Hospice Registered Nurse

Gentiva Hospice • Virginia Beach, VA

3d

About The Position

The Hospice Registered Nurse serves as a primary point of contact for patients and families throughout the hospice journey, delivering skilled, individualized nursing care in patients’ homes, assisted living facilities, or other settings where they live. The RN performs initial and ongoing assessments, manages symptoms, develops and updates personalized plans of care, documents clinical services, and communicates changes in patient condition to the appropriate providers.

The role collaborates with an interdisciplinary team that includes physicians, nurse practitioners, LPNs, CNAs, social workers, chaplains, and other care professionals. The RN provides patients, caregivers, and families with education and emotional, physical, and spiritual support, including guidance on medications, hospice services, symptom and pain management, end-of-life processes, nutrition, and caregiving. The position also supports continuity of care, appropriate transitions and referrals, quality improvement, scheduling initiatives, and on-call patient support as applicable.

The work takes place in patients’ homes and/or institutional settings and involves travel by automobile. The position is safety-sensitive and may involve exposure to infections, communicable diseases, odors, blood, excreta, and hazardous materials. Compensation is listed at $80,000–$90,000, with actual pay dependent on factors such as location, experience, education, skills, licensure, certifications, and equity considerations.

Requirements

• Registered Nurse education and current license to practice nursing in the state of 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 and understanding of hospice care and their special needs.
• Knowledge of the roles of disciplines providing hospice services and of community resources.
• Excellent patient assessment skills and knowledge of general nursing practice.
• Good oral and written communication skills, documentation skills, and program-management skills.
• Thorough knowledge of managed-care principles and regulatory guidelines, including Medicare, Medicaid, and ACHC.
• Sensitivity to the impact of life-and-death issues and ability to support patients and families during a crisis.
• Ability to demonstrate flexibility, maintain efficiency and composure while changing tasks, and communicate effectively with people from varied socioeconomic backgrounds.
• Maturity, cooperation, tact, and flexibility in working with coworkers and hospice team members.
• Ability to effectively operate nursing assessment tools, computers, fax equipment, copier, and cell phone or beeper.
• Must have and maintain transportation for work.
• Must meet applicable state-specific requirements and minimum requirements for benefit eligibility.

Nice To Haves

• Hospice or palliative care experience.

Responsibilities

• Serve as a primary point of contact for hospice patients and families and guide them through the hospice journey.
• Perform comprehensive initial and ongoing patient assessments and reassessments, including in-person and telephonic assessments or screenings.
• Deliver skilled nursing interventions and symptom management in accordance with patients’ goals of care and individualized plans of care.
• Develop and update individualized care plans, 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, families, and caregivers about disease processes, self-care, end-of-life care, medications, nutrition, and dietary needs.
• Teach caregivers how to provide safe care and offer emotional reassurance and support.
• Communicate changes in condition and signs or symptoms of decline to appropriate providers.
• Support continuity of care, referrals to home health, palliative care, and hospice, and transitions between levels of care.
• Maintain timely and accurate clinical documentation, including assessments, physician orders, progress notes, and care plans.
• 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 and provide responsive, clinically competent on-call services.
• Follow infection-control, regulatory, compliance, and organizational policy standards.
• Support quality-improvement and scheduling initiatives and participate in team collaboration and interdisciplinary group activities.
• Provide emotional, physical, and spiritual support to patients and loved ones, including bereavement guidance.

Benefits

• Medical, dental, and vision insurance
• Wellness programs and resources
• 401(k) with company match
• Paid time off
• FMLA, ADA, and other federal and state-required leaves
• Short-term and long-term disability
• Health Savings Account contribution
• Mileage reimbursement or fleet car program
• Cell phone reimbursement for eligible roles
• Short-term incentive for eligible roles
• Tuition reimbursement and education support
• Career advancement opportunities
• National and local recognition programs
• Teammate Assistance Fund
• Seven paid holidays
• Telemedicine and other wellness programs
• Free continuing education units
• Company-paid life and long-term disability insurance
• Voluntary benefits, including pet, critical illness, accident, and long-term care coverage

What This Job Offers

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