LPN Phone Nurse, Full Time, 1 FTE

VISITING NURSE dba Stillwater Hospice•Fort Wayne, IN

About The Position

The LPN Phone Nurse assists the primary RN case manager in coordinating patient care by receiving and making patient-related telephone calls. The nurse communicates patient needs and changes in the plan of care to physicians, patients and families, interdisciplinary team members, and other care providers. The position serves patients throughout the Stillwater Hospice service area and includes 40 hours per week, Monday through Friday, with weekend rotations. The nurse may also provide direct patient care and make home visits when assigned, and must accept on-call coverage and scheduled holiday, weekend, or evening visits when assigned. Stillwater Hospice provides patient-focused hospice and palliative care to seriously ill patients and their loved ones. This role requires comfort working with hospice patients, independent practice in patient settings when assigned, and collaboration with agency personnel and the interdisciplinary team. The position reports to the Clinical Team Leader.

Requirements

Graduate of an accredited school of nursing.
Current LPN or RN license to practice in Indiana.
At least one year of hospital or home health care experience.
Ability to provide services requiring substantial specialized nursing skill.
Current motor vehicle operator’s license, access to an automobile with current insurance, and ability to drive independently to patients’ homes.
Ability to safely perform essential job functions without posing a direct threat to personal or others’ health and safety.
Comfort working with hospice patients, with an emphasis on palliative care.
Proficiency in timely clinical documentation and computer data entry.
Proficiency in blood draws; routine treatments such as dressing changes and catheter care; pain and symptom management; and care of patients and families, including pediatric and HIV-positive patients; Mantoux administration; case management; and IV care, including IV pump programming, tubing changes, site care, and subcutaneous access.
Compassion, teamwork, an optimistic outlook, adaptability, accountability, and a customer-driven approach.
Ability to communicate clearly in verbal and non-verbal forms and to comprehend written and verbal communication.
Ability to remain calm in occasional emergencies, recognize emergencies, and follow agency emergency procedures.
Ability to climb at least three flights of stairs and perform the listed physical activities associated with patient care and home visits.
Willingness to travel between patients in inclement weather and accept assignments regardless of location, socioeconomic environment, disease, or ethnic group.
Willingness to accept on-call coverage and scheduled holiday, weekend, or evening visits when assigned.
Use standard blood and body fluid precautions consistently.

Nice To Haves

Bachelor’s degree in nursing or a related field.
Infusion skills.

Responsibilities

Receive and respond to patient-related telephone calls; recognize patient needs and emergencies.
Evaluate patient-care outcomes and communicate changes in condition and care needs to attending physicians and other relevant parties.
Communicate changes in patients’ plans of care to RN case managers, the Clinical Team Leader, and interdisciplinary team members.
Coordinate care and services with pharmacies, durable medical equipment providers, infusion suppliers, and other health care providers.
Anticipate issues related to impending death and pursue resolution with the interdisciplinary team.
Document findings accurately and promptly in the agency’s electronic documentation system.
Communicate medical supply needs to designated agency staff and recommend additional agency or community services when appropriate.
Maintain therapeutic relationships with patients and families and protect confidential information.
Implement agency policies and clinical procedures in work-related situations.
Back up the admissions department with intake and referral of new patients and entry of referral information.
Provide nursing care as needed, including assessment and admission visits, pain and symptom management, teaching, direct care, referrals, advocacy, and monitoring.
Function independently in patients’ settings when assigned and seek clinical supervision when needed.
Work cooperatively with agency personnel and participate in committees, task forces, quality-improvement activities, and in-service education as requested.
Maintain professional growth and development and adhere to agency policies and privacy practices.
Clinically supervise care delegated to Home Health Aides/CNAs, instruct them on approved patient-care procedures, and provide personal care when assigned.
Accept assigned on-call coverage and make scheduled visits on holidays, weekends, or evenings when assigned.

Benefits

Health insurance with PPO options.
Dental and vision insurance.
Flexible Spending Account (FSA).
Free employer health clinic for medical-plan participants.
Partnership with Parkview Health.
Catastrophic Medical Care Plan, subject to qualifications.
Medical claims and healthcare utilization management program.
Wellbridge Surgical partnership, including reimbursement of medical-plan deductibles and travel for medical-plan participants.
Dependent Care Savings Account (DCFSA).
TriShare Plus child care cost-sharing plan for qualifying employees.
CoShare child care cost-sharing plan for qualifying employees.
Generous paid time off.
Paid wellness days.
Time off for voting.
Paid parental leave for births and adoptions.
403(b) retirement plan for all employees, with no-cost access to a financial advisor and a company match for full-time employees.
Shift incentive pay and performance incentives.
Mileage reimbursement.
Company-provided uniform allowance.
Company-provided basic life insurance and AD&D insurance.
Company-provided short-term disability insurance.
Affordable term life insurance policies available for employees and family members.
Education incentives and tuition discounts with several local universities.
Private student loan assistance program with Gradify.
Support for the Federal Student Loan Forgiveness plan as a qualifying not-for-profit employer.
Annual employee tuition assistance of up to $2,000 per year.
Stillwater Hospice tuition scholarships of up to $5,000 per year.
Employee Assistance Program for employees and household family members.
New-hire referral Finder’s Bonus.
Free employee access to Peggy F. Murphy Community Grief Center services and programs.
Employee engagement events, including wellness and health events, quarterly benefit fairs, picnics, and holiday events.
Discounts at the YMCA.