Admissions RN - Hospice (part-time Sat & Sun 8am-7pm)

Job Summary:

The Admissions RN is responsible for the coordination of patient information in conjunction with the Admissions Coordinator, Admissions Assistant and Community Liaisons. The Admissions RN meets directly with referred patients to provide a comprehensive assessment of their clinical findings to the Hospice Medical Director for certification and admission to the hospice program or rejection from the hospice program. Once the patient has received a verbal certification from the Hospice Medical Director, the Admissions RN coordinates all aspects of the patients' admission including transportation to their home, when necessary, durable medical equipment and medications related to their hospice prognosis. The Admissions RN then inputs data into the patient's hospice medical record and communicates their findings to the assigned hospice team for continuity of care.

When available and necessary, the Admissions RN works as part of the clinical team to provide overflow nursing visits, emergency nursing visits and death calls when other nursing staff is unavailable. The Admissions Nurse is responsible for completing all admissions paperwork and coordinating the hospice team within 48 hours of admission to ProCare Hospice of Nevada services.

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Accountability:

Reports to the Business Development Manager and Director of Nursing

FLSA: Hourly/Non-Exempt

Schedule:  Saturday and Sunday, 8am-7pm

Job Duties and Responsibilities:

General:

1. Adheres to patient rights, abuse reporting and confidentiality policies
2. Gathers, reports, and analyzes patient care data to create a comprehensive patient assessment and reports findings to the Hospice Medical Director for verbal certification of patient admission or refusal of admission
3. Immediately reports significant condition issues/safety issues to the Admissions Coordinator, Admissions Assistant, Hospice Medical Director and assigned interdisciplinary team
4. Fosters and maintains an effective working relationship between peers, professional staff, and other personnel within the community
5. Able to effectively explain the hospice benefit to potential patients, their families, and representatives
6. Works with patients and families or caregivers upon admission to create a realistic Plan of Care and set of treatment goals
7. Supervises and delegates duties to Certified Nursing Assistants and Licensed Vocational Nurses when needed
8. Anticipates overall care needs of newly admitted patients as much as possible and coordinates with all hospice disciplines
9. Complies with all documentation policies/procedures for patient admission including reviewing hospice admission criteria, gathering all patient data, reviewing pertinent H&P, and disseminating this information to the Hospice Medical Director and/or the assigned hospice interdisciplinary team
10. Completes all admission paperwork within 48 hours of admission in the patient's hospice medical record
11. Demonstrates good judgment with proper decision-making abilities
12. Participates in Interdisciplinary Team Meetings and other Performance Improvement Activities as needed
13. With previously established physician orders that RN may do so, RN may make Pronouncement of Death
14. Calls coroner and completes process related to removal of body from location of death when on call or performing case management
15. Attends scheduled staff meetings and or in-service training as required
16. Adheres to the departmental dress code requirements related to personal grooming and attire
17. Provides intervention and support as needed related to terminal illness and loss
18. Provides emotional and spiritual support and makes appropriate referrals to other team members
19. Assesses and addresses depression and fear associated with terminal illness
20. Facilitates communication among patient, family, and hospice team
21. Provides referral to community services and resources as needed
22. Identifies caregiver strain which may necessitate respite care relief and/or support
23. Provides personal care as assigned by the Interdisciplinary Team, Physician, Director of Nurses/Supervising RN, which may consist of but not limited to:
24. Patient Admissions
25. Nursing Assessment/reassessment
26. Medication management, administration, and teaching
27. Provides comfort measures
28. Insertion/maintenance/removal of Foley catheters
29. Insertion/maintenance/removal of various IV catheters for pain control/comfort
30. Application/adjustment of oxygen, IV, NG, G-Tube and other invasive lines as ordered by the physician
31. Vital signs (B/P, T, P, R)
32. Assist with ambulation/transfers
33. Follows the State of Nevada Nurse Practice Act during all patient care activities
34. Follow policy and Lippincott Manual of Nursing Practice for clinical care
35. Other duties as assigned

Specific to Job Position:

