Hospice Registered Nurse

Heartland Hospice • Ann Arbor, MI

6d

About The Position

Heartland Hospice is hiring a Registered Nurse to provide compassionate, individualized hospice care to patients with life-limiting illnesses and support their families. The RN serves as a primary point of contact, delivers skilled nursing care in patients’ homes or institutional settings, and guides patients and caregivers through hospice services, symptom management, medication administration, and end-of-life care. The role involves assessing patient needs, developing and updating plans of care, coordinating with an interdisciplinary team, educating caregivers, documenting clinical care, and supporting continuity of care and quality improvement. The position may include on-call and patient-support activities. Work takes place in patients’ homes, institutional settings, and an automobile. Potential exposures include infections, communicable diseases, odors, blood, excreta, and hazardous materials. This is a safety-sensitive position.

Requirements

• Registered Nurse qualification.
• 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 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 and of 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; knowledge of general nursing practice and managed-care principles.
• Knowledge of regulatory guidelines, including Medicare, Medicaid, and ACHC.
• Good oral and written communication, documentation, and program-management skills.
• Sensitivity and tact when supporting patients and families facing life-and-death issues and crises.
• Flexibility, composure, maturity, cooperation, and the ability to communicate effectively with people of varied socioeconomic backgrounds and members of the hospice team.
• Ability to effectively operate nursing assessment tools, computers, facsimile equipment, copier, and cell phone or beeper.

Nice To Haves

• Hospice or palliative care experience preferred.

Responsibilities

• Perform comprehensive initial and ongoing patient assessments and reassessments, including in-person or telephone assessments and screenings.
• Deliver skilled nursing interventions and symptom management in alignment with each patient’s goals of care and individualized plan.
• Develop and update individualized plans of care, including visit frequency and identification of patient needs and risks.
• Coordinate care with interdisciplinary team members, including physicians and nurse practitioners, and consult providers as needed.
• Provide patients, families, and caregivers with education about disease processes, self-care, end-of-life care, medications, nutrition, dietary needs, hospice services, and symptom and pain management.
• Communicate changes in patient condition and signs or symptoms of decline to the appropriate provider.
• Support continuity of care by recognizing appropriate home health, palliative care, and hospice referrals and transitions between levels of care.
• Document clinical records promptly, including assessment findings, physician orders, progress notes, and care plans.
• Maintain effective working relationships with the interdisciplinary group and involve the team when the patient’s care plan warrants collaboration.
• Participate in on-call and patient-support activities as applicable, providing clinically competent and responsive on-call services.
• Provide emotional, physical, and spiritual support to patients and loved ones, including comfort and bereavement guidance.
• Teach caregivers to provide safe care and offer practical training and emotional reassurance.
• Follow infection-control, compliance, and regulatory 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 insurance for full-time associates
• Dental insurance for full-time associates
• Vision insurance for full-time associates
• Mileage reimbursement or fleet vehicle program
• Generous paid time off and seven paid holidays
• Wellness programs, including telemedicine, diabetes management, and joint and spine concierge care
• Education support and tuition assistance, including ASN-to-BSN and BSN-to-MSN pathways
• Free continuing education units (CEUs)
• Company-paid life insurance and long-term disability insurance
• Voluntary pet, critical illness, accident, and long-term care benefits

What This Job Offers

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