Hospice Registered Nurse

SouthernCare • Atmore, AL

1d • Onsite

About The Position

SouthernCare, part of Gentiva, is hiring a Hospice Registered Nurse / RN Case Manager to provide personalized hospice and palliative nursing care to patients with life-limiting illnesses and support their families. The nurse serves as a primary point of contact and provides skilled, hands-on care in patients’ homes, assisted living residences, or other institutional settings. Care is based on individualized plans of care and includes assessment, symptom management, patient and caregiver education, emotional and spiritual support, and coordination with an interdisciplinary team.

The role requires timely clinical documentation, communication about changes in patient condition, and participation in team, quality improvement, scheduling, and on-call activities as applicable. The nurse helps patients and families understand medication administration, hospice services and philosophy, symptom and pain management, and end-of-life processes. This is a safety-sensitive position. Work takes place in patients’ homes and/or institutional settings and in an automobile, with potential exposure to infections, communicable diseases, odors, blood, excreta, and hazardous materials.

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, 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.
• Good oral and written communication skills.
• Knowledge of documentation and program management, general nursing practice, managed care principles, and regulatory guidelines including Medicare, Medicaid, and ACHC.
• Sensitivity to life-and-death issues and tact in dealing with patients and families.
• Ability to support others during a crisis and communicate effectively with people from all socioeconomic backgrounds.
• Flexibility to perform varied tasks while maintaining efficiency and composure; maturity, cooperation, and tact in working with colleagues and hospice team members.
• Ability to operate nursing assessment tools, computers, facsimile equipment, a copier, and a cell phone or beeper.
• Must have and maintain transportation for work.

Nice To Haves

• Hospice or palliative care experience is preferred.

Responsibilities

• Perform comprehensive patient assessments and reassessments, including in-person or telephone assessments and screenings.
• Deliver skilled nursing interventions and symptom management in line with patients’ 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, family members, 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 by recognizing and supporting appropriate home health, palliative care, and hospice referrals and transitions between levels of care.
• Document screening and assessment findings, physician orders, progress notes, and care plans accurately and in a timely manner.
• Maintain effective working relationships with the interdisciplinary group and involve the team when the care plan warrants collaboration.
• Participate in on-call and patient-support activities as applicable, providing clinically competent and responsive on-call service.
• Serve as a primary point of contact for patients and families throughout the hospice journey.
• Provide emotional, physical, and spiritual support to patients and loved ones, including bereavement guidance.
• Teach caregivers to provide safe and confident care, offering practical training and emotional reassurance.
• Follow infection-control, compliance, regulatory, and organizational policy standards.
• Support quality improvement and scheduling initiatives.
• Help patients and families understand medication administration, hospice philosophy and services, symptom and pain management, and end-of-life processes and expectations.

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, including ASN-to-BSN and BSN-to-MSN programs, 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.

What This Job Offers

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