On Call Registered Nurse Home Care

Hospice Nurse

To provide quality, compassionate care to patients and families by providing holistic care to alleviate end-of-life symptoms, provide education on disease trajectory and aggressive support in the home, patient care units and community nursing facilities.

Essential Duties and Responsibilities:

Be available and respond back to communication within 15 minutes

Assess each patient and family situation for severity and respond appropriately

Communicate with team members and patient care unit staff on a regular basis

Evaluate the physical, financial, psychological, spiritual and pre-bereavement needs of the patient/family in coordination with interdisciplinary team

Determine patient's eligibility for hospice care with AMOREM providers, admit if appropriate.

If patient is not appropriate, recommend other services available, with referrals to other community agencies, as appropriate

Educate patients and family about services

Coordinate the development of the plan of care with goals defined by the patient/family and the hospice team updating as changes occur

Coordinate medication administration, education and assure accuracy

Communicate patient/family information to the interdisciplinary team

Update the plan of care as patient condition changes

Provide nursing services according to the plan of care

Evaluate the need for other services and make a referral as needed in coordination with the social workers

Teach the primary caregiver/family by role model, repetition and reinforcement

Provide ongoing supervision along with assessment of continuing needs for patient/family teaching

Instruct caregiver in hospice emergency responses and changes to anticipate

Make visits as indicated and as needed

Provide the patient/family with information concerning the disease process, the regimen of treatment process and alternative methods of care

Respond to questions honestly and realistically

Help the patient/family make informed choices

Promote independence and responsibility throughout the course of the disease

Provide emotional support

Actively listen to patient and family concerns

Support individual coping mechanisms

Provide services at the time of death

Assist with bereavement follow-up by attending receiving or funeral services as appropriate

Evaluate the effectiveness of nursing interventions on a regular basis and whenever changes occur in the patient/family situation

Communicate with physicians as needed and as required by regulations

Maintain current knowledge and competency in providing care to terminally ill patients and their families

Assist with nursing care on patient care unit as directed by supervisor

Other duties as assigned

Knowledge, Skills & Abilities:

Ability to work a flexible schedule

Willingness to work with patients/families regardless of race, color, creed, age or sexual orientation. Must respect their beliefs and philosophy with an attitude of openness.

Ability to work effectively with others in a supervisory role

Strong communication skills

Minimum Qualifications:

Education:

Current NC license as a registered nurse

Active patient contact or completion of a nursing refresher course within the past three years

Experience:

Minimum of two to three years nursing experience required

Licensures & Certifications: (if applicable):

CPR certification

Physical Demands:

Visual acuity to read written documentation and computer tasks

Ability to sit extended periods of time and perform administrative tasks

Ability to stand, bend and lift an average of 30 pounds

Manual dexterity with the ability to manipulate office equipment and keyboard for extended periods of time

Ability to walk, squat, kneel, climb and balance

AMOREM, formerly known as Burke Hospice & Palliative Care and Caldwell Hospice and Palliative Care