Palliative Care Registered Nurse (RN)

Stillwater Hospice, LLC•Butte, MT

10d•$38 - $44•Hybrid

About The Position

The Palliative Care RN provides clinical support, symptom management guidance, and care coordination for patients enrolled in our community-based palliative care program, primarily by phone, including triaging incoming clinical calls. Working under the direction of the palliative care provider and in close collaboration with the interdisciplinary team, the RN's primary focus is high-quality, patient-centered clinical work, with the potential for hands-on care as needed and administrative tasks handled as they arise.

Requirements

Current RN license in Montana, in good standing, with at least 5 years of clinical experience preferred.
Ability to handle urgent situations calmly and compassionately.
Strong teamwork mentality; comfortable working in a connected, supportive environment.
Strong communication skills with patients, family members, and everyone involved in a patient's care, to nurture and grow relationships within the community.
Emotional resilience and empathy in providing support during challenging moments.

Nice To Haves

Leadership experience preferred but not required.
Communication about end-of-life care and advance care planning.
Familiarity with pain management protocols and medications.
Familiarity with medication management for symptom control (e.g., nausea, anxiety, insomnia).
Knowledge of palliative care and hospice standards.
Communication skills centered on difficult conversations.
Assisting with advance care planning, including completion of POLST and advance directives.
Facilitating family discussions about prognosis.
Dementia and end-of-life care training.

Responsibilities

Triages incoming clinical calls, assessing urgency and determining appropriate next steps.
Assesses and regularly monitors patients' physical, emotional, and spiritual symptoms and needs (e.g., pain, nausea, fatigue, depression), primarily by phone, with in-person visits as needed.
Verifies that key documentation (e.g., POLST, Advance Directives/Living Will, prior ED visits or hospitalizations, updated med list) is in place prior to scheduled visits.
Schedules and coordinates patient visits and follow-up appointments, including acute visits and symptom management check-ins.
When notified of a care transition (e.g., hospital to home, home to facility, palliative care to hospice), work as part of the team to help ensure continuity of care.
Educates patients, families, and at times facilities on chronic disease management and other palliative care topics as needed; some team members may be asked to lead broader education or training sessions.
Documents patient interactions and communication in the EMR. Help to ensure external documentation is properly signed, uploaded, and accessible to the care team.
Acts as a point of contact for patients and family members with questions about services, expectations, or scheduling.
Coordinates with PCPs, specialists, hospital discharge planners, and other agencies, including home health, to ensure seamless care, and helps strengthen relationships with referring providers, facilities, and community partners in support of expanding patient access to palliative care.
Provides emotional and psychological support to patients and families, especially during difficult conversations about prognosis and end-of-life care, working in cooperation with the family/caregiver and interdisciplinary team to meet the emotional needs of the patient and family/caregiver.
Supports families with decision-making and coping strategies.
Recognizes signs of caregiver burnout and refers family members to appropriate support services when needed.
Advocates for patients and families to ensure the patient's wishes and values are understood and honored, particularly when patients may be unable to fully voice their needs.
Attends interdisciplinary team meetings.
Attends daily stand-up meetings and IDT meetings as scheduled.
Acts as a liaison among the care team (office staff, MDs, APPs, chaplains, social workers) to ensure coordinated, compassionate care.
Serves as an ambassador for the palliative care program, participating in community education events and building trusted relationships with local providers, facilities, and organizations to help expand access to palliative care for patients in our rural communities.
Coordinates with outside agencies to help ensure medications, DME, and services are accessible to patients and families in a timely manner.
Helps maintain an up-to-date collection of patient education materials related to palliative care, symptom management, and advance care planning, available in both print and digital formats.
Assumes responsibility for personal growth and development and maintains and upgrades professional knowledge and practice skills through attendance and participation in continuing education and in-service classes, including utilizing resources such as CAPC.
Is a supportive, engaged team member, recognizing that palliative care work can be emotionally demanding for the whole team.
Performs other duties as assigned.