Hospice Registered Nurse Carbon/Schuylkill Area

St. Luke’s University Health Network•Lehighton, PA

6d•Onsite

About The Position

Renders professional nursing services to assigned patients and families, assessing, planning, evaluating, and implementing nursing care with attention to the special needs of the agency. Works in accordance with the Team's Plan of Care and written agency programs and policies. The position is primarily based in Carbon and Schuylkill Counties, with a schedule primarily from 8:00 a.m. to 4:30 p.m., including some on-call work and weekends. The nurse determines admission eligibility, gathers financial and statistical information, formulates initial care plans, and carries primary responsibility for comprehensive nursing care, teaching, guidance, and supervision for patients and families. Care planning considers psychosocial, environmental, spiritual, and financial needs. The nurse collaborates with the interdisciplinary team, physicians, hospice volunteers, and other providers, and supervises care delivered by LPNs and/or HHAs. The role also includes maintaining accurate and timely clinical records, participating in bereavement care and agency development, orienting and guiding new staff, contributing to staff education and service evaluation, protecting confidentiality, and complying with safety, attendance, dress code, and other Network and departmental policies. The nurse is expected to demonstrate competency in age-appropriate assessment, treatment, growth and development, and communication. This is a physically demanding role involving heavy work, frequent standing and walking, bending, stooping, crouching, handling, and travel to patient homes and clinics. Work environments include offices and patient homes, as well as outdoor travel in varied weather conditions. Hazards include exposure to contagious disease, road and driving risks, and domestic pets.

Requirements

Graduate of an accredited school of professional nursing.
Current active license to practice nursing in the Commonwealth of Pennsylvania.
Two years of experience as a professional nurse in nursing practice, or previous community health and/or hospice care experience as a professional nurse.
Comprehensive knowledge of professional nursing theory and ability to apply it in a community health setting.
Ability to communicate effectively orally and in writing with patients, families, physicians, and related persons.
Ability to instruct nonprofessionals in care and treatment of physically and emotionally ill people.
Ability to prepare neat, timely, accurate, and concise records and reports.
Ability to accept and utilize supervision.
Ability to exercise tact, initiative, and good judgment when dealing with people.
Knowledge of community resources.
Knowledge of and ability to apply hospice care principles.
Knowledge of social service and counseling principles, particularly as they relate to death and dying.
Good physical and mental health.
Visual and auditory acuity required to provide comprehensive nursing care, and finger and hand dexterity to handle delicate instruments and other equipment.
Ability to meet the stated heavy-work physical demands, including lifting and carrying up to 100 pounds occasionally and 50 pounds frequently, and standing and/or walking at least six hours in an eight-hour workday.

Nice To Haves

Bachelor of Science in Nursing (BSN).

Responsibilities

Determine eligibility for admission; obtain financial and statistical data; and formulate an initial care plan based on the patient's condition.
Collaborate with interdisciplinary team members to ensure appropriate care planning.
Communicate orally and in writing with the patient's physician and/or hospice Medical Director as required by the patient's condition and agency policy.
Cooperate with the Volunteer Coordinator and provide hospice volunteers with counsel, advice, and training when they work with patients and families.
Keep informed about changes and trends affecting hospice care and professional nursing functions.
Participate in the bereavement program and supervise volunteers providing bereavement care.
Provide comprehensive nursing care, health teaching, guidance, and supervision to patients and families, considering psychosocial, environmental, spiritual, and financial needs.
Supervise patient care provided by LPNs and/or HHAs.
Maintain patient clinical records, reports, and written communications according to agency policy; ensure documentation is timely, accurate, and clear, and records reflect necessary contact with physicians and other agencies.
Collaborate with the interdisciplinary team to develop, implement, and evaluate bereavement plans of care for families and significant others.
Keep administration informed about changing community needs and gaps in community resources.
Participate in orientation and guidance of new staff.
Interpret agency services to families and community groups.
Contribute to evaluation of service programs and evaluate the effectiveness of personal service while contributing to staff evaluation and development.
Participate in developing in-service programs and group teaching for staff and other groups as assigned.
Maintain confidentiality of materials handled within the Network/Entity and ensure proper release of information.
Follow Network and departmental employee, patient, and environmental safety policies and reporting requirements.
Demonstrate the Network’s Service Excellence Standards in interactions with internal and external customers.
Demonstrate performance improvement in clinical care/outcomes, customer/service improvement, operational systems/processes, and safety, as appropriate.
Use resources effectively and efficiently and demonstrate financial responsibility and accountability.
Comply with Network and departmental attendance and dress code policies.
Demonstrate competency in assessment, range of treatment, knowledge of growth and development, and communication appropriate to the age of the patient.
Instruct nonprofessionals in care and treatment of the physically and emotionally ill.
Prepare neat, timely, accurate, and concise records and reports; accept and use supervision; and exercise tact, initiative, and good judgment when dealing with people.
Use community resources and keep abreast of developments in nursing practice, hospice care, and social service and counseling principles related to death and dying.