Hospice Nurse, RN

About the role

3HC has provided compassionate care to North Carolinians since 1981. We strive to ensure our patients enjoy life’s journey, recover quickly, and live comfortably. We believe in providing high-quality, cost-effective care that surpasses industry standards. If you want to make a difference, provide meaningful one-on-one care, and develop relationships with both your patients and team members, join Team 3HC! 3HC strives to provide a positive work culture that feels more like a family atmosphere where we support our team members so they can reach their personal & professional best.

Responsibilities

• Coordinates all Hospice services in assigned counties in accordance with the Hospice philosophy, Agency goals, objectives, and policies.
• Provides comfort to patient/family to facilitate quality of life and death with dignity by:
  • Providing skilled nursing care as outlined in the physician’s plan of care, according to 3HC’s policies and procedures and as allowed by the Practice Act of the N.C. State Board of Nursing.
  • Completing hospice admissions and educating patients and families on the hospice concept and the hospice benefit.
  • Planning, coordinating, providing and directing the delivery of compassionate, quality patient care.
  • Actively participating in the coordination of all aspects of the patient’s hospice care, including participating in on-going interdisciplinary comprehensive assessments, developing and evaluating the plan of care, and contributing to patient counseling and education.
  • Providing continuity of care to all hospice patients.
  • Assisting the interdisciplinary team in the development and implementation of the patient/family care plan.
  • Referring hospice patients to other services as needed.
  • Providing end of life care as outlined in plan of care and policy and procedures.
  • Providing ongoing assessment of medicinal and DME needs.
  • Participating in QAPI and QI projects as requested.
  • Assisting the Social Workers with bereavement counseling as requested.
• Continuously evaluates the patient’s condition to provide support and nursing visits individualized to the patient need.
• Maintains current electronic documentation and downloads daily, ensuring complete documentation on an ongoing basis supporting Hospice guidelines & Conditions of Participation, with assessment information entered in EMR and completed in 48 hours.
• Ensures that the physician and/or Hospice Medical Director is involved ongoing with the patient’s care by:
  • Reporting to the physician/Hospice Medical Director and other applicable personnel reactions to treatments, including drugs, and change in the patient’s physical or emotional condition and outcomes of intervention.
  • Consulting with the attending physician and/or Hospice Medical Director concerning alterations of the plan of treatment and documenting appropriate change of orders where necessary.
  • Verifying that physician listed on order/plan of treatment will sign orders.
• Provides regular supervision to the Licensed Practical Nurses and paraprofessionals who are providing services to the patient according to CMS/Hospice guidelines, including:
  • Ensuring tasks assigned to the LPN are within the Nurse Practice Act.
  • Supervising LPN on every patient at least every 30 days.
  • Providing the certified nursing assistant with a telephonic plan of care and specific duties to be performed.
  • Supervising and evaluating the care given by nursing assistants at least every 14 days.
  • Participating in periodic conferences with supervisor concerning the certified nursing assistant’s performance.
• Collaborates with supervisor to meet assigned productivity standard.
• Rotates weekday, weekend, and holiday “on-call” and “back-up call.” During low hospice census:
  • Covers visits in other offices as assigned by supervisor.
  • Makes home health visits.
  • Visits referring hospice physicians for marketing.
  • Visits nursing homes and talks with administrators.
  • Acts as a resource person for the community on the Hospice Program if needed.
  • Ensures referrals are evaluated timely with a NPU rate of less than 6%.
• Maintains regular communication with supervisor by:
  • Communicating problems of the patient(s) on a timely basis following chain of command.
  • Communicating information using current process and technology available to 3HC.
  • Coordinating hospice care with Director of Clinical Practice/Assistant Clinical Director and the IDG team.
• Ensures that 3HC can bill for services appropriately by:
  • Completing certifications and re-certifications within designated timeframes.
  • Obtaining verbal orders from Hospital, MD and attending within 48 hours of SOC.
  • Keeping up-to-date on reimbursement criteria and documentation requirements for all patients under his/her care and management, including preauthorization and re-authorizations for insurance.
• Stays abreast of overall patient care and improves nursing care skills by:
  • Participating in office staff meetings, hospice’s quality assessment and performance improvement program, the intra-disciplinary team in the development and implementation of the patient/family care plan, patient care conferences, record audits, utilization reviews, quality improvement activities, and in-services.
  • Attending and participating in interdisciplinary team conferences at least 75% of the time.
  • Attending agency mandatory in-services, hospice sponsored in-service training/continuing education seminars, IDG and satisfying CEU requirements of the State Board of Nursing.
  • Striving to improve nursing care through continuing education, active participation in professional and related organizations and individual research and readings.
• Notifies attending physicians, staff members and family members of patient deaths when they occur.
• Collaborates with contracted pharmacy regarding medication changes, administration, and recommendations, and shares pharmacy recommendations with the attending MD.

Requirements

• Registered Nurse currently licensed to practice nursing in the state of North Carolina.
• Minimum of one-year experience as a professional nurse in an acute care setting preferred.
• Evidence of leadership qualities.
• Previous experience working with terminally ill patients preferred.
• Ability to understand and communicate well with patients, family, staff, physicians, and the public.
• Maintain current CPR certification (BCLS).
• Must be dependable and capable of dealing pleasantly and tactfully with patients, family, staff, providers, and the public.
• Must be competent to perform delegated tasks to facilitate positive patient outcomes as indicated in the patient’s individualized plan of care.
• Possess valid Driver’s License and reliable transportation.

Skills

• Abides by and supports 3HC’s Compliance Program and Code of Ethics.
• Creates positive experiences for internal and external customers that will meet their expectations.
• Displays a high degree of courtesy, tact, and knowledge of services provided by the agency in all contact with staff, patients, and visitors.