Registered Nurse

Organizational Relationships:  Reports to the Patient Care Manager, works closely with the Medical Director/Hospice Physician, Social Workers, Spiritual Counselors, Coordinator of Volunteers, the Volunteer and Bereavement Services.  Supervises the service delivery of hospice aide.

General Summary:  The Registered Nurse is responsible for the coordination and delivery of nursing care to patients and families.  Responsibilities include physical assessments and clinical interventions within the R.N. scope of practice, and coordination of care with the interdisciplinary team.

Participates as a member of the IDG, actively coordinating all aspects of the patient’s hospice care, in accordance with current professional standards and practice including participating in ongoing interdisciplinary comprehensive assessments, developing and evaluating the plan of care and contributing to patient and family counseling and education.

1.      Patient Care:

·        Perform comprehensive physical assessments on assigned patients

·        Develop and implement the Plan of Care in cooperation with the IDG

·        Provide direct care and nursing intervention as dictated by physician order, patient need and the Plan of Care

·        Assess patients referred for care, perform the admission process of program presentation, consents, benefit election and initiate the comprehensive assessment and Plan of Care in coordination with the IDG

·        Initiate and maintain communication with attending physicians

·        Supervise the services/care performed by the hospice aide/certified nursing assistant.

·        Provide and document appropriate patient/family/caregiver teaching and instruction.

2.      Administrative:

·        Record clinical findings and services in the medical record

·        Initiate and complete all paperwork required for patient admission certification and re-certification

·        Initiate and maintain communication with all disciplines relative to patient/family care and needs

·        Coordinate all patient care activities including ordering/obtaining pharmaceuticals, durable medical equipment and supplies as indicated in the Plan of Care

·        Participate in Quality Assessment / Performance Improvement activities.

·        Attend and participate in continuing education in-service activities.

3.      Other duties as assigned.

Qualifications:

1.      Active, unrestricted license to practice as a Registered Nurse in the state of practice.

2.      If no state licensing, registration or certificate requirements exist in the state of practice, the Registered Nurse must be a graduate of a school of professional nursing.

3.      Experience in medical-surgical nursing, home health, or hospice required.

4.      Experience in a long term care setting a plus.

5.      Willingness and ability to work flexible days and hours and scheduled on-call to meet patient and family needs.

Required Skills and Abilities:

1.            Able to read 12-point or larger type.

2.            Able to hear and speak in a manner understood by most people.

3.            Must be able to communicate effectively in English both orally and in writing sufficient to prepare and send documentation/reports, and to interact with clients, staff and peers (proficiency in a second language that corresponds to the language of a significant portion of the patient population is desirable).

4.            Able to stoop and bend.

5.            Able to lift at least 25 pounds, and carry effectively.

6.            Able to push a wheelchair.

7.            Able to travel to prospective patients’ residences.  Must have reliable transportation, an auto with required insurance coverage and a current state driver’s license.

8.            Must show considerable initiative, judgement and organizational skills to work independently in an unsupervised environment.

9.            Familiarity with the Hospice philosophy and regulations as appropriate to job responsibilities.