Hospice Registered Nurse

Heartland Hospice • Ann Arbor, MI

5d • Onsite

About The Position

The Hospice Registered Nurse serves as a primary point of contact for hospice patients and their families, providing individualized skilled nursing care and guidance throughout the hospice journey. Care is delivered in patients’ homes, assisted living settings, or other places they call home, and is based on each patient’s plan of care and goals. The RN performs initial and ongoing assessments, manages symptoms, updates care plans, coordinates with an interdisciplinary team, and provides education and emotional support to patients, caregivers, and loved ones. The role also involves communicating changes in condition, maintaining complete clinical records, supporting continuity of care, and participating in on-call and patient-support activities as applicable.

The position works in patients’ homes and/or institutional settings, as well as in an automobile. It may involve exposure to infections, communicable diseases, odors, blood, excreta, and hazardous materials. The RN must maintain transportation for work and be able to operate nursing assessment tools, computers, fax equipment, a copier, and a cell phone or beeper.

Requirements

• Registered Nurse education and current license to practice nursing in the state of requested employment.
• 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 CPR certification.
• Current automobile insurance and a valid driver’s license.
• Knowledge of terminally ill patients and their families, hospice, hospice services, and the roles of disciplines providing hospice care.
• Ability to apply knowledge of the special needs of hospice patients and families.
• Strong patient assessment skills and knowledge of community resources.
• Good oral and written communication skills, documentation, and program management skills.
• Knowledge of general nursing practice, managed care principles, and regulatory guidelines, including Medicare, Medicaid, and ACHC.
• Sensitivity to end-of-life issues; tact and ability to support patients and families during a crisis.
• Flexibility to perform varied tasks while maintaining efficiency and composure, and ability to communicate effectively with people from all socioeconomic backgrounds.
• Maturity, cooperation, flexibility, and tact in working with coworkers and hospice team members.
• Ability to operate nursing assessment tools, computers, fax equipment, a copier, and a 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 is preferred.

Responsibilities

• Perform comprehensive patient assessments and reassessments, including in-person and telephone RN assessments or screenings, and provide education as appropriate.
• Deliver skilled nursing interventions and symptom management in alignment with patients’ goals of care.
• Develop and update individualized plans of care, including visit frequency, based on patient needs and identified risks.
• Coordinate care with interdisciplinary team members and consult with physicians and nurse practitioners.
• Educate 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 the appropriate provider.
• Support continuity of care by recognizing and supporting appropriate home health, palliative, and hospice referrals and transitions between levels of care.
• Maintain timely clinical records, including 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.
• Provide practical caregiver training and emotional reassurance, and help patients and families understand medication administration, hospice services and philosophy, symptom and pain management, and end-of-life processes.
• 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, dental, and vision insurance for full-time associates
• Mileage reimbursement or fleet vehicle program for full-time associates
• Generous 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 pet, critical illness, accident, and long-term care benefits for full-time associates

What This Job Offers

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