Registered Nurse - PRN

Summary:

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. This is a per requested needed (PRN) position that provides coverage for regular staff RN’s during their scheduled or unscheduled time off or when additional nursing support is needed. The frequency and scheduling of hours will vary based on organizational needs.

Essential Functions:

Patient Care:

• Completes an initial, comprehensive, and ongoing comprehensive assessment of patient and family to determine hospice needs. Provides a complete physical assessment and history of current and previous illness(es) every 14 days.
• Provides professional nursing care by utilizing all elements of nursing process and as defined in the state Nurse Practice Act.
• Assesses and evaluates patient’s status on admission by:
  • Writing and initiating plan of care.
  • Regularly re-evaluating plan of care to include appropriate goals of care for hospice as patient status needs change.
• Initiates the plan of care and communicates with team.
• Uses health assessment data to determine nursing diagnosis.
• Develops a care plan that establishes goals, based on nursing diagnosis, and incorporates therapeutic/palliative nursing actions. Includes the patient and the family in the planning process.
• Initiates appropriate preventive and rehabilitative nursing procedures. Administers medications and treatments as prescribed by the physician in the physician’s plan of care.
• Provides direct patient care as defined in the state Nurse Practice Act.
• 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/or optional comfort care.
• Identifies d/c planning needs as part of care plan and implements for or hospice care.

Communication:

• Completes, maintains, and submits accurate and relevant clinical notes regarding patient’s condition and care given. Records pain/symptom management changes/outcomes as appropriate. Notes are completed within 48 hours of visit.
• 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. Works in concert with the interdisciplinary group.
• 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 to meet the emotional needs of the patient and family/caregiver.
• Performs other duties as required and necessary to ensure the success of the Agency.

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.
• Assists with Palliative calls as required.

On-Call Responsibility:

There is occasional need and additional compensation for rotating on-call hours of Monday through Friday from 5:00 pm to 8:00 am and possible weekend on-call hours from 8:00 pm to 8:00 am or 8:00 am to 8:00 pm, to receive incoming calls to the agency after hours. Responsible for triage of incoming calls and making patient care visits as needed for hospice patients.

Supervisory duties:

• Supervise Certified Nursing Assistant (CNA) every 14 days.

Knowledge, skills, and abilities:

• Ability to consistently promote, support, work, and act in a manner in support of the Mount Evans mission and values.
• Excellent observation, verbal and written communication skills, problem solving skills, basic math skills; nursing skills per competency checklist.

Education:

• Graduate of an accredited school of nursing.
• Bachelor’s degree desired.

Experience:

• One (1) to two (2) years of recent acute care experience in an institutional setting, and one (1) to two (2) years of recent experience in home care is desired.

Additional Requirements/Licenses/Certifications:

• Current licensure in State and CPR certification upon hire.
• Must be a licensed driver with an automobile that is insured in accordance with state and/or organization requirements and is reliable.
• Management experience is not required.

Working Environment:

The work environment characteristics described here are representative of those an employee encounters while performing the essential functions of this job. Reasonable accommodations may be made to enable the individuals with disabilities to perform the essential functions.

• Work is generally performed in an indoor home environment.
• Attendance at meetings is generally held in an indoor professional office environment.
• Travel throughout the community to patients on a regular basis.
• In and out of automobile.
• Overtime with Manager Approval
• Work Schedule 8:30 am – 5:00 pm with thirty (30) minute lunch.

Physical Activities:

The physical demands described here are representative of those that must be met by an employee to successfully perform the essential functions of this job. Reasonable accommodations may be made to enable individuals with disabilities to perform the essential functions.

• While performing the duties of this job, the employee is regularly required to talk and hear. Ability to stand, sit, walk, talk, reach with arms and hands, have good manual dexterity, use hands and fingers to operate a computer and telephone.
• May require prolonged periods of considerable walking or standing.
• Able to lift, position and/or transfer patients. Able to lift supplies and equipment, up to 50lbs. Considerable reaching, stooping bending, kneeling, and/or crouching.
• Visual acuity and hearing to perform require nursing skills.