Hospice Registered Nurse

Heartland Hospice•Macon, GA

20d

About The Position

Heartland Hospice, part of Gentiva, is hiring a Hospice Registered Nurse / RN Case Manager to provide personalized hospice and palliative nursing care to patients facing life-limiting illness and support their families. The nurse serves as a primary point of contact, delivering skilled care in patients’ homes, assisted-living facilities, or other institutional settings, and helps patients and families navigate hospice services, medication administration, symptom and pain management, and end-of-life expectations. The role includes comprehensive assessments, individualized care planning, symptom management, caregiver education, and coordination with physicians and interdisciplinary team members. The nurse supports continuity of care, communicates changes in patient condition, maintains accurate clinical records, and participates in on-call and patient-support activities as applicable. The position involves working in patient homes or institutional settings and using an automobile to travel for work. Potential workplace exposures include infections, communicable diseases, odors, blood, excreta, and hazardous materials. This is a safety-sensitive position.

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 requested 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 and knowledge of general nursing practice.
Good oral and written communication skills, documentation, and program-management knowledge.
Thorough knowledge of managed-care principles and regulatory guidelines, including Medicare, Medicaid, and ACHC.
Ability to demonstrate sensitivity and tact when supporting people facing terminal illness, death, and crisis; flexibility, composure, maturity, cooperation, and effective communication with people of all socioeconomic backgrounds.
Ability to operate nursing assessment tools, computers, fax machines, copiers, and a cell phone or beeper.
Must have and maintain transportation for work.

Nice To Haves

Hospice or palliative care experience.

Responsibilities

Perform comprehensive in-person and telephonic patient assessments and reassessments, and educate patients, family members, and caregivers as appropriate.
Deliver skilled nursing interventions and symptom management aligned with each patient’s 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 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, including appropriate home health, palliative care, and hospice referrals and transitions between levels of care.
Document timely 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.
Provide emotional, physical, and spiritual support to patients and loved ones, including comfort, education, and bereavement guidance.
Teach caregivers to provide care safely and confidently, offering practical instruction and emotional reassurance.
Follow infection-control, compliance, regulatory, and policy 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 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 and 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 support.
Free continuing education units (CEUs).
Company-paid life and long-term disability insurance for full-time associates.
Voluntary benefits, including pet, critical illness, accident, and long-term care coverage.