Hospice Registered Nurse

Gentiva • Kinston, NC

22d

About The Position

The Hospice Registered Nurse serves as the primary contact for patients and families throughout the hospice journey, delivering personalized, skilled nursing care in patients’ homes, assisted living facilities, and other settings where they reside. The nurse assesses patients, monitors changes in condition, manages symptoms, and develops and updates individualized plans of care in coordination with an interdisciplinary team. The role also provides education and emotional, physical, and spiritual support to patients, caregivers, and families, including guidance on medications, hospice services, pain and symptom management, and end-of-life expectations. The nurse maintains accurate clinical documentation, follows infection-control and regulatory requirements, supports continuity of care and transitions between service levels, and participates in on-call and patient support activities as applicable.

The position is safety-sensitive and involves work in patient homes or institutional settings and in an automobile. The employee may be exposed to infections, communicable diseases, odors, blood, excreta, and hazardous materials. The employee 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.
• 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 and understanding of 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 skills.
• Knowledge of managed care principles and regulatory guidelines, including Medicare, Medicaid, and ACHC.
• Ability to support people facing life-and-death issues and provide tactful support to patients and families in crisis.
• Flexibility to perform varied tasks and communicate effectively with people of all socioeconomic backgrounds.
• Maturity, responsibility, cooperation, 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.
• Ability to meet applicable state-specific requirements.

Nice To Haves

• Hospice or palliative care experience preferred.

Responsibilities

• Perform comprehensive initial and ongoing patient assessments and reassessments, including in-person or 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 identified patient risks.
• Coordinate care with interdisciplinary team members and consult with 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 the appropriate provider.
• Support continuity of care by recognizing and supporting appropriate home health, palliative care, and hospice referrals and transitions in levels of care.
• Document screening and assessment findings, physician orders, progress notes, and care plans in a timely manner.
• Maintain effective working relationships with the interdisciplinary group and involve the team when the care plan warrants participation to achieve desired outcomes.
• 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 their loved ones, including comfort and bereavement guidance.
• Teach caregivers safe and confident caregiving practices, combining practical training with emotional reassurance.
• Follow infection-control, compliance, regulatory, and organizational policy standards.
• 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 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 for ASN-to-BSN and BSN-to-MSN programs
• Free continuing education units
• Company-paid life insurance for full-time associates
• Company-paid long-term disability insurance for full-time associates
• Voluntary pet, critical illness, accident, and long-term care benefits

What This Job Offers

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