RN-Hospice (Nights)

WVU Medicine•Clarksburg, WV

4d•Onsite

About The Position

Responsible for providing direct and indirect nursing care to patients in their homes. In collaboration with the patient, family, and interdisciplinary team (IDT), the registered nurse serves as case manager to develop, implement, and evaluate nursing care according to agency and system policies. The position works 12-hour night shifts from 8 p.m. to 8 a.m., on a rotation that includes every other weekend. Employees may have the opportunity to pick up one or two additional shifts per month. Scheduled weekly hours are 36. The majority of work is performed in patients’ homes and may involve extensive travel.

Requirements

Current Registered Nurse license issued by the state where services are provided, or a current multistate Registered Nurse license through the enhanced Nurse Licensure Compact (eNLC).
Valid driver’s license.
CPR certification within 30 days of hire.
IV skills required.
Ability to work weekends, holidays, and all shifts.
Ability to perform concentrated and complex mental activity and handle complex, highly technical situations.
Ability to work under highly stressful conditions and adapt to changing workloads and assignments.
Ability to make sound independent judgments based on scientific principles and collaborate appropriately with multidisciplinary team members.
Ability to understand and carry out oral and written instructions and procedures.
Strong written and verbal communication skills.
Math skills sufficient to calculate drug dosages and infusion rates.
Knowledge of and compliance with safety policies and procedures.
Ability to safely operate a motor vehicle.
Frequent walking, standing, stooping, kneeling, reaching, pushing, pulling, lifting, grasping, and feeling; ability to lift, move, and position patients of all weights with varying assistance.
Hearing and visual acuity within normal range.
Ability to exert 20 to 50 pounds of force occasionally, 10 to 25 pounds frequently, and up to 10 pounds constantly to move objects.
Ability to work in environments involving exposure to bodily fluids, human tissues, contagious diseases, sharps, explosive gases, toxic gases, fumes, odors, electrical current, and x-ray radiation, as well as stressful conditions, interruptions, adverse home environments, and unpredictable situations.
Ability to work in varying outdoor conditions and on bad or hazardous roadways, including exposure to wind, rain, snow, sleet, mud, temperature extremes, animals, and insects; the role may require extensive travel.

Nice To Haves

One year of home care nursing experience and two years of prior nursing experience.

Responsibilities

Perform the functions of the hospice aide.
Perform and monitor basic patient care according to policies and procedures.
Provide a safe and comfortable environment in the patient’s home while protecting the patient’s privacy and dignity.
Complete assignments in a timely manner and assume on-call responsibility according to policy.
Communicate patient care problems or potential problems to administrative staff and/or IDT members to support continuity and coordination of care.
Provide age-specific care to infant, pediatric, adolescent, adult, and geriatric patients based on physical, psychosocial, communication, safety, education-level, and related criteria.
Apply agency admission criteria and collaborate with the IDT to formulate and establish plans of care based on assessments, updating them under physician orders.
Complete and document full-system assessments at admission and each subsequent visit, including physical and psychosocial assessments and age-specific criteria.
Respond appropriately to changes in patient condition and report significant observed changes to administrative staff and/or the physician.
Document patient status and care or services provided in accordance with documentation policies and procedures; document hospice aide supervisory visits.
Perform CPR when consistent with the wishes of the patient’s appropriate representative.
Use and maintain durable medical equipment, supplies, and adaptive equipment safely and prudently; report related safety issues to administration or the physician.
Demonstrate the required bag technique and apply and maintain equipment according to policy and procedure.
Use supplies effectively to support cost containment and maintain IV-site integrity while providing care.
Perform treatments and procedures according to applicable standards, including vital signs, weights, specimen collection, ostomy and tracheotomy care, catheterization, wound care, dressing changes, suctioning, and gastric-tube feedings and maintenance.
Provide and monitor patient teaching according to policy and procedure.
Coordinate care to ensure medications are administered as ordered and in compliance with medication-administration requirements.
Coordinate the care team to facilitate changes in level of care in accordance with applicable standards.
Identify the stages of death and dying.
Complete IDT forms, Medicare LMRPs, medical updates, and patient discharge summaries as required by regulations and guidelines.
For evening and weekend positions, audit active and inactive charts, make follow-up calls after admissions to assess needs and pain levels, complete admissions as needed, assist with patient overflow from previous shifts or visits, and attend IDT and monthly staff meetings or review meeting minutes.