Hospice Registered Nurse

Heartland Hospice•Washington, MO

About The Position

Heartland Hospice, part of Gentiva, is seeking a Registered Nurse to provide compassionate, individualized hospice care to patients with life-limiting illnesses and support their families. The nurse serves as a primary point of contact, delivers and documents skilled nursing care according to each patient’s plan of care, and performs initial and ongoing assessments in patients’ homes or institutional settings. The role includes managing symptoms, coordinating with an interdisciplinary team, educating patients and caregivers, and providing emotional, physical, and spiritual support. The nurse also contributes to continuity of care, quality improvement, and scheduling initiatives, and participates in on-call and patient-support activities as applicable. The work takes place in patients’ homes and/or institutional settings, as well as in an automobile. The role may involve exposure to 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 count 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.
Must have and maintain transportation for work.
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 knowledge of general nursing practice.
Good oral and written communication skills, including clinical documentation and program management.
Knowledge of managed care principles and regulatory guidelines, including Medicare, Medicaid, and ACHC.
Sensitivity to end-of-life issues, tact in working with patients and families, and ability to support people during a crisis.
Flexibility to move between varied tasks without losing efficiency or composure.
Ability to communicate effectively with people from all socioeconomic backgrounds and work cooperatively and maturely with colleagues and the hospice team.
Ability to operate nursing assessment tools, computers, facsimile equipment, a copier, and a cell phone or beeper.

Nice To Haves

Hospice or palliative care experience.

Responsibilities

Perform comprehensive patient assessments and reassessments, including in-person and telephonic RN assessments and screenings.
Deliver skilled nursing interventions and symptom management in alignment with patients’ goals of care.
Develop and update individualized plans of care, including visit frequency and identification of 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, including appropriate referrals and transitions among home health, palliative, hospice, and other 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 needed to achieve care-plan outcomes.
Participate in on-call and patient-support activities as applicable, providing clinically competent and responsive service.
Provide emotional, physical, and spiritual support to patients and their loved ones, including education, comfort, and bereavement guidance.
Teach caregivers safe and confident caregiving practices and provide practical training and emotional reassurance.
Follow infection-control, regulatory, compliance, 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, 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.