LPN Hospice

Independence Health System Careers•Greensburg, PA

69d•Hybrid

About The Position

The LPN Hospice role involves providing direct patient care within a hospice setting, focusing on the physical, psychosocial, emotional, and spiritual needs of terminally ill patients and their families. This position requires maintaining a high level of professional knowledge, adhering to therapeutic standards, and ensuring patient safety through infection control and medication management. The LPN will document patient services, maintain continuity of care among nursing teams, and protect patient confidentiality. Responsibilities include establishing patient care requirements, providing emotional support, promoting patient independence through education, and maintaining a safe working environment. The role also involves collaborating with a multidisciplinary team, managing equipment and supplies, and demonstrating cognitive ability to function effectively and accurately throughout a shift. Specific to hospice, the LPN will understand and comply with the Hospice benefit and regulatory conditions of participation, functioning as a core member of the Interdisciplinary Group. They will assist in developing the plan of care, follow guidelines for pain and symptom management, and educate patients/families on end-of-life care. For Home Care aspects, the LPN will understand home care requirements, including patient homebound status, and report patient status to the RN Case Manager, utilizing problem-solving skills for unusual situations. Other duties may be assigned.

Requirements

Graduate of an accredited school of Practical Nursing.
Strong leadership ability.
Good organizational skills.
Independent and critical thinking skills.
Sound judgment.
Knowledge of legal aspects and liability of nursing practice.
Strong ability to communicate complex and/or controversial topics and concepts to a wide and diverse audience.
Current licensure to practice as a Licensed Practical Nurse in the State of Pennsylvania required.
Current Basic Life Support (BLS) approved curriculum of the American Heart Association (CPR and AED) program required.
Act 33 with renewal.
Act 34 with renewal.
Act 73 FBI Clearance.
Valid Driver’s License (if out of state hire, the record report from applicable state driver’s license department is required).

Nice To Haves

Home Care/Hospice experience preferred one (1) year experience.
Experience in Healthcare setting.

Responsibilities

Maintain professional and technical knowledge by attending education workshops, reviewing professional publications, establishing personal networks, and participating in professional societies.
Assure quality of care by adhering to therapeutic standards, measuring health outcomes against patient care goals and standards, making or recommending necessary adjustments, and following system/hospital and nursing division's philosophies and standards of care.
Protect patients and employees by adhering to infection-control policies and protocols, medication administration and storage procedures, and controlled substance regulations.
Document patient care services by charting in patient and department records.
Maintain continuity among nursing teams by documenting and communicating actions, irregularities, and continuing needs.
Identify patient care requirements by establishing personal rapport with potential and actual patients, and other persons in a position to understand care requirements.
Establish a compassionate environment by providing emotional, psychological, and spiritual support to patients, friends, and families.
Promote patient's independence by establishing patient care goals, teaching patient/family to understand condition, medications, and self-care skills, and answering questions.
Maintain safe and clean working environment by complying with procedures, rules and regulations; calling for assistance from health care support personnel.
Resolve patient problems and needs by utilizing multidisciplinary team strategies.
Maintain a cooperative relationship among health care teams by communicating information, responding to requests, building rapport, and participating in team continuous quality improvement and problem-solving methods.
Contribute to team effort by accomplishing related results as needed.
Ensure operation of equipment by completing preventive maintenance requirements, troubleshooting malfunctions, calling for repairs, maintaining equipment inventories, and evaluating new equipment and techniques.
Maintain nursing supplies inventory by checking stock, anticipating needed supplies, placing and expediting orders, verifying receipt of supplies, and using equipment and supplies as needed.
Function and concentrate on the essential and specialty functions of the job at a high level, achieving thoroughness and accuracy.
Ability to think and concentrate for an entire shift.
Maintain and demonstrate an understanding of the Hospice benefit and comply with regulatory conditions of participation.
Function as a support nurse and core member of the Interdisciplinary Group.
Assist with the development of the plan of care that addresses the physical, psychosocial, emotional, and spiritual needs of the terminally ill patient and their family.
Follow established guidelines for pain and symptom management to enhance quality of life.
Educate patients/families regarding the care needs at the end-of-life, including palliative care measures.
Under the direction of the RN, provide Continuous care services when appropriate.
Maintain and demonstrate an understanding of Home Care requirements including homebound status of the patient.
Report status of all patients to the primary RN Case Manager.
Utilize sound problem solving techniques when confronted with unusual and unexpected situations.
Other duties as assigned.