Hospice RN Case Manager - FT40

Registered Nurse - Hospice

The registered nurse plans, organizes and directs hospice care and is experienced in nursing, with emphasis on community health education/experience. The professional nurse builds from the resources of the community to plan and direct services to meet the needs of individual and families within their homes and communities.

Duties & Responsibilities

Patient Care

• Completes an initial, comprehensive and ongoing assessments of patient and family to determine hospice needs.
• Provides professional nursing care by utilizing all elements of nursing process.
• Uses health assessment data to determine nursing diagnosis.
• Develops a care plan that establishes goals, based on nursing diagnosis and incorporates palliative nursing actions.
• Initiates appropriate preventive and rehabilitative nursing procedures.
• Counsels the patient and family in meeting nursing and related needs.
• Provides health care instructions to the patient as appropriate per assessment and plan.
• Assists the patient with the activities of daily living and facilitates the patient's efforts toward self-sufficiency and optional comfort care.
• Acts as Case Manager and assumes responsibility to coordinate patient care for assigned caseload.

Communication

• Completes, maintains and submits accurate and relevant clinical notes regarding patient's condition and care given.
• Communicates with the physician regarding the patient's needs and reports changes in the patient's condition; obtains/receives physicians' orders as required.
• Communicates with community health related persons to coordinate the care plan.
• Teaches the patient and family/caregiver self-care techniques as appropriate. Provides medication, diet and other instructions as ordered by the physician and recognizes and utilizes opportunities for health counseling with patients and families/caregivers.
• Provides and maintains a safe environment for the patient.
• Assists the patient and family/caregiver and other team members in providing continuity of care.
• Works in cooperation with the family/caregiver and hospice Interdisciplinary Group Members to meet the emotional needs of the patient and family/caregiver.
• Attends interdisciplinary group meetings.

Additional Duties

• Participates in on-call duties as defined by the on-call policy.
• Ensures that arrangements for equipment and other necessary items and services are available.
• Supervises ancillary personnel and delegates responsibilities when required.
• Assumes responsibility for personal growth and development and maintains and upgrades professional knowledge and practice skills through attendance and participation in continuing education and in-service classes.
• Fulfills the obligation of requested and/or accepted case assignments.
• Actively participates in quality assessment performance improvement teams and activities.

Job Requirements (Education, Experience, Knowledge, Skills & Abilities)

1. Graduate of National League for Nursing accredited school of nursing.

2. Minimum of two years of experience, at least one of which is in the area of public health, home care, or hospice nursing is preferred.

3. Registered nurse with current licensure to practice professional nursing in the state.

4. Demonstrates excellent observation, problem solving, verbal and written communications; nursing skills per competency checklist.

5. Shows ability to organize and prioritize workload independently.

6. The ability to drive and/or have access to transportation for agency related travel (e.g. community partners, patients, etc.) is an essential function of the job. Must have and maintain a valid driver's license, maintain automobile insurance coverage and have access to an automobile.

7. Self-directed and able to work with minimal supervision.

Physical Requirements

1. Employees are asked to sign a statement indicating whether they can perform the essential functions of their position. Requests for accommodation will be considered on an individual basis.

2. Typical functions of this role include standing, sitting, and walking a majority of the time. There are occasions when kneeling, stooping, bending, or reaching may be necessary.

3. The employee must be able to lift and/or move up to 25 lbs on a regular basis. There may be occasions in which the employee must be able to lift or move up to 50 lbs.

4. Specific vision abilities required by this job include close vision, distance vision, color vision, peripheral vision, depth perception and ability to adjust focus.