Position Summary

Primary functions are to administer nursing care for patients of all ages in their place of residence, coordinate care with the interdisciplinary group, patient, family, and referring agency, and assume responsibility for coordination of care.

Essential Duties and Responsibilities

• Evaluation: Initial and ongoing comprehensive assessments of the impact of the terminal disease on the patients' physical, functional, psycho-social, and environmental needs as evidenced by documentation, clinical record, case conference, team report, evaluations, and ADLs.
• Implementation: Develop, document, and implement the plan of care to ensure quality and continuity of care and recommend revisions to the plan as necessary.
• Consultation and Education: Consult with and educate the patient and family regarding disease process, self-care techniques, end-of-life care, nutrition, and dietary needs.
• Coordination: Prioritize any needs with the members of the IDG. Provide training to other staff as needed.
• Service Scope: Determine the scope and frequency of services needed based on acuity and patient/family needs. Assess the ability of the caregiver to meet the patient's immediate needs upon admission and throughout care.
• Preventive and Rehabilitative Nursing Procedures: Initiate appropriate preventive and rehabilitative nursing procedures.
• Infection Control: Apply concepts of infection control and standard precautions in coordinating and performing patient care activities to prevent contamination and transmission of disease.
• Clinical Directions: Provide clinical directions to the Hospice Aide and LPN/LVN to ensure quality and continuity of service provided.
• Documentation: Prepare clinical and progress notes that demonstrate progress toward established goals. Ensure continuity of quality patient care delivered with appropriate documentation.
• Communication: Inform physician and other personnel of changes in the patient's needs and outcomes of intervention while evaluating patient and family response to care.
• Monitoring: Monitor assigned cases to ensure compliance with requirements of third-party payor.
• Professional Growth: Demonstrate commitment, professional growth, and competency.
• Agency Philosophy: Promote Agency philosophy and administrative policies.
• On-Call Responsibilities: Perform on-call responsibilities and provide on-call service to patients/families as assigned.
• Effective Communication: Provide effective communication to patient/family, team members, and other health care professionals.

Knowledge, Skills and Abilities

• Nursing skills as defined as generally accepted standards of practice.
• Good interpersonal skills.
• Specialized skills preferred in palliation and end-of-life care.
• Must read, write, and comprehend English.
• Reliable transportation, valid and current auto liability insurance.

Environmental and Working Conditions

• Works in patients' homes in various conditions
• Possible exposure to blood and bodily fluids and infectious diseases
• Ability to work flexible schedule, ability to travel locally
• Some exposure to unpleasant weather, PRN emergency call.

Physical and Mental Effort

• Requires hand-eye coordination and manual dexterity.
• Meet patient/family individualized psycho-social needs.
• Requires working under some stressful conditions to meet deadlines and patient needs, and to make quick decisions and resource acquisition.
• Prolonged standing and walking required, with the ability to lift up to 50 lbs and move patients.

Education & Experience

• Education: Graduate of an accredited Diploma, Associate, or Baccalaureate School of Nursing.
• Licensure: Current license as a registered nurse (RN) and/or in accordance with the Board of Nurse Examiners rules for Nurse Licensure Compact (NLC), current Driver's License.
• Proof of current CPR.