Hospice Registered Nurse

Gentiva Hospice • Greenville, NC

3d

About The Position

The Hospice Registered Nurse (RN) provides personalized hospice and palliative nursing care to patients with life-limiting illnesses and supports their families and caregivers. The RN is a primary point of contact, delivering skilled care in patients’ homes or institutional settings, assessing changes in condition, managing symptoms, and helping patients and families understand hospice services and end-of-life care.

The RN develops and updates individualized plans of care, coordinates with physicians and the interdisciplinary group (IDG), educates patients and caregivers, and documents care in accordance with clinical, regulatory, and organizational standards. The role also supports continuity of care, appropriate transitions and referrals, on-call activities as applicable, and quality and scheduling initiatives.

Work takes place in patients’ homes and/or institutional settings and in an automobile. The position may involve exposure to 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.
• Strong patient assessment skills and oral and written communication skills.
• Knowledge of documentation and program management, general nursing practice, managed care principles, and regulatory guidelines including Medicare, Medicaid, and ACHC.
• Ability to operate nursing assessment tools, computers, facsimile equipment, copier, and cell phone or beeper.
• Must have and maintain transportation for work.
• Sensitivity and tact when supporting patients and families facing life-and-death issues; ability to support others in crisis.
• Flexibility to perform varied tasks while maintaining efficiency and composure, and ability to communicate effectively with people of all socioeconomic backgrounds.
• Responsible, mature, cooperative, and tactful conduct with coworkers and hospice team members.

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 and document skilled nursing interventions and symptom management aligned with patient 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, and involve the team when warranted by the care plan.
• Provide education to 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 by recognizing and supporting appropriate home health, palliative care, and hospice referrals and transitions between levels of care.
• Maintain timely, accurate clinical records, including assessment findings, physician orders, progress notes, and care plans.
• Provide emotional, physical, and spiritual support to patients and their loved ones, including comfort and bereavement guidance.
• Teach caregivers to safely care for patients and provide practical training and emotional reassurance.
• Participate in on-call and patient-support activities as applicable, responding in a clinically competent and timely manner.
• Support organizational quality improvement and scheduling initiatives and follow infection-control, regulatory, and compliance standards.
• Educate patients and families about medication administration, hospice philosophy and services, symptom and pain management, and end-of-life processes and expectations.

Benefits

• Competitive pay
• 401(k) with company match
• Career advancement opportunities
• National and local recognition programs
• Teammate Assistance Fund
• Medical insurance
• Dental insurance
• Vision insurance
• Mileage reimbursement or fleet vehicle program
• Generous paid time off
• 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
• 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