PRN- Hospice RN

Reports To:

Clinical Manager or Director of Clinical Services (if Clinical Manager position is not yet established) The Registered Nurse plans, organizes, and directs hospice nursing care and is experienced in professional nursing with an emphasis on community based care. The Registered Nurse utilizes the nursing process to assess, plan, implement, and evaluate patient and family care needs, and collaborates with the interdisciplinary group to provide comprehensive, patient-centered hospice services within the home and community setting.

Complete an initial, comprehensive, and ongoing assessment of the patient and family to determine hospice care needs, including physical, psychosocial, emotional, and environmental factors.

• Provides professional nursing care through the systematic application of the nursing process.
• Assesses and evaluates patient’s status by:
• A. Developing, initiating, and implementing the plan of care
• B. Regularly re-evaluating patient and family/caregiver needs
• C. Participating in revising the plan of care as patient care needs change
• Initiates the plan of care and makes necessary revisions on changes in patient condition and goals of care.
• Uses health assessment data to identify nursing diagnoses and palliative care needs.
• Develops an individualized plan of care that establishes measurable goals, and incorporates palliative nursing interventions, involving the patient and family in the planning process.
• Initiates appropriate preventative, supportive, and rehabilitative nursing intervention and administers medications and treatments as prescribed by the physician and outlines in the plan of care.
• Counsels the patient and family in meeting nursing, symptom management and end-of-life care needs.
• Provides health care instructions and education to patients and caregivers in accordance with assessment findings and the plan of care.
• Assist patients with the activities of daily living and supports comfort-focused care while promoting dignity and independence as appropriate.
• Acts as a Case Manager when assigned and assumes responsibility for coordination of care and oversight of the assigned patient caseload.
• Completes, maintains and submits timely, accurate and relevant clinical documentation regarding patient condition, care provided, and response to interventions, including pain and symptom management outcomes.
• Communicates with the physician regarding the patient’s needs and changes in the patient’s condition and obtains and implements the physicians’ orders as required.
• Collaborates with community healthcare providers and agencies to coordinate services and support the plan of care.
• Educate patients and family/caregivers on self-care techniques, medications, diet, symptom management, and disease progression, working collaboratively with the interdisciplinary group.
• Provides and maintains a safe environment for the patient and caregivers.
• Assists patients, families and team members in ensuring continuity of care across settings and disciplines.
• Works collaboratively with the family/caregiver and hospice interdisciplinary group to address emotional, psychosocial and spiritual needs.
• Attends and participates in interdisciplinary group meetings as required.
• Participates in on-call duties in accordance with the organizational on-call requirements.
• Ensures arrangements for medical equipment, supplies, medications, and supportive services are made and maintained as needed.
• Supervises and delegates tasks to hospice aides and other ancillary personnel in accordance with scope of practice and organizational policy.
• Maintains professional competence through participation in continuing education, in-service training and required…