Specialty Nurse - Palliative Care

The Nemours Foundation•Wilmington, NC

2d•Onsite

About The Position

Nemours is seeking a Specialty Nurse, Palliative Care, to join the Nemours Children's Health team in Wilmington, Delaware. This is a 20-hour-per-week, part-time role on a growing Palliative Care team that is establishing a comprehensive outpatient program, with plans to expand into a home care service. The nurse supports patients and families, coordinates care and clinic operations, and contributes to program tracking and development. The position requires excellent time management, a proactive approach, teamwork, and a desire to engage in patient care. The nurse performs ongoing assessments and evaluates patient progress, coordinating changes to care with the interdisciplinary team. The role includes identifying patient and family resource needs, providing or arranging education and referrals, responding to calls and messages, explaining treatment regimens after consultation with a physician or advanced practice provider, and serving as a liaison between families and the health care team. The nurse applies specialized nursing knowledge and technical skills in accordance with the Nurse Practice Act, hospital policy, and protocol, and participates in developing standards of care for the specialty population. The nurse also supports quality and process improvement, communicates with nursing and interdisciplinary colleagues, maintains current subspecialty and technological knowledge, and pursues ongoing professional development. The position includes participation in departmental and hospital programs, professional activities, and committees as appointed by Nursing Leadership.

Requirements

Bachelor of Science in Nursing (BSN).
AHA Basic Life Support (BLS) certification.
One to three years of experience required.
Pediatric nursing experience required.
Excellent time management skills, a proactive approach, ability to work well in a team environment, and desire to engage in patient care.

Nice To Haves

At least three years of related experience preferred.

Responsibilities

Field and triage calls and messages from the palliative care phone line, outpatient providers, patients, and families.
Call patients and families to report laboratory results and provide check-ins.
Facilitate prior authorizations and prescription management.
Facilitate clinic flow and scheduling.
Interface with hospice, coordinate admissions, and provide ongoing communication.
Collect and track data to measure program progress and articulate additional needs.
Support discharge planning and inpatient follow-up.
Assess and evaluate patient progress and coordinate revisions to care with the interdisciplinary team.
Identify patient and family needs for resources and initiate appropriate teaching or referrals.
Explain treatment regimens to patients and families after discussion with a physician or advanced practice provider.
Share clinical knowledge with the health care team and collaborate with the Nursing Education Department to share subspecialty knowledge with nursing staff.
Act as a liaison between families and members of the health care team.
Participate in developing standards of care for the specialty patient population.
Participate in quality and process assessment and improvement programs, identify opportunities to improve services, make recommendations, and implement appropriate actions.
Facilitate open communication with Nurse Managers, staff nurses, Palliative Care team members, and other interdisciplinary team members.
Maintain current knowledge through professional activities and organizations, and pursue professional development opportunities within Nemours and nationally.
Participate in intra- or interdepartmental committees as appointed by Nursing Leadership.
Stay current on technological aspects of the position and ensure written communications are focused on reader understanding.