Hospice Registered Nurse

Heartland Hospice•Stevens Point, WI

26d

About The Position

The Hospice Registered Nurse / RN Case Manager provides personalized hospice and palliative nursing care to patients with life-limiting illnesses and supports their families and caregivers. The nurse is a primary point of contact throughout the hospice journey and delivers skilled, hands-on care in patients’ homes, assisted living residences, and other institutional settings. Care is based on each patient’s individualized Plan of Care and includes assessments, symptom management, caregiver education, emotional and spiritual support, and timely clinical documentation. The role works closely with an interdisciplinary team, including physicians, nurse practitioners, LPNs, CNAs, social workers, and chaplains, to coordinate care, update plans, communicate changes in condition, and support transitions between levels of care. The nurse also participates in on-call and patient support activities as applicable, follows infection control and regulatory requirements, and contributes to quality improvement and scheduling initiatives. The position requires a current nursing license in the state of employment, CPR certification, a valid driver’s license, current automobile insurance, and transportation maintained for work. Work takes place in patients’ homes or institutional settings and in an automobile. The role may involve exposure to infections, communicable diseases, odors, blood, excreta, and hazardous materials.

Requirements

Registered Nurse education and 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.
Must have and maintain transportation for work.
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.
Strong patient assessment skills and knowledge of general nursing practice.
Good oral and written communication skills, documentation skills, and program management knowledge.
Thorough knowledge of managed care principles and regulatory guidelines, including Medicare, Medicaid, and ACHC.
Ability to support patients and families facing life-and-death issues and crises, communicate effectively across socioeconomic backgrounds, and work with tact, maturity, cooperation, and flexibility.
Ability to adapt to changing tasks without loss of efficiency or composure.
Ability to operate nursing assessment tools, computers, fax machines, copiers, and a cell phone or beeper.

Nice To Haves

Hospice or palliative care experience preferred.

Responsibilities

Perform comprehensive patient assessments and reassessments, including in-person and telephonic RN assessments and screenings.
Deliver skilled nursing interventions and symptom management aligned 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 consulting with physicians and nurse practitioners.
Provide patients, family members, and caregivers with education 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 home health, palliative care, and hospice referrals and transitions between levels of care.
Document clinical records in a timely manner, 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 on-call services.
Provide emotional, physical, and spiritual support to patients and loved ones, including comfort and bereavement guidance.
Teach caregivers safe and confident care techniques and help them understand medication administration, hospice services and philosophy, symptom and pain management, and end-of-life processes.
Follow infection control, regulatory, compliance, and policy standards.
Support organizational 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 insurance for full-time associates
Dental insurance for full-time associates
Vision insurance for full-time associates
Mileage reimbursement or fleet vehicle program for full-time associates
Generous paid time off for full-time associates
Seven paid holidays for full-time associates
Wellness programs, including telemedicine, diabetes management, and joint and spine concierge care
Education support and tuition assistance, including ASN-to-BSN and BSN-to-MSN programs
Free continuing education units (CEUs)
Company-paid life insurance for full-time associates
Company-paid long-term disability insurance for full-time associates
Voluntary benefits, including pet, critical illness, accident, and long-term care coverage