Hospice Registered Nurse

Gentiva Hospice • Harrisonburg, VA

13d

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 facilities, or other settings where they live. The RN performs initial and ongoing assessments, manages symptoms, develops and updates plans of care, and documents clinical services. The role works closely with physicians, nurse practitioners, LPNs, CNAs, social workers, chaplains, and other members of the interdisciplinary team to coordinate personalized care and support transitions between levels of care.

The nurse provides emotional, physical, and spiritual support to patients and loved ones, educates caregivers about safe care, medications, nutrition, hospice services, symptom and pain management, and end-of-life processes, and offers reassurance and bereavement guidance. The position also communicates changes in patient condition to providers, supports quality improvement and scheduling initiatives, participates in on-call and patient-support activities as applicable, and follows documentation, infection control, regulatory, and organizational standards.

Work takes place in patients’ homes and/or institutional settings and in an automobile. The role may involve exposure to infections, communicable diseases, odors, blood, excreta, and hazardous materials. The employee must maintain transportation for work and effectively use nursing assessment tools, computers, facsimile equipment, a copier, and a cell phone or beeper. This is a safety-sensitive position.

Requirements

• Registered Nurse education.
• 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.
• Ability to 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.
• Excellent patient assessment skills and good oral and written communication skills.
• Knowledge of documentation, program management, general nursing practice, managed care principles, and applicable regulatory guidelines, including Medicare, Medicaid, and ACHC.
• Ability to support patients and families facing life-and-death issues and to communicate effectively with people of all socioeconomic backgrounds.
• Flexibility, sound judgment, tact, maturity, cooperation, and the ability to move among different tasks without losing efficiency or composure.
• 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 aligned with patients’ goals of care.
• Develop and update individualized plans of care, including visit frequency, based on individual needs and identified risks.
• Coordinate care with interdisciplinary team members and consult with physicians and nurse practitioners.
• Provide patient and caregiver education on 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, referrals to home health, palliative care, or hospice as appropriate, and transitions between levels of care.
• Maintain timely and accurate 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, providing clinically competent and responsive service.
• Provide emotional, physical, and spiritual support to patients and families, including education, comfort, and bereavement guidance.
• Teach caregivers how to care for patients safely and confidently.
• Follow infection-control, compliance, regulatory, and organizational standards.
• Support quality-improvement and scheduling initiatives.
• Use nursing assessment tools and other required work equipment effectively.

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 employees.
• Mileage reimbursement or fleet vehicle program for full-time employees.
• Generous paid time off and seven paid holidays for full-time employees.
• Wellness programs, including telemedicine, diabetes management, and joint and spine concierge care, for full-time employees.
• Education support and tuition assistance, including ASN-to-BSN and BSN-to-MSN programs, for full-time employees.
• Free continuing education units for full-time employees.
• Company-paid life and long-term disability insurance for full-time employees.
• Voluntary pet, critical illness, accident, and long-term care benefits for full-time employees.

What This Job Offers

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