Registered Nurse (RN), Hospice - Per Diem

About the role

In this position you will provide compassionate care to patients in the Virtua Hospice service area of New Jersey. You will provide personalized care to enhance patients’ quality of life and offer mental, emotional, and physical support to both patients and their families during the end-of-life process.

Responsibilities

• Assess patients’ comfort and needs.
• Educate families on symptom management, disease progression, and prognosis.
• Monitor for changes in behavior and condition.
• Manage the overall care of patients, collaborating with physicians and an interdisciplinary team.
• Order medications, supplies, and DME.
• Develop individualized care plans.
• Attend bi-weekly interdisciplinary team meetings.
• Perform and document nursing process – assessment, diagnosis, planning, implementation, and evaluation of patients receiving care in-person at their defined home.
• Review and follow-up on family education, implemented patient care plans, and coordinated services.
• Triage, identify, and act on changes in patient condition.
• Provide nursing care, emotional support, and education to patients and families.
• Assist with wound care, treatments, procedures, and comfort care.
• Administer medications and treatments as written in the patient's plan of care to obtain a level of comfort and/or relieve symptoms associated with the patient’s diagnosis.
• Observe, record, and report signs and symptoms of the disease process, changes in patient’s physical, emotional, spiritual and social condition and responses to the therapeutic regimen.
• Communicate significant findings, problems, changes in patient's condition or environment to the Physician and other members of the health care team.
• Utilize and instruct patient and family on patient symptom reporting and the dying process.
• Demonstrate crisis intervention with patient and family.
• Demonstrate effective pain management assessment with each visit and appropriate interventions to manage pain and meet patient care needs.
• Assess/observe pain using identified pain scales per protocol and per Patient Bill of Rights; establish acceptable level of pain as per patient.
• Demonstrate death pronouncement with correct documentation, care of the body, support of the family and disposal of medication.
• Assist in relaying information to a previously identified funeral home, local EMT and/or Police if needed; consult with physician for appropriate orders.
• Work toward the achievement of physical, emotional, spiritual and social well-being of the patient/family.
• Promote teamwork by participating actively and appropriately as a member of the interdisciplinary team.
• Collaborate with other members of the interdisciplinary team in coordinating care.
• Make appropriate referrals for other discipline services and medical equipment/supply companies to meet patient comfort and symptom relief in a timely manner.
• Coordinate care of patients with a variety of disciplines and community resources, both internal and external in a fiscally responsible manner.
• Perform on-call responsibilities and on-call services to patients/families as assigned.
• Participate in weekend, holiday, and on-call coverage as necessary.
• Utilize appropriate resources to maintain knowledge and skills for hospice care in all settings including regulatory/reimbursement guidelines and integrate into clinical practice.
• Adhere to policies and procedures of the organization, including HIPAA and patient confidentiality regulations.
• Complete and submit documentation within agency timeliness policies that is complete, legible, and clearly reflects care given.
• Maintain nursing supplies and anticipate and restock needed supplies.
• Maintain safe and clean working environment.
• Participate in QAPI activities and interdisciplinary team meetings.
• Complete other duties as assigned and demonstrate flexibility with job responsibilities in all areas.
• Adhere to organizational competencies and standards of behavior.

Requirements

• Minimum of 2–3 years of hospice nursing experience.
• Experience working in a home care setting preferred.
• Excellent assessment skills and clinical judgement.
• Knowledge of physical, psychosocial, and spiritual needs of terminally ill patients and their caregivers.
• Graduate of an accredited nursing program.
• BSN preferred.
• Current State of New Jersey nursing license to practice as a registered nurse.
• Current CPR certification and BLS.
• Current proof of valid driver’s license and auto insurance.

Pay

$54.77 per hour

Benefits

• Medical/prescription, dental, and vision insurance.
• Health and dependent care flexible spending accounts.
• 403(b) retirement plan.
• Paid time off and paid sick leave as provided under state and local laws.
• Short-term disability and optional long-term disability insurance.
• Colleague and dependent life insurance and supplemental life and AD&D insurance.
• Tuition assistance.
• Employee assistance program that includes free counseling sessions.