Registered Nurse for Hospice Services

CHSGa•Newnan, GA

About The Position

The Registered Nurse provides professional nursing care to Hospice Services patients, identifies patient and family needs, and provides supportive care in accordance with attending physician orders, the plan of care, and Hospice Services policies and procedures. The nurse manages a patient and family caseload through assessment, planning, implementation, and evaluation, coordinating care with physicians, interdisciplinary staff, and other agencies as needed. The role includes assessing patients within 48 hours of the admission order and collaborating on the comprehensive assessment within five calendar days of the patient’s election for hospice care. The nurse helps develop and update comprehensive plans of care, provides nursing care focused on pain control and symptom management, educates and counsels patients and families, and supports them through the dying process and bereavement. The nurse maintains accurate, timely records and communicates regularly with the Patient Care Manager and attending physician. The Registered Nurse participates in interdisciplinary conferences, staff meetings, orientation, in-service training, and community programs. The role also includes supervising Certified Nursing Assistant care plans every 14 days, addressing concerns with the appropriate leaders, supporting patients and families during on-call coverage, and sharing responsibility for 24-hour, seven-day-a-week coverage. The nurse follows hospice policies and applicable state and federal regulations, contributes to System initiatives, and performs other duties as necessary.

Requirements

Graduate of an accredited School of Nursing.
Current license in good standing to practice as a Registered Professional Nurse in Georgia.
At least six months of RN experience in an acute care setting before a home care assignment, or experience as required by state regulations.
Current CPR.
Ability to meet Hospice employment conditions regarding health clearance and professional references.
Demonstrated ability to assess and respond to patient and family needs in varied settings and cope with emotional stress.
Ability to function with minimal direct supervision and accept personal responsibility for maintaining professional relationships with patients and families.
Responsibility for maintaining clinical practice skills and learning and following Hospice policies and procedures on an ongoing basis.
Extensive knowledge of healthcare and long-term care organizations and their structure.
Ability to communicate and present information clearly and concisely, orally and in writing.
Ability to establish and maintain effective working relationships with associates, department heads, administrators, member organization presidents and leadership teams, and the general public.

Nice To Haves

More than one year of RN experience.
Experience in Home Care or Hospice.

Responsibilities

Manage a Hospice Services patient and family caseload through assessment, planning, implementation, and evaluation of the nursing process.
Coordinate care and resource use by communicating with attending physicians, Hospice staff, and other Hospice agencies as needed.
Assess patients within 48 hours of the admission order and collaborate toward completing the comprehensive assessment within five calendar days of the patient’s election for hospice care.
Communicate regularly with the Patient Care Manager and attending physician about the caseload.
Gather information on physical, psychological, social, and spiritual factors affecting patient and family health, and incorporate it into the plan of care.
Maintain current, accurate patient records that clearly document problems, plans, actions, goals, and changes.
Collaborate with the Interdisciplinary Group to develop a comprehensive plan of care and goals within two days of the start of care and update them as needed.
Provide nursing care based on systematic assessment, focusing on pain control and symptom management.
Teach, supervise, and counsel patients and families about physical care and issues related to the terminal condition.
Help patients and families prepare for and cope with anticipated physical and psychological events throughout the dying process.
Document observations, interventions, evaluations, and services on the day they are rendered, and submit documentation in a timely manner.
Meet with Hospice nursing staff to review caseload issues, provide professional support, exchange feedback, and support professional growth.
Participate in interdisciplinary group conferences and facilitate discussion of caseload issues for staff consultation and evaluation.
Supervise the Certified Nursing Assistant plan of care every 14 days and document the supervision; observe care onsite when concerns arise and report ongoing concerns to the Director of Hospice Services.
Inform the Director of Hospice Services of unusual or potentially problematic patient and family issues.
Provide associate nurse coverage for other primary nurses during on-call time or when requested by the Director of Hospice Services.
Share in providing 24-hour, seven-day-a-week coverage to Hospice Services patients and families.
Provide appropriate support at the time of death and during bereavement.
Participate in Hospice Services orientation, staff in-service training, and community programs as requested.
Follow Hospice policies and applicable state and federal rules and regulations governing hospice care, and support policies regarding patient and family care.
Promote the System’s image and reputation through servant leadership and direct, open communication.
Contribute to committees, workgroups, project management, and other collaborative System efforts.
Perform other duties as necessary to ensure the success of the System.