Registered Nurse Hospice

Heartland Hospice•Springfield, IL

13d•Onsite

About The Position

The Hospice Registered Nurse provides personalized, skilled nursing care and support to patients with life-limiting illnesses and their families. The RN serves as a primary point of contact, delivering and documenting care based on individualized plans in patients’ homes, assisted living facilities, or other settings where they reside. The role includes assessment, symptom management, care coordination, education, and support through end-of-life care. The RN collaborates with physicians, nurse practitioners, LPNs, CNAs, social workers, chaplains, and other members of the interdisciplinary group (IDG). The position requires timely, accurate clinical documentation, compliance with infection-control and regulatory standards, participation in on-call and patient-support activities as applicable, and contribution to quality improvement and scheduling initiatives. Work takes place in patients’ homes and/or institutional settings and in an automobile; the role may involve exposure to infections, communicable diseases, odors, blood, excreta, and hazardous materials.

Requirements

Registered Nurse education and current license to practice nursing in the state of requested employment.
At least one year of RN experience in acute care hospital, oncology, long-term care, hospice, or home health; school internships and clinical hours may be considered in individual cases.
Current CPR certification.
Current automobile insurance and a valid driver’s license.
Knowledge of terminally ill patients and their families and of hospice and the special needs of hospice patients and families.
Knowledge of the roles of disciplines providing hospice services and of community resources.
Excellent patient assessment skills and good oral and written communication skills.
Knowledge of documentation and program management, general nursing practice, managed care principles, and applicable regulatory guidelines, including Medicare, Medicaid, and ACHC.
Sensitivity and tact when supporting people facing terminal illness, death, and crisis; ability to communicate effectively with people of all socioeconomic backgrounds.
Flexibility, maturity, cooperation, composure, and tact in working with coworkers and hospice team members.
Ability to operate nursing assessment tools, computers, facsimile equipment, copier, and cell phone or beeper.
Must have and maintain transportation for work.

Nice To Haves

Hospice or palliative care experience preferred.

Responsibilities

Perform comprehensive patient assessments and reassessments, including in-person or telephone RN assessments and screenings.
Deliver skilled nursing interventions and symptom management consistent with patients’ goals of care.
Develop and update individualized plans of care, including visit frequency, based on patient needs and identified risks.
Coordinate care with interdisciplinary teams, including consultation with physicians and nurse practitioners.
Educate patients, family members, and caregivers about disease processes, self-care, end-of-life care, medications, nutrition, and dietary needs.
Communicate changes in patient condition and signs or symptoms of decline to the appropriate provider.
Support continuity of care by recognizing and supporting appropriate home health, palliative care, and hospice referrals and transitions between levels of care.
Document clinical records promptly, including screening and assessment findings, physician orders, progress notes, and care plans.
Maintain effective working relationships with the interdisciplinary group and involve the team in care planning when appropriate.
Participate in on-call and patient-support activities as applicable, providing clinically competent and responsive on-call services.
Guide patients and families through the hospice journey and provide emotional, physical, and spiritual support, education, comfort, and bereavement guidance.
Teach caregivers how to provide safe and confident care for their loved ones.
Explain medication administration, hospice philosophy and services, symptom and pain management, and end-of-life processes and expectations.
Maintain infection-control and compliance standards and support quality improvement and scheduling initiatives.