Hospice Registered Nurse

Gentiva Hospice•Greenville, NC

About The Position

The Hospice Registered Nurse (RN)/RN Case Manager provides personalized hospice and palliative nursing care to patients with life-limiting illnesses and supports their families. The RN serves as a primary point of contact, delivers and documents skilled nursing care in patients’ homes or institutional settings, performs assessments, manages symptoms, and develops individualized plans of care. The role includes coordinating with an interdisciplinary team, educating patients and caregivers, providing emotional and practical support, communicating changes in patient condition, and maintaining compliant clinical records. The RN also supports care transitions, quality improvement, scheduling, and on-call patient support as applicable. The role is based in patients’ homes and/or institutional settings and involves travel by automobile. It may involve exposure to infections, communicable diseases, odors, blood, excreta, and hazardous materials. The RN must maintain transportation for work and be able to use nursing assessment tools, computers, fax equipment, a copier, and a cell phone or beeper.

Requirements

Registered Nurse education and a 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 disciplines, community resources, general nursing practice, 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.
Sensitivity and tact in addressing end-of-life issues and the ability to support people during a crisis.
Flexibility to perform varied tasks while maintaining efficiency and composure.
Ability to communicate effectively with people from all socioeconomic backgrounds and cooperate tactfully with coworkers and hospice team members.
Ability to maintain transportation for work and effectively operate nursing assessment tools, computers, fax 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 telephone assessments or 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, including 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 by recognizing and supporting appropriate home health, palliative care, and hospice referrals and transitions in 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 desired outcomes.
Participate in on-call and patient support activities as applicable, responding in a clinically competent and timely manner.
Guide patients and families through the hospice journey and provide emotional, physical, and spiritual support, education, comfort, and bereavement guidance.
Teach caregivers safe care practices and provide practical training and emotional reassurance.
Follow infection-control, regulatory, compliance, and organizational 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.
For full-time associates: 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 support.
For full-time associates: free continuing education units (CEUs).
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.