Hospice Admissions Nurse-Lake Norman

Responsibilities

• Assumes responsibility for the effective coordination of patient/caregiver care
• Conducts admission nursing assessment to identify patient/caregiver needs
• Develops plan of care for patients/caregivers
• Incorporates therapeutic, preventive, and palliative nursing actions, and specifically addresses patient/caregiver education
• Determines individualized goals and interventions on plan of care to meet patient and caregiver present physical, emotional, spiritual needs
• Serves as the initial RN member of the interdisciplinary group to develop specific plan of care goals
• Counsels with the patient, caregivers, physicians, facility staff and interdisciplinary team when initiating care
• Communicates closely with the staff nurse assigned as the case manager to ensure clarity of care when developing the initial plan of care
• Maintains productive and professional relations with external agencies and healthcare providers
• Prepares for visits, anticipates care needs, reviews referral information, and obtains needed materials and educational resources for patients/caregiver
• Makes visits to provide evaluation of appropriateness for hospice care
• Follows established admission procedure including completing consents for service, medication evaluation, symptom management, teaching, and documentation
• Provides interventions under the direction of a physician
• Identifies new problems or needs at the admission visit
• Facilitates patient and caregiver independence to the extent possible
• Stores all supplies safely and ensures that the work area is clean, secure, and well-maintained
• Applies principles of infection control and ensures universal precautions in accordance with accepted professional practice
• Maintains appropriate utilization of resources to ensure cost-effective delivery of healthcare
• Coordinates with Physician of the Day (POD) to ensure patient eligibility and provide assessment findings for physician to complete the Initial Narrative Certification of Terminal Illness, as applicable
• Assumes responsibility for conducting effective patient and caregiver education at time of admission
• Identifies learning needs of patients and caregivers and provides necessary instruction
• Demonstrates nursing care procedures. Utilizes teaching materials, tools, and written information appropriately
• Encourages and allows time for questions and consultation
• If admitting a patient in a HART facility, provides education to facility staff as needed
• Collaborate with assigned VIA Health Partners Medical Social Worker all identified patient/caregiver psychosocial needs at initial interdisciplinary care plan development
• Ensures accurate, complete and timely clinical documentation in accordance with VIA Health Partners guidelines
• Initiates and maintains current medication profile as directed by physician
• Documents medication teaching: purpose, dose, route, frequency, actions, indication for use, side effects and interactions
• Communicates and coordinates with Hospice Pharmacia appropriate medications and relatedness to terminal illness
• Records time/mileage report logs accurately via electronic medical record
• Effectively initiates Nursing Assistant care plan
• Maintains open lines of communication with Supervisor
• Ensures that VIA Health Partners professional reputation is maintained and projected
• Assumes responsibility for related duties as required or assigned
• May perform other duties as required

Qualifications

• A Diploma or Associate’s Degree in nursing required; Bachelor’s Degree preferred
• Current, active, and unrestricted NC/SC license as Registered Nurse (RN)
• Current CPR required; CHPN preferred
• Oncology nurse certification if required for chemotherapy administration
• Minimum 2 years related experience
• Experience in direct care of patients with life limiting illnesses required
• Related experience may include hospice and palliative care; family medicine; internal medicine; geriatrics, oncology; home health care; medical surgical
• Prior experience in working in an environment which focuses on the pediatric population is required for Kids Path Nurse with BCLS (CPR) training for both adult and child/infant required
• Computer proficiency is required