Registered Nurse (Home Health and Hospice) - Star Valley, Wyoming

JOB 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. 

DUTIES & RESPONSIBILITIES 
Patient Care 

• Completes an initial, comprehensive and ongoing assessments of patient and family to determine hospice needs.  
• Provides a complete physical assessment and history of current and previous illness(es). 
• Provides professional nursing care by utilizing all elements of nursing process. 
• Assesses and evaluates patient’s status by: Writing and initiating plan of care, Regularly re-evaluating patient and family/caregiver needs, Participating in revising the plan of care as necessary 
• Uses health assessment data to determine nursing diagnosis. 
• Develops a care plan that establishes goals, based on nursing diagnosis and incorporates 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. 
• 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.  Records pain/symptom management changes/outcomes as appropriate. 
• 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 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.

 
The above statements are only meant to be a representative summary of the major duties and responsibilities performed by the employee of this job.  The employee may be requested to perform job-related tasks other than those stated in this description. 

JOB REQUIREMENTS (Education, Experience, Knowledge, Skills & Abilities) 

• Graduate of National League for Nursing accredited school of nursing. 
• 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. 
• Management experience not required. Responsible for supervising hospice aides. 
• Registered nurse with current licensure to practice professional nursing in the state. 
• Demonstrates excellent observation, problem solving, verbal and written communications; nursing skills per competency checklist. 
• Shows ability to organize and prioritize workload independently. 
• Prolonged or considerable walking or stand