Nurse Practitioner - Hospice

St. Gabriel's Hospice & Palliative Care•Fort Worth, TX

7d•Onsite

About The Position

The Nurse Practitioner assists physicians in overseeing the clinical care and treatment of hospice patients and families. In consultation with the hospice physician, the NP works with attending physicians and provides clinical direction to the Interdisciplinary Group/Team to help ensure quality care. The role includes completing face-to-face documentation and home visits for palliation and management of patients’ terminal illnesses and related conditions. The Nurse Practitioner serves as a member of the Interdisciplinary Group/Team and reports to the Hospice Administrator. The NP collaborates with the team on evaluation, palliative treatment, and patient/family care plans; educates patients, families, and staff; performs and documents visits; communicates changes in patient needs and outcomes; and provides medical direction and consultation. The role also includes face-to-face assessments, local travel to patient homes and other locations, on-call responsibilities as assigned, and timely completion of required paperwork. The NP supports the hospice’s goals, philosophy, and policies, promotes compliance with payer requirements, and meets industry caseload and productivity standards. The position involves working in patient homes under varying conditions, possible exposure to blood, bodily fluids, and infectious diseases, travel in unpleasant weather, and PRN emergency calls. It requires a flexible schedule and physical abilities including prolonged standing and walking, lifting up to 50 pounds, and moving patients. The work may involve stressful conditions, quick decisions, and meeting patient and family needs and deadlines.

Requirements

Graduate of a Baccalaureate School of Nursing and a Nurse Practitioner-focused master’s or doctoral nursing program.
Current state license as a Registered Nurse and as an Advanced Practice Nurse.
Current driver’s license.
Two years of experience as an Advanced Practice Nurse; experience in a clinical care setting is preferred, particularly hospice or home health.
Knowledge of the psychosocial, ethical, legal, and medical aspects of hospice care.
Ability to establish and maintain effective working relationships with patients’ families, staff, the Governing Body, the Interdisciplinary Team, and other physicians.
Ability to work collaboratively with multidisciplinary teams.
Excellent problem-solving and decision-making capabilities.
Commitment to patient-centered care and family support.
Reliable transportation and valid auto liability insurance.
Ability to work a flexible schedule and travel locally.
Ability to stand and walk for prolonged periods, lift up to 50 pounds, and move patients.
Ability to communicate and exchange information effectively with patients, families, physicians, coworkers, and visitors.
Ability to hear sounds, give full attention to others, understand and assess information, and ask questions appropriately.
Ability to make independent judgments and decisions and use logic and reasoning to evaluate alternatives.
Ability to use a tablet and Electronic Health Record and to review, assess, record, or type data quickly and accurately.
Ability to determine resources needed to provide quality patient care.
Ability to work under stressful conditions, meet deadlines and patient needs, make quick decisions, and address individualized psychosocial needs.

Nice To Haves

End-of-Life or Palliative Accreditation, Certification, or Specialty Practice is desirable; examples include HPM Fellowship, HPM Certification, ABMS, AOA, and HMDCB.
Experience in a clinical care setting, particularly hospice or home health.

Responsibilities

Assist physicians in overseeing clinical care and treatment of patients and families.
Consult with attending physicians in collaboration with the hospice physician.
Provide clinical direction to the Interdisciplinary Group/Team to support quality care.
Collaborate with the team on evaluation and palliative treatment of terminal disease.
Consult with and assist the team in developing patient and family plans of care.
Educate patients and families about disease processes, self-care techniques, and end-of-life care.
Provide training and clinical education to staff and other Interdisciplinary Group/Team members as needed.
Perform and document patient and family visits according to the plan of care and their needs.
Communicate changes in patient needs and intervention outcomes to physicians and other personnel, and evaluate patient and family responses to care.
Complete assigned face-to-face encounters before the third benefit period and during each subsequent period, and provide assessment results to the hospice physician.
Provide medical direction and education to clinical staff, serve as a role model, and consult with attending physicians.
Liaise with the medical community and attending physicians as needed to support optimum patient care.
Perform home visits, patient assessments, and interventions as requested by the team.
Provide consultation on palliative and end-of-life care and complete face-to-face assessments as necessary.
Promote compliance with fiscal intermediary and other third-party payer requirements through education, coaching, and assistance.
Provide care using infection-control measures.
Complete and submit required paperwork accurately and on time.
Meet industry caseload and productivity standards.
Perform on-call responsibilities and provide on-call services to patients and families as assigned.
Communicate effectively with patients, family members, team members, and other health care professionals.
Support the hospice’s goals, vision, philosophy, and administrative policies.
Travel to patient homes and office or support-center locations to deliver care or provide education.