Hospice Registered Nurse Carbon/Schuylkill Area

St. Luke's University Health Network•Lehighton, PA

6d•Onsite

About The Position

St. Luke's is seeking a Hospice Registered Nurse to provide professional nursing services to assigned patients and families. The nurse assesses, plans, implements, and evaluates care in accordance with the Team's Plan of Care and agency policies, with attention to the special needs of hospice patients and their families. The role carries primary responsibility for comprehensive nursing care, health teaching, guidance, and supervision, taking psychosocial, environmental, spiritual, and financial needs into account. The position is based primarily in Carbon and Schuylkill Counties. The schedule is primarily 8:00 a.m.–4:30 p.m., with some on-call and weekend work. The nurse collaborates with the interdisciplinary team, physicians, hospice volunteers, and other care providers; maintains accurate clinical records; participates in bereavement care and agency development; and complies with applicable safety, confidentiality, performance, and resource-use policies.

Requirements

Graduate of an accredited school of professional nursing.
Current active license to practice nursing in the Commonwealth of Pennsylvania.
Two years of experience as a professional nurse in nursing practice, or previous community health and/or hospice care experience as a professional nurse.
Comprehensive knowledge of professional nursing theory and ability to apply it in a community health setting.
Ability to communicate effectively orally and in writing with patients, families, physicians, and related persons.
Ability to prepare neat, timely, accurate, and concise records and reports.
Ability to accept and use supervision; exercise tact, initiative, and good judgment; and instruct nonprofessionals in patient care.
Knowledge of community resources, hospice care principles, and social service and counseling principles related to death and dying.
Interest in keeping abreast of trends and developments in nursing practice.
Good physical and mental health and the ability to meet the described physical demands, including heavy work, lifting and carrying, prolonged standing and walking, and frequent stooping, crouching, and grasping.
Visual and auditory acuity and finger and hand dexterity needed to provide nursing care and handle delicate instruments and equipment.

Nice To Haves

Bachelor of Science in Nursing (BSN).

Responsibilities

Determine eligibility for admission, obtain financial and statistical data, and formulate an initial care plan based on the patient's condition.
Collaborate with interdisciplinary team members to ensure appropriate care planning and to develop, implement, and evaluate bereavement plans of care.
Communicate with the patient's physician and/or hospice Medical Director orally and in writing as required by the patient's condition and agency policy.
Cooperate with the Volunteer Coordinator and provide hospice volunteers with counsel, advice, and training when they work with patients and families.
Keep informed about changes and trends affecting hospice care and professional nursing functions.
Participate in the bereavement program and supervise volunteers providing bereavement care.
Provide comprehensive nursing care, health teaching, guidance, and supervision to patients and families, considering psychosocial, environmental, spiritual, and financial needs.
Supervise patient care provided by LPNs and/or HHAs.
Maintain patient clinical records, reports, and written communications according to agency policy; ensure documentation is timely, accurate, and clearly outlines goals, plans, and relevant contacts with physicians and other agencies.
Contribute to agency development and operation by informing administration about changing community needs and resource gaps, orienting and guiding new staff, interpreting agency services, evaluating programs and personal service effectiveness, supporting staff development, and participating in in-service and group teaching as assigned.
Maintain confidentiality and properly release information.
Comply with Network and departmental policies regarding employee, patient, and environmental safety, reporting, attendance, and dress code.
Demonstrate the Network's Service Excellence Standards of Performance and contribute to performance improvement in clinical care, customer service, operations, and safety.
Use resources effectively and efficiently and demonstrate financial responsibility and accountability.
Demonstrate age-appropriate competency in patient assessment, treatment, growth and development knowledge, and communication.
Apply professional nursing theory and hospice care principles in a community health setting; instruct nonprofessionals in care of physically and emotionally ill people; use community resources; and apply knowledge of social service and counseling principles related to death and dying.