Hospice Registered Nurse

SouthernCare • Bloomington, IN

7d • Onsite

About The Position

SouthernCare, part of Gentiva, is hiring a Hospice Registered Nurse to provide personalized hospice and palliative care to patients with life-limiting illnesses and support their families. The nurse serves as a primary point of contact, delivering and documenting skilled nursing care in patients’ homes, assisted living facilities, or other settings where they reside. The role includes comprehensive assessments, symptom management, individualized care planning, caregiver education, and coordination with an interdisciplinary team. The nurse also supports patients and families with emotional, physical, and spiritual needs, including guidance about hospice services, medications, pain management, and end-of-life expectations.

The position involves maintaining accurate clinical records, communicating changes in patient condition, following infection-control and regulatory requirements, and participating in quality improvement, scheduling, team collaboration, and on-call support activities as applicable. Work takes place in patients’ homes and/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 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 disciplines, community resources, and general nursing practice.
• Strong patient assessment, oral and written communication, documentation, and program-management skills.
• Knowledge of managed care principles and regulatory guidelines, including Medicare, Medicaid, and ACHC.
• Ability to support patients and families facing end-of-life issues and to communicate effectively with people from all socioeconomic backgrounds.
• Flexibility, maturity, cooperation, tact, and the ability to move between varied tasks without loss of efficiency or composure.
• Ability to operate nursing assessment tools, computers, fax and copier equipment, and a cell phone or beeper.
• Must have and maintain transportation for work.

Nice To Haves

• Hospice or palliative care experience.

Responsibilities

• Perform comprehensive patient assessments and reassessments, including in-person and telephone RN assessments or screenings.
• Deliver skilled nursing interventions and symptom management in line with each patient’s goals of care.
• Develop and update individualized plans of care, including visit frequency and identification of patient risks.
• Coordinate care with interdisciplinary team members, including 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, including appropriate referrals and transitions among home health, palliative care, hospice, and different levels of care.
• Document 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 needed to achieve care-plan outcomes.
• Participate in on-call and patient-support activities as applicable, providing clinically competent and responsive service.
• Provide hands-on nursing care and support patients and families throughout the hospice journey.
• Teach caregivers safe care techniques and provide practical guidance and emotional reassurance.
• 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 insurance for full-time associates
• Dental insurance for full-time associates
• Vision insurance for full-time associates
• Mileage reimbursement or fleet vehicle program
• Generous paid time off and seven paid holidays
• 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 pathways
• Free continuing education units (CEUs)
• Company-paid life insurance and long-term disability insurance for full-time associates
• Voluntary benefits, including pet, critical illness, accident, and long-term care coverage

What This Job Offers

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