Palliative Nurse Clinician

The Palliative Care Nurse Clinician provides clinical support to patients with serious illness as part of an interdisciplinary palliative care team. Responsibilities include patient and caregiver education, care coordination, symptom and medication management, and advance care planning. Monday-Friday, no weekends or holidays. Some local travel between clinic sites required; mileage reimbursement at IRS rate. Palliative, hospice, geriatric, oncology, or related specialty preferred.

CHPN certification preferred or obtained within 2 years of hire.

Collaborates in Palliative Care team consultations and rounding on referred patients. Provides clinical support, documentation of palliative care assessment and daily rounding. Provides education to patients/families and staff regarding short and long term goals of care, symptom management, advance care planning. Educates and mentors nurse students, medical residents. Coordinates with Care Management staff regarding patient's transition to other care settings.

• Associate's Degree or Diploma in Nursing (Required)
• 4 - 5 years experience Clinical in Nursing clinical nursing practice in acute or primary care setting (Required)
• Highly motivated self-directed professional
• Effective interpersonal skills
• Ability to develop relationships with patients, physicians, and other team members to provide care and education
• Effective verbal and written communication skills
  
  Preferred membership in associated national professional organization
• Registered Nurse Required
• CHPN
  - Hospice & Palliative Nurse Certification CHPN
  - Hospice & Palliative Nurse Certification Preferred

• Actively supports palliative medicine referrals by timely response, obtaining relevant patient clinical and psychosocial information. Clarifies or initiates conversation, as indicated, on pt/family understanding of illness and treatment options. Ensures optimal communication and positive working relationships among Palliative team, physicians, residents, nurses and other disciplines. Completes documentation in electronic med record in timely manner, to provide information to the team regarding pt/family response to palliative interventions.
  
  Responds to voicemails, emails and other communication in a timely manner.
• Educates patients and families according to the scope of the Ohio Nurse Practice Act and Tri Health policy. Communicates to patient and family, and educates them about, pertinent clinical information, medication management, disease progression and end-of-life issues. Assists in patient/family understanding of the implications of their choices.
• Supports meetings or conversations for care planning. Assists problem solving, goal setting, and decision make skills of patient and family. Initiates appropriate referrals to relevant disciplines (chaplain, hospice liaison nurse, others). Collaborates with care management staff in discharge preparation. If indicated, may make post-discharge contact with pt/family and facilitate contact with appropriate health care services.
• Educates through case-by-case teaching to other professional staff. Mentors safe, appropriate use of prescribed opiates and other analgesics, adhering to guidelines. Promotes understanding of palliative medicine and this program by mentoring and educating in teachable moments and formal presentation. With team, determines learning need and provides education on palliative medicine standards and developments to internal and community health professionals.
• Documents accurately and in timely manner pertinent patient assessments, interventions, plans and outcomes. Ensures validity of database by accurate documentation. Reviews overall outcomes with team to consistently improve clinical practice.
• Critiques palliative and hospice research and publications before incorporating new information into practice. Identifies palliative and hospice related research needs and collaboratively conducts or participates in nursing and medical research.
• Identifies knowledge and skill needs through self-assessment, peer review, and supervisor/medical director review. Defines goals for professional growth. Pursues educational opportunities to increase competencies. Provides peers with constructive feedback regarding their practice.

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