Hospice Registered Nurse

Heartland Hospice•Fort Wayne, IN

11d

About The Position

Heartland Hospice, part of Gentiva, is seeking a Registered Nurse to provide personalized hospice and palliative care to patients with life-limiting illnesses and support their families. The nurse serves as a primary contact for patients and families and delivers skilled nursing care in patients’ homes, assisted living facilities, or other institutional settings. Care is guided by individualized plans of care and the patient’s goals, with attention to comfort, dignity, and symptom management. The role includes comprehensive assessments and reassessments, care planning, patient and caregiver education, coordination with interdisciplinary team members and providers, and timely clinical documentation. The nurse also supports continuity of care and transitions between levels of care, participates in on-call and patient-support activities as applicable, and contributes to quality improvement and scheduling initiatives. The work environment may include patient homes, institutional settings, and an automobile, with potential exposure to infections, communicable diseases, odors, blood, excreta, and hazardous materials.

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.
Knowledge of terminally ill patients and their families, hospice, hospice team disciplines, community resources, general nursing practice, and managed care and regulatory guidelines, including Medicare, Medicaid, and ACHC.
Strong patient assessment skills and oral and written communication skills.
Ability to document and manage programs and communicate effectively with people from varied socioeconomic backgrounds.
Sensitivity and tact when supporting patients and families facing end-of-life issues and crises.
Ability to adapt to changing tasks while maintaining efficiency and composure, and to work responsibly and cooperatively with colleagues and the hospice team.
Ability to operate nursing assessment tools, computers, fax equipment, a copier, and a cell phone or beeper.
Must have and maintain transportation for work.

Nice To Haves

Hospice or palliative care experience.

Responsibilities

Perform comprehensive patient assessments and reassessments, including in-person or telephone assessments and screenings.
Deliver skilled nursing interventions and symptom management aligned with each patient’s 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 patient condition and signs or symptoms of decline to appropriate providers.
Support continuity of care, appropriate referrals to home health, palliative care, or hospice, 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 the care plan warrants participation.
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 loved ones, including bereavement guidance.
Teach caregivers safe and confident caregiving techniques and provide practical and emotional support.
Follow infection-control, regulatory, and compliance standards and 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 pathways, 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.