Hospice Registered Nurse

Are you a compassionate and caring Registered Nurse who knows how to respond with sympathy and kindness? Are you independently motivated in managing patient care while actively contributing to the communication and coordination of an interdisciplinary care team? Are you adept at organizing and managing your schedule to maximize efficiency without sacrificing quality? Do you have prior experience with providing patients with dignified and exemplary care?

If you answer yes to the above questions, we invite you to apply to join our exceptional team as a Hospice Registered Nurse.

Homeland has a tradition of caring that began in 1867 and continues today with Homeland Center and community outreach services: Hospice, Palliative Care, HomeHealth, and HomeCare. At Homeland, every person on our team matters and fulfills a greater purpose in the lives of our residents, patients, and clients.

As a Registered Nurse for Homeland Hospice, you would contribute to our community of caring by providing direct support to patients and family members during a significant part of their life journey.

Homeland Hospice provides compassionate end-of-life care to help patients and families make the most of their moments together. We believe in a holistic approach which considers the whole person — mind, body and spirit as inseparable — and embraces the love and support of patient families as vital.

• This is a salaried full-time, Monday through Friday, Daytime position.
• This position provides care for patients primarily in the city and surrounding suburbs of Harrisburg.
• Candidates for this position may be eligible for a $10,000 Hiring Perk.
• This position requires a valid Pennsylvania Registered Nurse license, a valid Pennsylvania driver’s license, and reliable internet access.
   

As a full-time Homeland Hospice Registered Nurse, you would be eligible for:

• Competitive Pay Rates, with portal-to-portal paid mileage.
• Health, Vision, and Prescription Drug coverage with no premium for the employee, no deductibles, and co-pays as low as $5.
• 401K with matching and the direct support of a financial advisor to help you meet your goals.
• Generous Paid Time Off.
   

Position Summary: 

As Homeland Hospice’s RN you would oversee a primary caseload of Hospice patients and provide skilled professional nursing care to them, their families and caregivers as prescribed by the physician and in compliance with the Hospice Medicare Conditions of Participation, Pennsylvania Hospice licensure laws and agency policies and procedures. Provide the initial assessment and comprehensive nursing assessment of patient needs and collaborates to develop the Hospice Interdisciplinary Team (IDT) plan of care. Implement the plan of care and reevaluate and revise the plan of care relative to the patient’s nursing needs to provide appropriate, comprehensive, and responsive goals and interventions. Work closely with other members of the IDT to ensure all patient and family care needs are being met. Provide supervision to Licensed Practical Nurses (LPN) and Hospice Aides/Homemakers.

Essential Duties and Responsibilities include the following.  

Assessing and Planning:  As a member of the IDT, the Registered Nurse Case Manager (RNCM) utilizes the nursing process to contribute to each patient’s total plan of care.

• Seek and obtain sufficient information necessary to function effectively in the Hospice setting where the patient/family/caregiver is receiving care.
• Conduct initial assessment, including physical, emotional and psychosocial aspects, of patient/family/caregiver in a thorough, accurate, compassionate and timely fashion.
• Utilize the nursing body of knowledge to provide leadership and guidance to the IDT in formulating and individualizing the interdisciplinary plan of care to include problem identification, interventions and goals to address palliative comfort measures for the terminally ill patient, family and caregiver.
• Contribute to identifying both active and potential needs of the patient and his/her family, which may affect the plan of care.
• Consistently collaborate with the physician to plan and implement the medical and nursing plan of care.
• Review the nursing component of the comprehensive interdisciplinary plan of care with the IDT. Communicate in writing in the clinical record and verbally with the IDT to coordinate interventions and ensure continuity of care.
• Facilitate and participate in the IDT care conference and contribute to patient care planning.

Implementing and Evaluating

• Provide nursing interventions and appropriate preventative and therapeutic nursing procedures. 
• Collaborates with IDT members to provide continuous assessment of assigned patients, interprets findings, initiates appropriate therapeutic actions and evaluates the results of these actions. 
• Accepts responsibility of assignment to perform a specialized procedure only when qualified with specialty training, proven competency, clinical background and expertise in the specialty area.
• Works in cooperation with family/caregiver and IDT members to meet the physical and emotional needs of the patient/family/caregiver.
• Provides appropriate information and explanation to the patient and patient’s family. 
• Facilitates patient and family education to promote continuity of care and optimal patient/family outcomes for quality of life as defined by the patient/family/caregiver.
• Demonstrates expertise in the utilization of all IDT members including volunteers and community resources.
• Fulfills productivity requirements on an average daily census basis as determined by acuity level and Administrator.
• Documents accurate, complete and relevant clinical notes regarding patient’s condition and care given. Maintains documentation a on a timely basis.
• Assesses the dietary/nutritional needs of Hospice patient and provides appropriate interventions relative to nutritional intake as the patient’s condition progresses.

Education:  The RNCM is a mentor who is able to provide educational experiences and communicate knowledge of patient care to members of the IDT including, but not limited to, volunteers, hospice aide/homemaker, patient and family/caregivers, health care professionals and the general community.

• Acts as a mentor to other personnel by participating in orientation and assisting with field training and in-service education to contractors and referral sources, as needed.
• Participates in formal and informal in-services, and patient care conferences to promote professional growth of all interdisciplinary team members.
• Teaches the patient, family and/or caregiver regarding the progression of the disease process and self-care techniques as appropriate, which includes providing medication, dietary/nutritional counseling support and other instructions as ordered by physician, recognizing and utilizing opportunities for health counseling.
• Supervises LPNs as needed, overseeing their clinical practice and services. 
• Supervises Hospice Aides/Homemakers every fourteen (14) days per Medicare Conditions of Participation. 
• Evaluates effectiveness of educational experiences and teaching methods in order to promote ongoing professional development of Hospice staff and quality patient outcomes for patients, families and caregivers.