1. Visits potential patients to review and assess for hospice admission
2. Reports findings of potential patient assessments directly to the Hospice Medical Director for verbal certification of hospice admission or refusal of hospice admission
3. Requests additional H&P when necessary to make final determination
4. Communicates findings to the Medical Director, patient's chosen Attending Physician, Admissions Coordinator and Admissions Assistant
5. Appropriately educates patient about hospice services, assessing needs and preferences and referring patient for services needed and desired
6. Assures that the initial plan of care (POC) is based on a comprehensive physical, psychosocial, safety, age-related spiritual, financial, environmental, and cultural needs, resources, and preferences assessment
7. Assures that the initial assessment includes assessment of pain and symptoms, history of interventions and response, and pertinent knowledge base of patient/ caregiver/family
8. Communicates patient findings to assigned RN Case Manager and interdisciplinary team
9. Works with CNA Coordinator to ensure that the appropriate aide needs of each patient are met immediately upon admission
10. Ensures that all regulatory standards are met, State, Federal, JCAHO and other regulatory bodies
11. Completes all communications and documentation accurately either electronically, in legible writing or type written
12. Coordinates development of the initial Plan of Care with the Interdisciplinary team (IDT) members
13. Presents new patient admissions for the IDT meeting, when available, or ensures that patient data is properly communicated to assigned RN Case Manager or Director of Nursing so that they may give report during the IDT meeting
14. Maintains positive, compassionate, and credible image during patient assessments and with referral sources
15. When available, works with clinical team and Director of Nursing to assist with overflow patient visits, emergency patient visits and death calls when no other nursing staff is available
16. Creates opportunities for new referrals when out in the community
17. Supports the philosophy, objectives, and mission of ProCare Hospice of Nevada
18. Maintains professional competency and licensure
19. Stays current with accreditation and both state and federal governmental regulations affecting hospice
20. Works well both independently and within the Interdisciplinary Team Structure
21. Able to work with minimal supervision but seeks guidance from higher authority when needed
22. Promotes a team approach through cooperation, mutual respect, flexibility, and dependability
23. Assists with the training of newly hired Admissions RNs in the department to ensure consistency of care
24. Maintains flexibility to complete after hours, weekend and holiday assignments when needed
25. Completes all admission documentation within 48 hours of admission and communicates necessary information, in person or via phone to assigned RN Case Manager and interdisciplinary team
26. Must be able to complete three (3) admissions/evaluations per scheduled workday with flexibility to complete additional evaluations as needed and assigned

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Physical/Safety Requirements:

1. Must have the strength and endurance required for standing, walking, lifting, bending, and pushing on a consistent basis between 10 and 50 lbs.
2. Must utilize appropriate durable medical equipment as needed in a safe manner
3. Must use appropriate body mechanics as needed for safe patient care
4. Category l for potential exposure to blood/body fluids. (Requires the performance of procedures or other tasks in the work routine that involve an inherent potential for mucous membrane or skin contact with blood, body fluids or tissues, or a potential for spills or splashes of them. Protective measures should be used while engaged in Category I tasks with exposure potential.)
5. Utilizes appropriate PPE as needed
6. Follow the designated plan of action in the event of a fire or other emergency/disaster
7. While performing the duties of this job, the employee is regularly exposed to fumes or airborne particles, work­ related stresses, and driving hazards
8. The individual may be required to drive to meetings with clients, health care professionals or patients' homes
9. The noise level in the work environment is usually minimal

The work environment characteristics described here are representative of those an employee encounters while performing the essential functions of this job.

In compliance with the Americans with Disabilities Act of 1990, the employer will provide reasonable accommodations to meet the work environmental and physical demands listed above.

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Qualifications and Experience:

1. Must be currently licensed as a Registered Nurse by the State Board of Nursing in the State of Nevada and in good standing with the Nevada State Board of Nursing.
2. Prefer 1 year experience as a registered nurse in hospice, home health or geriatric care
3. Must successfully complete a background check pursuant to NRS 449.188 and NRS 179A.100 along with a pre-employment drug screen and physical, TB testing, previous employment, reference checking and an MVR
4. Must be able to read, speak, write, and understand the English language
5. Must be able to handle frequent interruptions, be flexible with schedule and effectively manage time
6. Must be able to cope with emotionally charged situations encompassing, patients, families, and other caregivers
7. Must have availability for prescheduled on-call hours, weekends, and holidays
8. Must be able to work in varied environment of care including hospitals, skilled nursing facilities, assisted living facilities, group homes and personal residences
9. Must be able to utilize usual office equipment including computer, printer, calculator, copy machine and standard nursing equipment
10. Must have reliable transportation, a valid driver’s license, and current auto insurance
11. Must have current CPR/BLS Certification

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BENEFITS:

NV Paid Leave

Uniforms

Referral Bonuses

Company Discount Program