, quality improvement, scheduling initiatives, and on-call patient support as applicable. Work takes place in patients’ homes and/or institutional settings, as well as in an automobile. The role 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 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 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.
Oral and written communication skills, documentation skills, and program management knowledge.
Knowledge of managed care principles and regulatory guidelines, including Medicare, Medicaid, and ACHC.
Sensitivity to the impact of life-and-death issues and the ability to support patients and families during crises.
Ability to perform varied tasks while maintaining efficiency and composure, communicate effectively with people from all socioeconomic backgrounds, and work cooperatively with colleagues and the hospice team.
Ability to effectively operate nursing assessment tools, computers, fax machines, copiers, and a 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 telephone patient assessments and reassessments, including screenings, and provide education to patients, families, and caregivers.
Deliver skilled nursing interventions and symptom management aligned with patients’ 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 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 by recognizing and supporting appropriate home health, palliative, and hospice referrals and transitions between levels of care.
Document screening and assessment findings, physician orders, progress notes, and care plans in a timely manner.
Maintain effective working relationships with the interdisciplinary group and involve the team when patient care plans warrant collaboration.
Participate in on-call and patient support activities as applicable, providing clinically competent and responsive on-call services.
Provide emotional, physical, and spiritual support to patients and loved ones, including comfort and bereavement guidance.
Teach caregivers to care for patients safely and confidently, providing practical training and emotional reassurance.
Follow infection-control, compliance, regulatory, and policy standards.
Support organizational 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, including ASN-to-BSN and BSN-to-MSN, 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, for full-time associates.