Palliative Care RN Non-Exempt

VITAS Healthcare•Irvine, CA

About The Position

The Palliative Care RN provides individualized coordination of care to patients and families in accordance with VITAS Palliative Care policies, procedures, guidelines, contractual commitments, and applicable regulations. The nurse assesses patient and family needs, coordinates referrals and services, supports treatment plans, and provides education, emotional support, and counseling. The role promotes patient-centered care, informed decision-making, advance care planning, and effective transitions between hospital, primary care, and specialty care settings. The RN collaborates with clinicians and the interdisciplinary healthcare team, participates in internal team meetings, and facilitates proactive discharge planning and follow-up to improve outcomes and reduce readmissions. The role protects patient privacy and confidentiality, uses a customer-service approach in interactions, and participates in the on-call rotation as needed. Additional job-related duties may be assigned.

Requirements

Bachelor’s degree required.
Current and valid professional license in the state where the position is based.
Current CPR and BLS/ACLS certification.
Reliable transportation, a current state driver’s license, and automobile insurance.
Knowledge of the interdisciplinary team concept.
Exceptional communication and customer-service skills.
Ability to communicate tactfully, verbally and in writing, with department heads, managers, coworkers, and vendors to resolve problems and negotiate solutions.
Working knowledge of computers and internet-based systems, including the ability to use automated systems and applications such as Outlook, Excel, and Word.

Nice To Haves

At least two years of experience in an acute care setting preferred.
One to two years of case management experience in a community-based setting, such as home health, rehabilitation, or hospice, preferred.
Experience in patient education, care planning, and management desired.
Master’s degree or higher preferred.
Certified Hospice and Palliative Nurse (CHPN) certification preferred.

Responsibilities

Coordinate individualized care for patients and families.
Complete initial and ongoing comprehensive physical and psychosocial assessments to identify needs and interventions.
Arrange appropriate specialist referrals and support adherence to treatment plans, including physician visits.
Help patients access services and community resources.
Educate patients and families about disease processes, care plans, and treatment options to support informed decisions.
Provide emotional support and counseling to support transitions, adjustment to illness, and treatment-plan adherence.
Evaluate patients’ physical and emotional recovery following treatment and use appropriate resources as needed.
Encourage goal-setting, advance care planning, and development of advance directives.
Build relationships with clinicians involved in patient care and participate in internal VITAS Palliative Care team meetings.
Promote a patient-centered approach and partner with the healthcare team to manage transitions among hospital, primary care, and specialty care settings.
Facilitate proactive discharge planning and follow-up to improve outcomes, shorten lengths of stay, and reduce readmissions.
Protect patient privacy and safeguard confidential information concerning patients, families, staff, and the organization.
Use a customer-service approach in interactions with VITAS customers.
Participate in the on-call rotation as needed.
Perform additional job-related duties as assigned.