Home Health/Hospice Registered Nurse

Description

JOB DESCRIPTION SUMMARY

The position will be responsible for oversight and coordination of patient care for assigned hospice patients and for providing skilled palliative care to hospice patients. Applicants should have excellent observation, clinical and interpersonal skills and have good nursing judgment. Position will work closely with established hospice team to ensure appropriate patient care and outcomes. Applicant must have ability to communicate and interact with patients and family members and should be able to work independently and organize/prioritize schedule.

Position Summary Expanded:

Under the Oklahoma Medical Marijuana and Patient Protection Act, (“The Unity Bill”) this position is considered a “Safety-sensitive position. “Safety-sensitive” is defined to include “any job that includes tasks or duties that could affect the safety and health of the employee performing the task or others.” Employees working in “safety-sensitive” roles are subject to this exception and subject to disciplinary action in the event of a positive test for marijuana or its metabolites.

Requirements

Primary Position Responsibilities

• Must be able to maintain concentration during frequent interruptions.
• Delivers service/ visits to assigned patients and performs direct care in various settings, ensuring all needs and goals are being addressed.
• Perform and execute the RN duties associated with hospice plan of cares.
• Perform admission visits, regular skilled nursing and supervisory visits, hospice evaluations, imminent visits as well as on-call and prn visits as assigned.
• Maintains and completes patient’s medical record in accordance with agency standards.
• Demonstrates strong teamwork characteristics and interpersonal skills and able to work with the interdisciplinary team without role blurring or conflict.
• Participate in case presentation during interdisciplinary team meetings.
• Participate in education programs to learn new treatments, procedures, developmental skills, etc., as assigned.
• Demonstrates understanding of the concept of Death and Dying; Pain and Symptom Management; Grief and loss.
• Perform supervisory visits to patients and re-evaluate patient’s nursing needs.
• May be assigned to perform home health aide supervisory visits.
• Performs monthly supervision of any LPN’s assigned to the designated team.
• Provide and/or participate in and support all levels of hospice care i.e. routine, respite, continuous, in-patient and imminent visits.
• Provide accurate, timely, complete, and acceptable documentation.
• Accurate –reflecting good nursing judgment, and as scheduled.
• Timely – All electronic documentation to be completed by 10:00 the following day. Weekend notes completed by 10:00 the following Monday.
• Complete – all blanks, narrative that is legible and understandable, confirmations as necessary. All initial documents completed and signed.
• Acceptable – meeting acceptable Medicare standards as explained and documented in the Cohesive Hospice Policy and Procedure Manual.
• Paints accurate picture of patient clinical presentation and documents need for ongoing hospice care and or clinical stability per Medicare requirements and initiates discharge meet expectations as defined by supervisor or management. 
• Attends the Interdisciplinary meetings every 15 days.
• Attends case conferences and care coordination meetings with various healthcare partners including nursing homes, assisted living centers and hospitals to ensure avoidance of duplication of services and care coordinated to meet patient specific goals.
• As a case manager, be wholly responsible for patient hospice care and support the need to work irregular hours as needed to perform nursing and case management duties.
• Perform job in accordance and compliance with policies, procedures, supervisory expectations, and other directives as defined by leadership.
• Provide all documents for up-to-date personnel files in a timely manner as requested by the Agency in order to continue being scheduled for visits.
• Respond to emergencies and to standby until able to contact Supervisor / Manager.
• Reports pertinent observations and reactions regarding changes in patient’s condition to the appropriate team person promptly and provides follow up to assure resolution of any identified problem.
• Communicate effectively with care coordination team. E.g. facility staff, physicians, pharmacy, case team, supervisors, etc.
• Educate patients and caregivers on disease processes, goals, and rehabilitation as outlined by Medicare and defined by Cohesive Hospice’s policies and procedures.
• Initiate appropriate preventive and rehabilitative nursing procedures.
• May be required to rotate through as