RN Home Care

Columbus Hospice•Columbus, GA

14h•Remote

About The Position

The RN Home Care position involves providing individualized nursing care in accordance with Hospice philosophies and standards. Responsibilities include educating patients and families, conducting nursing assessments, effectively managing symptoms, and collaborating with an interdisciplinary team. This role may be Full-Time or Part-Time. Challenges include taking call on a rotating basis after business hours and on holidays, dealing with grief and emotions related to death and dying, and the ability to work a flexible schedule while prioritizing and coordinating patient care needs.

Requirements

Associate's degree or equivalent from two-year college or technical school
One year related experience
Valid Alabama and Georgia Nursing License or Compact license
Influenza vaccine during influenza season (November- March)
Valid driver's license
Satisfactory MVR and proof of insurance per Columbus Hospice policy
Dependable personal transportation
Current BLS CPR certification
Ability to define problems, collect data, establish facts, and draw valid conclusions.
Ability to interpret an extensive variety of technical instructions in mathematical or diagram form and deal with several abstract and concrete variables.
Ability to read, analyze, and interpret general business periodicals, professional journals, technical procedures, or governmental regulations.
Ability to write reports, business correspondence, and procedure manuals.
Ability to effectively present information and respond to questions from groups of managers, clients, customers, and the general public.

Nice To Haves

BSN or MSN
Hospice certification

Responsibilities

Provide individualized nursing care in accordance with Hospice philosophies and standards.
Provide education to patients and families.
Conduct nursing assessments.
Effectively provide symptom management.
Collaborate care of the patient with the interdisciplinary team.
Take call on rotating basis after business hours and on holidays as assigned for patient care issues and make visits as indicated by patient and family needs.
Deal effectively and professionally with grief, high anxiety, and emotions related to death and dying on a daily basis.
Ability to work flexible schedule, ability to evaluate situations as they occur, prioritize and coordinate patient care needs as they arise on a daily basis.
Assessment, both initial and on going, of the patient's and family needs, to include: physical, social and emotional or spiritual needs, with prompt, appropriate follow-up and referrals as needed.
Develop a comprehensive nursing and team care plan in conference with the other members of the Interdisciplinary Team, updating the care plan weekly and more frequently as needed.
Seek optimal symptom and pain control for the patients through attentive and thorough examination and follow up.
Keep the attending physician apprised of patients status and request appropriate changes in care in accordance with established guidelines.
Coordinate with the Volunteer Coordinator in assigning, directing, and supporting volunteers.
Seek appropriate spiritual support for the patient/family through patient's personal clergy or hospice chaplain.
Provide necessary on-going information, and teaching to the patient/family including hospice protocol, emergencies and on call procedures.
Solicit help from other members of the team as well as other agencies or organizations, as appropriate.
Help patient/family to prepare for the death of the patient but maintain hope.
Encourage pre-planning.
Encourage family and friends to actively participate in the patient's care, providing education and support per the plan of care.
Accurate and timely recording of all phases of the patient's care to include re-certifications and physicians orders.
When possible attend funerals, and then withdraw from active family support, leaving bereavement to support the family.
Participate in Interdisciplinary Team meetings, serving as a positive, participative team member.
Participate in the hospice call system, as assigned.
Assume other duties as assigned by Team Manager to include acting temporarily as Team Manager.
Conduct home supervisory visits on LPN's and CNA's assigned to your patients care per policy.
Accurately count medications and order refills/obtain prescriptions to ensure that patients have the appropriate amount of medication in their homes to meet their care needs.
Perform death pronouncements following policy, to include medication destruction, and provide supportive care to assist the family through the initial period following the patients death.
Maintain a patient caseload and provide services per plan of care.
Acquire 15 continuing education hours per year, or will not be eligible for merit increases and may be subject to termination, as per policy. Of the required 15 hours per year least 12 hours must be in hospice-specific topics.
Takes all reasonable precautions to maintain privacy and non-disclosure of any confidential information about patients, other staff members, and the general operations of Columbus Hospice.
Represent the company in a positive and professional manner at all times with others, e.g., co-workers, management, vendors, and customers.
Complete all job responsibilities in a thorough and complete manner, utilizing good judgment in all aspects of the job.
When unsure of a directed task or any part of job responsibilities, proactively seek the assistance of immediate supervisor.
Act on physician orders; use nursing judgment to assess patients for critical changes, implements symptom management protocols as ordered by physician.
Reach out to management for anything not currently defined by Georgia/Alabama State Nurse Practice Act, policies and procedures, State license regulations, or appropriate physician orders.
Supervise, direct and document patient care activities of the CNA in the patient homes monthly.
Temporarily serve as Team Manager when requested by supervisor.
Ensure job responsibilities are met, including attendance requirements and prompt arrival at work.
Assist with special projects, as requested.
All other job duties as may be assigned.