Hospice Registered Nurse

Heartland Hospice • Stevens Point, WI

3d

About The Position

The Hospice Registered Nurse serves as a primary point of contact for patients and families throughout the hospice journey, delivering individualized skilled nursing care in patients’ homes, assisted living residences, or other institutional settings. The RN assesses patient needs, manages symptoms, develops and updates plans of care, coordinates with the interdisciplinary team, and provides education and emotional, physical, and spiritual support to patients, caregivers, and families. The position also involves timely clinical documentation, care transitions, participation in on-call and patient-support activities as applicable, and adherence to quality, infection-control, regulatory, and organizational standards.

This safety-sensitive role is based in patient homes and/or institutional settings and involves travel by automobile. The work may involve exposure to infections, communicable diseases, odors, blood, excreta, and hazardous materials. The employee must maintain transportation for work and be able to operate nursing assessment tools, computers, facsimile equipment, a copier, and a cell phone or beeper.

Requirements

• 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.
• CPR certification.
• Current automobile insurance and a valid driver’s license.
• Maintain transportation for work.
• Knowledge of terminally ill patients and their families and understanding of 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, documentation, and program management skills.
• Knowledge of managed care principles and regulatory guidelines, including Medicare, Medicaid, and ACHC.
• Ability to provide sensitive, tactful support to patients and families facing life-and-death issues and crises.
• Ability to adapt to varied tasks without loss of efficiency or 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 operate nursing assessment tools, computers, facsimile equipment, a copier, and a cell phone or beeper.
• Meet applicable state-specific requirements and minimum requirements for benefits eligibility.

Nice To Haves

• Hospice or palliative care experience preferred.

Responsibilities

• Perform comprehensive patient assessments and reassessments, including in-person and telephone RN assessments or screenings, and provide education as appropriate.
• Deliver skilled nursing interventions and symptom management in alignment with each patient’s goals of care.
• Develop and update individualized plans of care, including visit frequency, based on patient needs and identified risks.
• Coordinate care with interdisciplinary team members and consult with 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 home health, palliative care, and hospice referrals and transitions between levels of care.
• Document timely clinical records, including screening and assessment findings, physician orders, progress notes, and care plans.
• Maintain effective working relationships with the interdisciplinary group and involve the team when the care plan warrants team participation.
• Participate in on-call and patient-support activities as applicable, responding in a clinically competent and timely manner.
• Provide patients and families with guidance about medication administration, hospice philosophy and services, symptom and pain management, and end-of-life processes and expectations.
• Support quality improvement and scheduling initiatives and follow infection-control, compliance, and regulatory standards.

Benefits

• Competitive pay
• 401(k) with company match
• Career advancement opportunities
• National and local recognition programs
• Teammate Assistance Fund
• Medical insurance for full-time associates
• Dental insurance for full-time associates
• 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 for ASN-to-BSN and BSN-to-MSN programs for full-time associates
• Free continuing education units for full-time associates
• Company-paid life insurance 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
• Education Level: No Education Listed