Registered Nurse

Gentiva Hospice • Lucedale, MS

6d • Onsite

About The Position

Gentiva Hospice seeks a Registered Nurse to provide personalized hospice and palliative care to patients with life-limiting illnesses and support their families. The RN serves as a primary point of contact, delivering and documenting skilled nursing care in patients’ homes, assisted living facilities, or other institutional settings. The role includes assessing patient needs, managing symptoms, developing individualized plans of care, educating patients and caregivers, and coordinating services with an interdisciplinary team. The RN also supports continuity of care, participates in on-call activities as applicable, and follows clinical, regulatory, infection-control, and documentation standards.

The position requires at least one year of RN experience in an applicable setting. Hospice or palliative care experience is preferred. The RN must hold a current nursing license in the state of employment, CPR certification, current automobile insurance, and a valid driver’s license. Work takes place in patients’ homes or institutional settings and in an automobile, with potential exposure to infections, communicable diseases, odors, blood, excreta, and hazardous materials. The role requires use of nursing assessment tools, computers, fax and copier equipment, and a cell phone or beeper, as well as maintaining transportation for work.

Requirements

• Registered Nurse education/qualification.
• 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 license to practice nursing in the state of requested employment.
• CPR certification.
• Current automobile insurance and a valid driver’s license.
• Knowledge of terminally ill patients and their families, hospice, and the special needs of hospice patients and families.
• Knowledge of the roles of disciplines providing hospice services and of community resources.
• Strong patient assessment skills and knowledge of general nursing practice.
• Good oral and written communication skills, documentation, and program-management skills.
• Knowledge of managed-care principles and regulatory guidelines, including Medicare, Medicaid, and ACHC.
• Sensitivity to the impact of life-and-death issues and tact in supporting patients and families during crises.
• Flexibility to perform varied tasks while maintaining efficiency and composure; ability to communicate effectively with people of all socioeconomic backgrounds.
• Maturity, cooperation, flexibility, and tact when working with colleagues and hospice team members.
• Ability to operate nursing assessment tools, computers, fax equipment, copier, and cell phone or beeper.
• Must have and maintain transportation for work.

Nice To Haves

• Hospice or palliative care experience.

Responsibilities

• Perform comprehensive patient assessments and reassessments, including in-person or telephonic RN assessments and screenings.
• Deliver and document 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 team members, consulting with physicians and nurse practitioners as needed.
• Educate patients, families, and caregivers about disease processes, self-care, end-of-life care, medications, nutrition, and dietary needs.
• Communicate changes in condition and signs or symptoms of decline to the appropriate provider.
• Support continuity of care, including appropriate referrals and transitions among home health, palliative, hospice, and other levels of care.
• Maintain timely and accurate clinical records, including assessment findings, physician orders, progress notes, and care plans.
• Maintain effective working relationships with the interdisciplinary group and involve the team when the care plan warrants collaboration.
• Participate in on-call and patient-support activities as applicable, providing clinically competent and responsive on-call services.
• Provide emotional, physical, and spiritual support to patients and loved ones, including education, comfort, and bereavement guidance.
• Teach caregivers how to care for patients safely and confidently.
• Support quality-improvement and scheduling initiatives.
• Help patients and families understand medication administration, hospice philosophy and services, symptom and pain management, and end-of-life processes and expectations.

Benefits

• Competitive pay
• 401(k) with company match
• Career advancement opportunities
• National and local recognition programs
• Teammate Assistance Fund
• Medical insurance for full-time associates
• Dental insurance for full-time associates
• Vision insurance for full-time associates
• Mileage reimbursement or fleet vehicle program for full-time associates
• Paid time off and seven paid holidays for full-time associates
• Wellness programs, including telemedicine, diabetes management, and joint and spine concierge care, for full-time associates
• Education support and tuition assistance for ASN-to-BSN and BSN-to-MSN programs for full-time associates
• Free continuing education units for full-time associates
• Company-paid life insurance and long-term disability insurance for full-time associates
• Voluntary benefits, including pet, critical illness, accident, and long-term care coverage, for full-time associates

What This Job Offers

• Job Type: Full-time
• Career Level: Entry Level
• Education Level: No Education Listed