Registered Nurse

Gentiva Hospice • Kingsport, TN

18h • Onsite

About The Position

The Registered Nurse provides personalized hospice and palliative care to patients with life-limiting illness and supports their families with dignity, comfort, and compassion. The RN serves as a primary contact for patients and families and delivers skilled nursing care in patients’ homes, assisted living facilities, or other institutional settings, guided by individualized plans of care.

The role includes assessing patients, managing symptoms, coordinating care with an interdisciplinary team, educating patients and caregivers, communicating changes in condition, and maintaining accurate clinical documentation. The nurse also supports continuity of care, participates in on-call and patient support activities as applicable, and contributes to quality improvement, scheduling, and regulatory compliance.

Requirements

• 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.
• Excellent patient assessment skills and knowledge of general nursing practice.
• Good oral and written communication skills, documentation, and program management skills.
• Thorough knowledge of managed care principles and regulatory guidelines, including Medicare, Medicaid, and ACHC.
• Ability to demonstrate sensitivity to end-of-life issues, tact, and support for patients and families during crises.
• Flexibility to perform varied tasks while maintaining efficiency and composure; ability to communicate effectively with people from all socioeconomic backgrounds.
• Responsible, mature, cooperative, and tactful conduct with coworkers and hospice team members.
• Ability to operate nursing assessment tools, computers, fax machines, copiers, and cell phones or beepers.
• 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 telephone assessments or screenings, and educate patients, family members, and caregivers as appropriate.
• Deliver and document skilled nursing interventions and symptom management aligned with patients’ goals of care.
• Develop and update individualized plans of care, including visit frequency and identification of patient needs and risks.
• Coordinate care with interdisciplinary team members, including physicians and nurse practitioners.
• Educate patients 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, as well as transitions between 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 patient’s care plan warrants participation.
• 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 care for patients safely and confidently, including medication administration, hospice services, symptom and pain management, and end-of-life expectations.
• Follow infection-control, regulatory, compliance, and organizational 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
• Medical, dental, and vision insurance for full-time employees
• Mileage reimbursement or fleet vehicle program for full-time employees
• 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 for ASN-to-BSN and BSN-to-MSN programs for full-time employees
• Free continuing education units for full-time employees
• Company-paid life and long-term disability insurance for full-time employees
• Voluntary benefits, including pet, critical illness, accident, and long-term care coverage, for full-time employees

What This Job Offers

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