Hospice Registered Nurse

Gentiva • Tullahoma, TN

7d

About The Position

The Hospice Registered Nurse provides personalized hospice and palliative nursing care to patients with life-limiting illnesses and supports their families. The nurse serves as a primary contact, delivers and documents skilled care in patients’ homes or institutional settings, assesses changing needs, and develops and updates individualized plans of care. The role includes patient and caregiver education, symptom and pain management, emotional and spiritual support, and coordination with an interdisciplinary team. The position is full-time, weekdays from 8 a.m. to 5 p.m., with a limited after-hours on-call rotation. Work takes place in patients’ homes, institutional settings, and an automobile.

Requirements

• Registered Nurse.
• 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 services, and the special needs of hospice patients and families.
• Knowledge of the roles of 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; demonstrate tact, flexibility, maturity, cooperation, and effective communication with people from varied socioeconomic backgrounds.
• Ability to operate nursing assessment tools, computers, facsimile equipment, copier, and cell phone or beeper.
• Must have and maintain transportation for work.

Nice To Haves

• Hospice or palliative care experience.

Responsibilities

• Perform comprehensive in-person and telephone patient assessments and reassessments, and educate patients, family members, and caregivers.
• Provide skilled nursing interventions and symptom management consistent with patient goals of care.
• 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.
• 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 appropriate home health, palliative care, and hospice referrals and transitions between 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 needed to achieve desired outcomes.
• Participate in on-call and patient-support activities, responding in a clinically competent and timely manner.
• Provide emotional, physical, and spiritual support to patients and loved ones, including comfort and bereavement guidance.
• Teach caregivers to provide care safely and confidently, including medication administration, hospice services, symptom management, and end-of-life expectations.
• Follow infection-control, regulatory, and compliance standards and 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
• Mileage reimbursement or fleet vehicle program
• Generous paid time off and 7 paid holidays
• Wellness programs, including telemedicine, diabetes management, and joint and spine concierge care
• Education support and tuition assistance
• Free continuing education units (CEUs)
• Company-paid life and long-term disability insurance
• Voluntary pet, critical illness, accident, and long-term care benefits

What This Job Offers

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