Hospice Field Nurse

Field RN

Reports To: Director of Nursing / Nursing Case Manager RN.

Supervises: None (collaborates with LPNs, CNAs/HHAs, Therapy Staff, and Nursing Case Managers)

FLSA Status: Exempt due to PT or as needed.

The Field Nurse (Home Health RN / Visiting Nurse) provides direct, skilled nursing care to patients in their homes, ensuring high-quality, patient-centered services that comply with CMS Conditions of Participation, Joint Commission home care standards, and IDPH regulations. This role includes performing comprehensive assessments, administering treatments, monitoring patient progress, coordinating care with interdisciplinary team members, educating patients and caregivers, and documenting all care according to regulatory and agency standards.

The Field Nurse serves as the frontline clinical provider, promoting patient safety, functional improvement, and continuity of care across all home health disciplines. The position requires strong clinical judgment, effective communication, organizational skills, and a commitment to regulatory compliance and best-practice home health care.

• Education:
  
  Graduate of an accredited nursing program;
  Associate or Bachelor of Science in Nursing required.
• Licensure:
  Current, unrestricted Registered Nurse (RN) license in Illinois.
• Experience:
  
  Minimum of one (1) year of clinical experience in home health, acute care, or community health preferred.
• Knowledge:
  Skilled in nursing assessments, clinical interventions, patient education, and home health care processes. Familiar with CMS CoPs, Joint Commission standards, and IDPH regulations.
• Skills:
  
  Excellent clinical judgment, communication, time management, and patient interaction skills.
• Technology:
  Proficient in EHR systems, Microsoft Office, and electronic documentation.
• Other Requirements:
  Valid driver’s license, reliable transportation, and ability to travel to patient homes.

• Clinical Expertise:
  Demonstrates advanced knowledge of nursing practice and patient care in the home health setting.
• Patient Advocacy:
  Prioritizes patient needs, safety, and rights in all aspects of care.
• Communication:
  Professionally and clearly communicates with patients, families, providers, and team members.
• Critical Thinking:
  Applies assessment findings to plan and adjust care interventions effectively.
• Compliance Awareness:
  Ensures documentation and practice comply with CMS, Joint Commission, and IDPH standards.
• Time Management:
  Efficiently prioritizes caseload to meet patient needs and regulatory requirements.

• Frequent walking, standing, bending, and lifting up to 25 pounds.
• Ability to navigate patient homes of varying layouts and conditions.
• Manual dexterity for medication administration, wound care, and documentation tasks.
• Visual and auditory acuity are sufficient to assess patients and communicate effectively.

• Field-based, traveling to patient homes and occasionally other care sites.
• Exposure to home environments with varying safety and hygiene conditions.
• Flexibility to work evenings or weekends for urgent visits as assigned.
• Direct interaction with patients, families, and interdisciplinary care teams.

• Conducts initial patient assessments (RNs only), including physical, psychosocial, and functional evaluation, within CMS time frames.
• Develops and implements individualized care plans in collaboration with the Nursing Case Manager, Director of Nursing, and therapy staff.
• Monitors patient status through ongoing assessments, vital signs, laboratory results, and response to interventions.
• Identifies changes in condition, complications, or emergent situations and communicates promptly to physician, Nursing Case Manager, or Director of Nursing.
• Assesses patient and caregiver ability to perform self-care, administer medications, and adhere to treatment plans.

• Provides skilled nursing services including but not limited to wound care, medication administration, IV therapy, catheter care, injections, and tracheostomy care as permitted by Illinois nursing scope of practice.
• Performs and interprets diagnostic…