RN Triage Specialist – Hospice; On Call

About the Role

The RN Triage Specialist provides after hours clinical support for Hospice patients through timely telephone assessments and evidence-based nursing guidance. This role ensures urgent patient needs are addressed promptly, appropriate interventions are initiated, and field staff or providers are engaged when necessary. The position requires strong assessment skills, sound decision‑making, and clear communication to support patients, families, and caregivers during nonbusiness hours.

• Telephone Triage & Clinical Assessment
  • Answer after hours calls promptly and conduct thorough telephone assessments to determine patient needs.
  • Assess symptoms, pain levels, disease progression, medication concerns, and caregiver questions.
  • Provide immediate nursing guidance, comfort measures, and symptom management using approved clinical protocols.
  • Determine urgency and escalate care appropriately to on‑call field staff, physicians, or emergency services.
• Hospice Specific Support
  • Educate and guide families on end‑of‑life symptoms, comfort measures, positioning, and expected changes.
  • Support caregivers experiencing emotional distress, anxiety, or grief with reassurance and clear education.
  • Coordinate after hours pronouncement procedures as required by agency policy and state regulations.
• Care Coordination & Communication
  • Document all triage interactions clearly and accurately in the EMR in real time.
  • Notify on‑call field staff and providers of urgent issues, new orders, or required interventions.
  • Communicate significant patient changes to the interdisciplinary team for next‑day follow up.
  • Ensure effective handoff to daytime clinical staff to support continuity of care.
• Crisis Management & Safety
  • Assess and respond to emergent situations including uncontrolled symptoms, respiratory distress, falls, caregiver crisis, or medication errors.
  • Provide calm de‑escalation and emotional support during high stress situations.
  • Activate emergency services when patient safety is at risk.

• Required
  • Active, unrestricted Registered Nurse (RN) license.
  • Minimum of 2–3 years of recent clinical experience in hospice, home health, emergency, ICU, or acute care.
  • Strong clinical assessment, critical thinking, and independent decision‑making skills.
  • Excellent verbal communication skills, particularly in telephone‑based care.
  • Proficiency with EMR documentation and ability to chart efficiently in real time.
  • Ability to manage high call volume while maintaining clinical accuracy and compassion.
• Preferred
  • Prior experience in hospice triage.
  • Strong knowledge of hospice symptom management and end‑of‑life care.
  • Familiarity with structured triage protocols or triage software.

• Advanced clinical assessment and nursing judgment
• Compassionate, clear, and confident communication
• Crisis intervention and de‑escalation skills
• End‑of‑life education and caregiver support
• Strong documentation accuracy and timeliness
• Ability to prioritize and work independently
• Effective interdisciplinary collaboration

The Pennant Group, Inc. is a holding company of independent operating subsidiaries that provide healthcare services through home health and hospice agencies and senior living communities located throughout the United States. Each of these businesses is operated by a separate, independent operating subsidiary that has its own management, employees, and assets. More information about The Pennant Group, Inc. is available at

We are an equal opportunity employer committed to ensuring that all conditions and privileges of employment, including recruitment, hiring, evaluation, transfer, promotion, discipline, determination of compensation and/or benefits, and termination of employment, for all job classifications, are based on qualifications and work record. No employment decision is made, nor do we discriminate, on the basis of race, color, religion, creed, sex/pregnancy, sexual orientation, gender identity, gender expression, age, national origin, ancestry, citizenship, veteran status, or disability.