Hospice Registered Nurse
About The Position
The Hospice Registered Nurse serves as a primary contact for patients and families throughout the hospice journey, providing skilled, hands-on nursing care based on individualized plans of care in patients’ homes, assisted living facilities, or other settings where they live. The RN conducts initial and ongoing assessments, manages symptoms, develops and updates care plans, and coordinates services with an interdisciplinary team. The position also provides emotional, physical, and spiritual support to patients and loved ones, teaches caregivers, communicates changes in patient condition, and maintains timely, accurate clinical documentation in accordance with infection-control, regulatory, and organizational standards. The role may include in-person and telephonic assessments, patient support and on-call activities, and participation in quality improvement, scheduling, and interdisciplinary group activities. The working environment includes patients’ homes or institutional settings and an automobile, with potential exposure to infections, communicable diseases, odors, blood, excreta, and hazardous materials. The employee must maintain transportation for work and meet applicable safety-sensitive and state-specific requirements.
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 team roles, general nursing practice, community resources, managed care principles, and applicable regulatory guidelines, including Medicare, Medicaid, and ACHC.
- Strong patient assessment, oral and written communication, documentation, and program management skills.
- Ability to apply knowledge of the special needs of hospice patients and families and to support people experiencing end-of-life and crisis situations.
- Ability to operate nursing assessment tools, computers, fax machines, copiers, and a cell phone or beeper.
- Must have and maintain transportation for work.
- Ability to demonstrate flexibility, maturity, cooperation, tact, and composure while performing varied tasks and communicating with people from different socioeconomic backgrounds.
Nice To Haves
- Hospice or palliative care experience is preferred.
Responsibilities
- Perform comprehensive patient assessments and reassessments, including in-person or telephonic screenings, and provide education as appropriate.
- Deliver skilled nursing interventions and symptom management aligned with the 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 and consult with 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 referrals and transitions between home health, palliative care, hospice, and different levels of care.
- Maintain timely clinical records, including assessment findings, physician orders, progress notes, and care plans.
- Maintain effective working relationships with the interdisciplinary group and involve team members when needed to achieve desired outcomes.
- Participate in on-call and patient-support activities, providing clinically competent and responsive service.
- Provide patients and families with information about medication administration, hospice philosophy and services, symptom and pain management, and end-of-life processes and expectations.
- Support quality improvement and scheduling initiatives.
- Follow infection-control, compliance, and regulatory standards.
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 programs
- 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
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What This Job Offers
Job Type
Full-time
Career Level
Entry Level
Education Level
No Education Listed
