PRN Hospice/Palliative NP - Brockton, MA
About The Position
Constellation Health is seeking a Nurse Practitioner focused on hospice and palliative care to provide PRN/per-diem services in Brockton and East Bridgewater, Massachusetts. The role requires hospice/palliative care experience and a current DEA license. The Nurse Practitioner provides comprehensive hospice services in compliance with the state Nurse Practice Act and under the supervision of a collaborating physician. Care includes evaluating patient health histories, promoting health, diagnosing medical conditions, developing and directing plans of care, prescribing medications or treatments, and coordinating with patients, families, and healthcare practitioners. Under physician supervision, the Nurse Practitioner visits patients, performs physical and face-to-face assessments, and evaluates hospice eligibility in consultation with the interdisciplinary team. The position also draws on community resources to plan and direct services for individuals and families in their homes and communities. The role provides medical and palliative care for terminal illness; performs examinations and orders and interprets diagnostic tests; develops individualized care plans; coordinates services and consultations; supports hospice eligibility and recertification reviews; and collaborates with patients, families, physicians, and the hospice interdisciplinary group. The Nurse Practitioner maintains clinical documentation, educates patients and caregivers, supports continuity and safety of care, and helps ensure compliance with applicable hospice regulations, privacy requirements, and quality initiatives.
Requirements
- Graduation from an accredited School of Nursing and an accredited Nurse Practitioner program.
- Current DEA license.
- Current nursing licensure in the state and CPR certification, as required by state regulations.
- Required licensure, education, training, and qualifications under applicable rules, regulations, laws, and statutes for the role in the state.
- Previous home care or hospice experience; hospice/palliative care experience is required.
- Accreditation from an approved certifying body for advanced practice nursing, as required by the state.
- Excellent observation, verbal and written communication, problem-solving, mathematical, and nursing skills, including skills required by the competency checklist.
- Licensed driver with an automobile insured according to state or organizational requirements and in good working order.
- Ability to meet the role’s physical demands, including considerable walking or standing; lifting, positioning, or transferring patients; lifting supplies and equipment; reaching, stooping, bending, kneeling, or crouching; and sufficient visual acuity and hearing to perform required nursing skills.
Nice To Haves
- Certification in a specialist area, such as Hospice and Palliative Nursing (CHPN), pediatrics, or geriatrics.
Responsibilities
- Provide medical care and palliate and manage terminal illness in compliance with the state Nurse Practice Act and under a collaborating physician’s supervision.
- Complete history and physical examinations; evaluate medical conditions and health histories; order and interpret laboratory and diagnostic tests or procedures; diagnose health conditions; and document findings in medical records.
- Develop individualized plans of care, prescribe medications and/or treatments, obtain consultations or referrals, and coordinate hospice care services.
- Complete hospice face-to-face visits required before the third and subsequent benefit periods and provide clinical information to the hospice medical director to support eligibility and recertification decisions.
- Make recommendations to the hospice medical director regarding patient eligibility for hospice certification and recertification.
- Review clinical information and coordinate and oversee patient care in consultation with the hospice interdisciplinary team and other healthcare practitioners.
- Collaborate with interdisciplinary team members to ensure appropriate symptom-control measures.
- Review and develop treatment protocols and propose intervention options in collaboration with the collaborating physician.
- Consult the collaborating physician when a patient’s plan of care falls outside standardized practice and protocols.
- Communicate and collaborate with the interdisciplinary group to create, review, and revise patient plans of care.
- Consult with attending physicians, the hospice medical director, and other healthcare practitioners regarding hospice eligibility, ongoing care needs, and medical management related to terminal conditions.
- Coordinate plans of care with community health practitioners.
- Attend and participate in hospice interdisciplinary group meetings.
- Complete, maintain, and submit accurate clinical notes, examination and assessment notes, medical orders, collaboration notes, and other medical-record documentation.
- Educate and counsel patients, families, and caregivers about preventative care and medical, psychological, and spiritual concerns in conjunction with the interdisciplinary team.
- Provide and maintain a safe environment for patients and support continuity of care with patients, caregivers, and team members.
- Work with families, caregivers, and the interdisciplinary group to identify goals of care and meet patient and family needs.
- Serve as a nursing resource and provide consultation and education to interdisciplinary team members and community healthcare practitioners.
- Build and nurture relationships with staff and community referral sources to facilitate program growth.
- Maintain knowledge of and comply with current Medicare/Medicaid and state and federal hospice rules and regulations, Medicare conditions of participation, and HIPAA requirements.
- Participate in monitoring the quality of medical services and in quality-improvement initiatives.
- Maintain professional knowledge and skills through seminars, conferences, continuing education, and in-service classes.
- Fulfill requested and accepted assignments.
- Demonstrate knowledge of communication and counseling with patients and families about end-of-life issues.
