Palliative Care Nurse (RN)

About the role

VITAS Healthcare is the nation’s leading provider of end-of-life care. The Palliative Care Registered Nurse (RN) supports VITAS Healthcare’s growing palliative care program within the assigned service area. The selected candidate will become an integral part of a comprehensive Palliative Care Team focused on providing individualized, coordinated care to patients and families residing in the community.

Responsibilities

• Coordinates care for assigned patients and provides expert, individualized support to patients and families.
• Completes initial and on-going comprehensive physical and psychosocial assessment of the patient and family to identify needs and areas for intervention.
• Ensures appropriate referrals to specialists when indicated and supports adherence to treatment plan, including physician visits for evaluation and on-going management.
• Assists patients in accessing appropriate services and resources in the community to improve their overall health and well-being.
• Educates patient and family to enhance understanding of disease processes and plan of care, including discussion of treatment options to ensure informed decision making.
• Provides emotional support and counseling to patients and their families to improve transitions, adjustment to illness, and adherence to treatment plan.
• Evaluates the patient’s physical and emotional recovery after treatment utilizing appropriate resources as needed.
• Empowers patients to take control of their health care by encouraging appropriate goal-setting and discussions about advance care planning/development of advance directives.
• Builds relationships with other clinicians involved in the patients’ care.
• Promotes patient-centered approach to care.
• Partners with healthcare team to manage transitions of care between hospital, primary, and specialty care.
• Facilitates proactive discharge planning or follow-up to promote better outcomes, decreased length of stay, and reduced readmission rates.
• Protects patient rights to privacy and safeguards confidentiality when releasing patient information.
• All other duties as assigned.

Requirements

• Minimum 2 years’ experience as a Registered Nurse.
• 1–2 years of nursing experience in a community-based setting, such as home health, rehabilitation, hospice, or palliative care, preferred.
• Knowledge of the interdisciplinary team concept.
• Experience in patient education, planning, and management desired.
• Exceptional communication and customer service skills.
• Reliable transportation, current state driver’s license, and automobile insurance.
• Bilingual a plus.

Qualifications

• Bachelor’s degree preferred.
• Current and valid Registered Nurse License in the state where the position is based.
• BLS certification required.

Benefits

• Competitive compensation.
• Health, dental, vision, life, and disability insurance.
• Pre-tax healthcare and dependent care flexible spending accounts.
• Life insurance.
• 401(k) plan with numerous investment options and generous company match.
• Cancer and/or critical illness benefit.
• Tuition reimbursement.
• Paid Time Off.
• Employee Assistance Program.
• Legal Insurance.
• Roadside Assistance.

Pay

Annual salary range: $87,000 - $96,000.