Hospice Registered Nurse

Gentiva Hospice • Lebanon, TN

5d

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, delivers and documents skilled nursing care in patients’ homes or institutional settings, assesses changing needs, and develops and updates individualized plans of care. The position collaborates with physicians and an interdisciplinary group to coordinate services, manage symptoms, educate patients and caregivers, and support transitions in care. It is a full-time weekday position with limited after-hours work and participation in on-call and patient-support activities as applicable.

The 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 RN uses nursing assessment tools, computers, fax and copier equipment, and a cell phone or beeper, and must maintain transportation for work.

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.
• Ability to maintain transportation for work.
• 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.
• Good oral and written communication, documentation, and program-management skills.
• Knowledge of managed-care principles and regulatory guidelines, including Medicare, Medicaid, and ACHC.
• Ability to demonstrate empathy, sound judgment, critical thinking, adaptability, tact, flexibility, maturity, and cooperation.
• Ability to communicate effectively with people of all socioeconomic backgrounds and support patients and families during crises.
• Ability to perform a variety of tasks and transition between different tasks without loss of efficiency or composure.
• Ability to operate nursing assessment tools, computers, fax machines, copiers, and a cell phone or beeper.
• Must meet applicable state-specific requirements and minimum requirements for benefits eligibility.

Nice To Haves

• Hospice or palliative care experience.

Responsibilities

• Serve as a primary contact for patients and families throughout the hospice journey.
• Perform comprehensive initial and ongoing patient assessments and reassessments, including in-person and telephone assessments or screenings.
• Deliver skilled nursing interventions and symptom management consistent with patients’ goals of care and individualized plans.
• 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 and nurse practitioners, and involve the team when needed to achieve desired outcomes.
• Provide emotional, physical, and spiritual support to patients and loved ones, including education, comfort, and bereavement guidance.
• Educate patients, family members, and caregivers about disease processes, self-care, end-of-life care, medications, nutrition, dietary needs, hospice services, and symptom and pain management.
• Teach caregivers to provide safe and confident care, offering practical instruction and emotional support.
• Communicate changes in condition and signs or symptoms of decline to the appropriate provider and care team for timely intervention.
• Support continuity of care, appropriate referrals to home health, palliative care, and hospice, and transitions between levels of care.
• Maintain timely and accurate clinical records, including assessment findings, physician orders, progress notes, and care plans.
• Follow infection-control, regulatory, compliance, and organizational policy standards.
• Participate in on-call and patient-support activities as applicable, providing clinically competent and responsive on-call services.
• Support quality-improvement and scheduling initiatives and maintain effective working relationships with the interdisciplinary group.
• Maintain timely patient visits and documentation and contribute to patient and caregiver satisfaction.

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.
• 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 pathways, 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 pet, critical illness, accident, and long-term care benefits for full-time associates.

What This Job Offers

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