RN Triage Specialist - Hospice (On Call)

About the Role The RN Triage Specialist provides afterhours clinical support for Hospice patients through timely telephone assessments and evidence-based nursing guidance. This role ensures urgent patient needs are addressed promptly, appropriate interventions are initiated, and field staff or providers are engaged when necessary. The position requires strong assessment skills, sound decision‑making, and clear communication to support patients, families, and caregivers during nonbusiness hours. Key Responsibilities Telephone Triage & Clinical Assessment Answer afterhours calls promptly and conduct thorough telephone assessments to determine patient needs. Assess symptoms, pain levels, disease progression, medication concerns, and caregiver questions. Provide immediate nursing guidance, comfort measures, and symptom management using approved clinical protocols. Determine urgency and escalate care appropriately to on‑call field staff, physicians, or emergency services. Hospice Specific Support Educate and guide families on end‑of‑life symptoms, comfort measures, positioning, and expected changes. Support caregivers experiencing emotional distress, anxiety, or grief with reassurance and clear education. Coordinate afterhours pronouncement procedures as required by agency policy and state regulations. Care Coordination & Communication Document all triage interactions clearly and accurately in the EMR in real time. Notify on‑call field staff and providers of urgent issues, new orders, or required interventions. Communicate significant patient changes to the interdisciplinary team for next‑day follow up. Ensure effective handoff to daytime clinical staff to support continuity of care. Crisis Management & Safety Assess and respond to emergent situations including uncontrolled symptoms, respiratory distress, falls, caregiver crisis, or medication errors. Provide calm de‑escalation and emotional support during high stress situations. Activate emergency services when patient safety is at risk. Qualifications Required Active, unrestricted Registered Nurse (RN) license. Minimum of 2–3 years of recent clinical experience in hospice, home health, emergency, ICU, or acute care. Strong clinical assessment, critical thinking, and independent decision‑making skills. Excellent verbal communication skills, particularly in telephone‑based care. Proficiency with EMR documentation and ability to chart efficiently in real time. Ability to manage high call volume while maintaining clinical accuracy and compassion. Preferred Prior experience in hospice triage. Strong knowledge of hospice symptom management and end‑of‑life care. Familiarity with structured triage protocols or triage software. Skills and Competencies Advanced clinical assessment and nursing judgment Compassionate, clear, and confident communication Crisis intervention and de‑escalation skills End‑of‑life education and caregiver support Strong documentation accuracy and timeliness Ability to prioritize and work independently Effective interdisciplinary collaboration The Pennant Group, Inc. is a holding company of independent operating subsidiaries that provide healthcare services through home health and hospice agencies and senior living communities located throughout the United States. Each of these businesses is operated by a separate, independent operating subsidiary that has its own management, employees, and assets. More information about The Pennant Group, Inc. is available at We are an equal opportunity employer committed to ensuring that all conditions and privileges of employment, including recruitment, hiring, evaluation, transfer, promotion, discipline, determination of compensation and/or benefits, and termination of employment, for all job classifications, are based on qualifications and work record. No employment decision is made, nor do we discriminate, on the basis of race, color, religion, creed, sex/pregnancy, sexual orientation, gender identity, gender expression, age, national origin, ancestry, citizenship, veteran status, or disability. #J-18808-Ljbffr Deercreekseniorliving