Hospice Registered Nurse

New Century Hospice • Austin, TX

8h

About The Position

The Hospice Registered Nurse (RN)/RN Case Manager serves as a primary point of contact for hospice patients and their families, delivering skilled, individualized nursing care and support in patients’ homes, assisted living settings, or other institutional settings. The RN conducts initial and ongoing assessments, manages symptoms, develops and updates plans of care, and coordinates services with an interdisciplinary team. The role includes educating and supporting patients, caregivers, and families through end-of-life care, and providing responsive on-call support as applicable.

The RN documents assessments, orders, progress notes, and care plans in a timely and accurate manner; communicates changes in condition to appropriate providers; and follows infection-control, regulatory, and organizational standards. The role also supports continuity of care, appropriate transitions and referrals, quality improvement, and effective coordination with the interdisciplinary group.

Work takes place in patients’ homes and/or institutional settings, as well as in an automobile. The position may involve exposure to infections, communicable diseases, odors, blood, excreta, and hazardous materials. This is a safety-sensitive position. The employee must maintain transportation for work and meet applicable state requirements.

Requirements

• Registered Nurse education/qualification.
• 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 and understanding of hospice and the special needs of hospice patients and families.
• Knowledge of the roles of disciplines providing hospice services and of community resources.
• Excellent 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 regulatory guidelines, including Medicare, Medicaid, and ACHC.
• Ability to demonstrate sensitivity to end-of-life issues, tact with patients and families, and support for people in crisis.
• Flexibility to perform varied tasks while maintaining efficiency and composure; ability to communicate effectively with people of all socioeconomic backgrounds and work cooperatively with the hospice team.
• Ability to effectively operate nursing assessment tools, computers, facsimile equipment, copier, and cell phone or beeper.
• Must have and maintain transportation for work.
• 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 point of contact for patients and families throughout the hospice journey.
• Perform comprehensive initial and ongoing patient assessments and reassessments, including in-person or telephone assessments and screenings.
• Deliver skilled nursing interventions and symptom management in accordance with the patient’s goals of care and individualized plan of care.
• Develop and update individualized plans of care, including visit frequency and identification of patient risks.
• Coordinate care with interdisciplinary team members, including physicians and nurse practitioners, and consult providers as needed.
• Educate patients, families, and caregivers about disease processes, self-care, end-of-life care, medications, nutrition, dietary needs, and hospice services.
• Provide emotional, physical, and spiritual support to patients and their loved ones, including comfort and bereavement guidance.
• Teach caregivers how to safely care for patients and provide practical training and reassurance.
• Communicate changes in condition and signs or symptoms of decline to the appropriate provider.
• Support continuity of care by recognizing and supporting appropriate home health, palliative care, and hospice referrals and transitions in levels of care.
• Document timely and accurate clinical records, including screening and assessment findings, physician orders, progress notes, and care plans.
• 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.
• Follow infection-control, compliance, regulatory, and policy standards.
• Support quality-improvement and scheduling initiatives to promote consistent, compassionate, and efficient care.

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 for full-time associates
• Free continuing education units for full-time associates
• Company-paid life and long-term disability insurance for full-time associates
• Voluntary benefits, including pet, critical illness, accident, and long-term care coverage, for full-time associates

What This Job Offers

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