Hospice Registered Nurse

Heartland Hospice•Windsor Mill, MD

12d

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 and caregivers. The RN serves as a primary point of contact, delivers and documents skilled nursing care according to individualized plans of care, conducts assessments, manages symptoms, and coordinates care with an interdisciplinary team. Care may be provided in patients’ homes, assisted living facilities, or other institutional settings. The role includes educating patients, families, and caregivers about hospice services and philosophy, disease processes, medications, symptom and pain management, nutrition, self-care, and end-of-life expectations. The RN communicates changes in condition to appropriate providers, maintains complete and timely clinical records, supports care transitions and quality initiatives, and participates in on-call and patient-support activities as applicable. This is a safety-sensitive position requiring transportation for work.

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 employment.
Current CPR certification.
Valid driver’s license and current automobile insurance.
Must have and maintain transportation for work.
Knowledge of terminally ill patients and their families and understanding of hospice and hospice patient and family needs.
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 skills, documentation skills, and program management knowledge.
Knowledge of managed care principles and applicable regulatory guidelines, including Medicare, Medicaid, and ACHC.
Ability to support patients and families facing end-of-life issues and crises, and to communicate effectively with people of varied socioeconomic backgrounds.
Ability to adapt to changing tasks while maintaining efficiency and composure, and to work cooperatively and tactfully with coworkers and hospice team members.
Ability to operate nursing assessment tools, computers, facsimile equipment, copier, and cell phone or beeper.

Nice To Haves

Hospice or palliative care experience.

Responsibilities

Serve as a primary point of contact for patients and families throughout the hospice journey.
Deliver and document skilled nursing care and interventions in accordance with individualized plans of care and goals of care.
Conduct initial, comprehensive, and ongoing patient assessments and reassessments, including in-person or telephonic RN assessments and screenings.
Monitor patient condition, manage symptoms, identify risks and signs of decline, and adjust care as needed.
Develop and update individualized plans of care, including patient visit frequency.
Coordinate care with interdisciplinary team members and consult with physicians, nurse practitioners, and other providers.
Provide emotional, physical, and spiritual support to patients and loved ones, including education, comfort, and bereavement guidance.
Teach patients, family members, and caregivers about disease processes, self-care, safe caregiving, end-of-life care, medications, nutrition, and dietary needs.
Explain hospice philosophy and services, medication administration, symptom and pain management, and end-of-life processes and expectations.
Communicate changes in patient condition and signs or symptoms of decline to the appropriate provider and care team.
Support continuity of care, appropriate referrals, and transitions between home health, palliative care, hospice, and different 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.
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.
Support quality-improvement and scheduling initiatives and contribute to team collaboration and patient and caregiver satisfaction.