Hospice Registered Nurse

Gentiva Hospice • Evansville, IN

14d

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 nurse serves as a primary contact, delivers and documents skilled care in patients’ homes or institutional settings, assesses patient needs, and develops and updates individualized plans of care. The role includes symptom management, patient and caregiver education, emotional support, and coordination with an interdisciplinary team to promote comfort, continuity, and quality of care.

The RN communicates changes in patient condition to appropriate providers, supports referrals and transitions among home health, palliative, hospice, and other levels of care, and maintains accurate clinical records in accordance with regulatory and organizational standards. The position may include on-call and patient support activities. Work takes place in patients’ homes or institutional settings and in an automobile, with potential exposure to infections, communicable diseases, odors, blood, excreta, and hazardous materials. The role requires transportation for work and effective use of nursing assessment tools, computers, fax machines, copiers, and a cell phone or beeper.

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.
• Knowledge of terminally ill patients and their families, hospice, 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 operate nursing assessment tools, computers, fax equipment, copiers, and a cell phone or beeper.
• Must have and maintain transportation for work.
• Ability to demonstrate sensitivity and tact when supporting patients and families facing terminal illness, death, and crisis.
• Ability to adapt to varied tasks while maintaining efficiency and composure, and to communicate effectively with people of all socioeconomic backgrounds.
• Ability to work responsibly and cooperatively with coworkers and hospice team members.

Nice To Haves

• Hospice or palliative care experience preferred.

Responsibilities

• Perform comprehensive initial and ongoing patient assessments and reassessments, including in-person or telephone assessments and screenings.
• Deliver skilled nursing interventions and symptom management consistent with patients’ goals of care.
• Develop and update individualized plans of care, including visit frequency and identified patient risks.
• Coordinate care with interdisciplinary team members, including physicians and nurse practitioners.
• Provide education to 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 appropriate providers.
• Support continuity of care, appropriate referrals, and transitions between home health, palliative care, hospice, and other levels of care.
• Document assessment findings, physician orders, progress notes, and care plans accurately and promptly.
• Maintain effective relationships with the interdisciplinary group and involve the team when needed to achieve desired outcomes.
• Participate in on-call and patient-support activities as applicable, responding in a clinically competent and timely manner.
• Provide emotional, physical, and spiritual support to patients and loved ones, including bereavement guidance.
• Teach caregivers safe and confident caregiving practices and provide practical and emotional support.
• Follow infection-control, compliance, and regulatory 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 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
• Paid time off for full-time associates
• Seven paid holidays for full-time associates
• Wellness programs, including telemedicine, diabetes management, and joint and spine concierge care
• Education support and tuition assistance, including ASN-to-BSN and BSN-to-MSN programs
• Free continuing education units
• Company-paid life insurance for full-time associates
• Company-paid long-term disability insurance for full-time associates
• 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