Registered Nurse

Emerald Coast Hospice•Crestview, FL

About The Position

The Registered Nurse provides personalized hospice nursing care to patients with life-limiting illnesses and supports their families with dignity, comfort, and compassion. The RN serves as a primary contact for patients and families, delivering skilled nursing care in patients’ homes, assisted living facilities, or other settings where they live. The role includes assessing and monitoring patient condition, managing symptoms, documenting care, and developing and updating individualized plans of care. The RN collaborates with physicians, nurse practitioners, LPNs, CNAs, social workers, chaplains, and other members of the interdisciplinary group. The nurse provides physical, emotional, and spiritual support; educates patients and caregivers about medications, disease processes, symptom management, nutrition, hospice services, and end-of-life care; and communicates changes in condition to appropriate providers. The role also supports continuity of care, referrals and transitions between levels of care, quality improvement, and on-call patient support as applicable. Work is performed in patients’ homes and/or institutional settings, as well as in an automobile. The position may involve exposure to infections, communicable diseases, odors, blood, excreta, and hazardous materials. The employee must maintain transportation for work and effectively use nursing assessment tools, computers, fax equipment, a copier, and a cell phone or beeper.

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 requested employment.
CPR certification.
Current automobile insurance and a valid driver’s license.
Knowledge of terminally ill patients and their families and understanding of hospice care.
Ability to apply knowledge of the special needs of hospice patients and families and knowledge of the roles of hospice disciplines.
Excellent patient assessment skills and knowledge of community resources.
Good oral and written communication skills, documentation skills, and program management skills.
Knowledge of general nursing practice and managed care principles, as well as regulatory guidelines such as Medicare, Medicaid, and ACHC.
Sensitivity to life-and-death issues faced by people with terminal illness and tact in dealing with patients and families.
Ability to support others during a crisis and communicate effectively with people from all socioeconomic backgrounds.
Flexibility to perform varied tasks without loss of efficiency or composure; maturity, cooperation, and tact in working with coworkers and hospice team members.
Ability to operate nursing assessment tools, computers, fax equipment, a copier, and a 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 and telephonic RN assessments or screenings.
Deliver skilled nursing interventions and symptom management consistent with each patient’s 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 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 by recognizing and supporting appropriate home health, palliative care, and hospice referrals and transitions in levels of care.
Maintain timely, accurate clinical records, including screening and assessment findings, physician orders, progress notes, and care plans.
Maintain effective working relationships with the interdisciplinary group and involve the team when patient care requires participation.
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 to care for patients safely and confidently, including medication administration, hospice services, and symptom and pain management.
Follow infection control, regulatory, and organizational compliance standards.
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.
For full-time employees: medical, dental, and vision insurance.
For full-time employees: mileage reimbursement or fleet vehicle program.
For full-time employees: generous paid time off and seven paid holidays.
For full-time employees: wellness programs, including telemedicine, diabetes management, and joint and spine concierge care.
For full-time employees: education support and tuition assistance, including ASN-to-BSN and BSN-to-MSN pathways.
For full-time employees: free continuing education units (CEUs).
For full-time employees: company-paid life and long-term disability insurance.
Voluntary benefits, including pet, critical illness, accident, and long-term care coverage.