Registered Nurse

Regency SouthernCare Hospice • Kennesaw, GA

12d • Onsite

About The Position

The Registered Nurse provides personalized hospice and palliative nursing care to patients with life-limiting illnesses and supports their families. The nurse serves as a primary contact, delivers and documents skilled care in patients’ homes or institutional settings, assesses changing needs, and develops and updates individualized plans of care. The role includes symptom management, caregiver education, emotional and practical support, and coordination with physicians and interdisciplinary care teams. The nurse also supports continuity of care and transitions between service levels, participates in on-call activities as applicable, and maintains accurate clinical records in accordance with regulatory, policy, and infection-control standards.

The position involves working in patients’ homes and/or institutional settings and using an automobile for work. Potential exposures include infections, communicable diseases, odors, blood, excreta, and hazardous materials. The role requires sensitivity and tact when supporting patients and families facing end-of-life issues, flexibility, effective communication across socioeconomic backgrounds, and cooperative relationships with colleagues and hospice team members.

Requirements

• Registered Nurse education or 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 employment.
• CPR certification.
• Current automobile insurance and a valid driver’s license.
• Knowledge of terminally ill patients and their families, hospice services, hospice patient and family needs, and the roles of hospice disciplines.
• Strong patient assessment skills and knowledge of community resources.
• Good oral and written communication skills, documentation, and program-management skills.
• Knowledge of general nursing practice, managed-care principles, and regulatory guidelines, including Medicare, Medicaid, and ACHC.
• Ability to operate nursing assessment tools, computers, facsimile equipment, a copier, and a cell phone or beeper.
• Must have and maintain transportation for work.
• Ability to support patients and families during crises, communicate effectively with people of varied socioeconomic backgrounds, and demonstrate flexibility, maturity, cooperation, and tact.

Nice To Haves

• Hospice or palliative care experience.

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 the patient’s goals of care.
• Develop and update individualized plans of care, including visit frequency and identification of patient risks.
• Coordinate care with interdisciplinary team members and consult 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 condition and signs or symptoms of decline to the appropriate provider.
• Support continuity of care, appropriate referrals, and transitions between levels of care.
• Document screening and assessment findings, physician orders, progress notes, and care plans in a timely manner.
• Maintain effective working relationships with the interdisciplinary group and involve the team when needed to achieve care-plan outcomes.
• Participate in on-call and patient-support activities as applicable, providing clinically competent and responsive service.
• Teach caregivers how to safely care for their loved ones and provide emotional reassurance.
• Provide emotional, physical, and spiritual support to patients and loved ones, including bereavement guidance.
• Follow infection-control, regulatory, and compliance standards and support quality-improvement and scheduling initiatives.

Benefits

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

What This Job Offers

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