Hospice Registered Nurse

SouthernCare • New Albany, IN

3d

About The Position

The Hospice Registered Nurse serves as a primary point of contact for hospice patients and their families, providing individualized nursing care, education, and support throughout the hospice journey. Care is delivered in patients’ homes, assisted living settings, or other places they call home, in accordance with each patient’s Plan of Care and goals of care.

The role includes comprehensive and ongoing assessments, symptom management, care-plan development and updates, coordination with interdisciplinary team members and providers, and timely clinical documentation. The nurse supports patients and caregivers with education about medications, disease processes, hospice services, nutrition, end-of-life care, and symptom management, while also providing emotional, physical, and spiritual support. The position may include on-call and patient-support activities, and requires travel between patient locations using maintained transportation.

The work takes place in patients’ homes and/or institutional settings and in an automobile. Potential exposures include infections, communicable diseases, odors, blood, excreta, and hazardous materials. This is a safety-sensitive position.

Requirements

• Registered Nurse.
• 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, hospice disciplines, community resources, general nursing practice, managed-care principles, and regulatory guidelines including Medicare, Medicaid, and ACHC.
• Excellent patient assessment skills and oral and written communication skills.
• Ability to provide documentation and program management.
• Sensitivity and tact when supporting people facing terminal illness, death, and crisis.
• Ability to adapt to changing tasks while maintaining efficiency and composure, and to communicate effectively with people of all socioeconomic backgrounds.
• Maturity, cooperation, flexibility, and tact in working with coworkers and hospice team members.
• Ability to effectively operate nursing assessment tools, computers, facsimile equipment, copier, and cell phone or beeper.
• Ability to maintain transportation for work.

Nice To Haves

• Hospice or palliative care experience preferred.

Responsibilities

• Perform comprehensive patient assessments and reassessments, including in-person or telephone RN assessments and screenings, and provide education as appropriate.
• Deliver skilled nursing interventions and symptom management aligned with patients’ goals of care.
• Develop and update individualized plans of care, including visit frequency, to address patient needs and identified risks.
• Coordinate care with interdisciplinary team members and consult with 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 by recognizing and supporting appropriate home health, palliative care, and hospice referrals and transitions between 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 warranted by the patient’s care plan.
• Participate in on-call and patient-support activities as applicable, providing clinically competent and responsive on-call services.
• Teach caregivers safe care techniques and provide practical guidance and emotional reassurance.
• Provide patients and families with information about medication administration, hospice philosophy and services, symptom and pain management, and end-of-life processes and expectations.
• Follow infection-control, regulatory, compliance, and organizational standards.
• Support organizational quality-improvement and scheduling initiatives.
• Maintain transportation for work and effectively operate required nursing and office equipment.

Benefits

• Competitive pay.
• 401(k) with company match.
• Career advancement opportunities.
• National and local recognition programs.
• Teammate Assistance Fund.
• Medical, dental, and vision insurance for full-time associates.
• Mileage reimbursement or fleet vehicle program for full-time associates.
• Generous paid time off and seven paid holidays for full-time associates.
• Wellness programs, including telemedicine, diabetes management, and joint and spine concierge care, for full-time associates.
• Education support and tuition assistance, including ASN-to-BSN and BSN-to-MSN programs, for full-time associates.
• Free continuing education units for full-time associates.
• Company-paid life and long-term disability insurance for full-time associates.
• Voluntary benefits, including pet, critical illness, accident, and long-term care coverage, for full-time associates.

What This Job Offers

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