Registered Nurse Hospice Admissions

About the role

The Admission RN 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 individuals and families within their homes and communities.

Responsibilities

• Completes an initial, comprehensive and ongoing comprehensive assessment 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 the nursing process
• Assesses and evaluates patient's status by writing and initiating plan of care, regularly re-evaluating patient and family/caregiver needs, and participating in revising the plan of care as necessary
• Initiates the plan of care and makes necessary revisions as patient status and needs change
• 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 when assigned by Clinical Supervisor and assumes responsibility to coordinate patient care for assigned caseload
• 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
• Ensures that arrangements for equipment and other necessary items and services are available
• Assumes responsibility for personal growth and development and maintains and upgrades professional knowledge and practice skills through attendance and participation in continuing education and inservice classes
• Fulfills the obligation of requested and/or accepted case assignments
• Actively participates in quality assessment performance improvement teams and activities