Palliative Care Resource Nurse

Description

At Hospice of the Piedmont, we believe in providing compassionate and expert care to patients and their families during their most challenging times. We invite candidates to join our team as a Resource Nurse for our Palliative Care program. In this role you will play a crucial role in ensuring that our patients and their families receive the best possible care and support. You will serve as a key point of contact, receiving calls from patients and their loved ones, assessing their needs, and coordinating the necessary care, including home visits when required. In addition, you will collaborate with our dedicated team of healthcare providers and facilitate communication with attending physicians and other specialists.

Responsibilities:

Phone Triage and Support: 

• Conduct telephone or video assessments to evaluate patients' needs and concerns promptly.
• Manage patients' pain and symptoms, ensuring timely updates to medication lists and necessary changes in orders.
• Provide guidance, support, and education to patients and families, including advising when to contact their Primary Care Physician (PCP) for specific requests.
• Assess the necessity for home visits and coordinate with providers, social workers, and resource nurses accordingly.
• Handle incoming calls from various sources, including patients, families, referral sources, and collaborating providers or facilities.
• Facilitate communication between the patient's PCP, community providers, and other relevant parties, documenting all interactions in the electronic medical record.
• Support providers by following up on medication changes, reaching out to patients post-hospitalization, and assisting with administrative tasks such as medication refills and document management.
• Collaborate with attending physicians and hospice medical personnel for medical authorizations, pain management, and changes to the patient's Plan of Care.
• Conduct hospice admission visits for palliative patients transitioning to hospice care.
• Facilitate referrals, handoffs, and communication between palliative and hospice teams.

Support for Palliative Team:

• Assist with initial visits and consents for palliative services, ensuring thorough documentation.
• Conduct informational visits and admission assessments for patients considering or needing transition to hospice, documenting admissions accurately.
• Provide pain and symptom follow-up calls, process medication refill requests, and coordinate with community providers for necessary orders.
• Offer administrative support to the Palliative Program, including scheduling and intake tasks.
• Review Palliative Intake charts and discuss findings with patients and families to ensure the best program alignment.

Other Responsibilities/Duties:

• Maintain public relations and communication with physicians, facility staff, and other referral sources to promote our services.
• Complete all hospice admissions training and stay updated on admission responsibilities for seamless transitions.
• Practice timely documentation and serve as a consultant to community stakeholders in educating them about our mission, philosophy, and programs.
• Actively advocate for hospice and palliative care within the extended care community through exemplary customer service and education.
• Participate in compliance and quality audits, new employee orientation, and professional development activities.
• Adhere to confidentiality regulations regarding patient and staff information according to HIPAA guidelines.
• Perform other assignments and tasks as assigned by the supervisor.

Requirements

Qualifications:

• Graduate of an accredited nursing program with a current RN license in Virginia, and a minimum of three (3) years of experience as a registered nurse within the last 5 years.
• At least one (1) year of hospice, home health, or palliative care experience, Hospice certified; prior hospice triage experience, and knowledge of the Medicare Hospice Conditions of Participation (COPs), federal, and state regulations.
• Expertise or highly knowledgeable in pain management, symptom control, crisis intervention, and family support.
• Demonstrated critical thinking skills and excellent clinical judgment.
• Technical skills, including proficiency with EMR software and basic to intermediate proficiency in Microsoft Outlook, Word, and Excel.
• Knowledge of regulatory requirements in hospice and palliative care and understanding of eligibility requirements for hospice.
• Strong organizational skills with sharp attention to detail and follow-up, excellent communication, customer serv