POSITION SUMMARY

• The Registered Nurse (RN) is a professional caregiver who assumes responsibility for admissions, liaison, focused Skilled Nursing Visits (SNVs) and death visits. The RN renders professional care in accordance with the physician/provider treatment plan and the nursing process of assessment, diagnosis, planning, implementation and evaluation. The RN is a clinical practitioner who coordinates and implements patient care specific to the patient population served. He/She ensures that compassionate, engaged care meets or exceeds quality standards. Care is provided in an efficient and safe manner consistent with the Maryland Board of Nursing licensure and Hospice of the Chesapeake (HOC) and Hospice of Charles County (HoCC) standard of care. Utilizes nursing skills to determine the biophysical, psychosocial, environmental, self care, cultural, ethnic and spiritual and educational needs of the patient/family/significant other to develop, implement and revise the plan of care. The RN recognizes the legal responsibilities as specified by law and abides within those responsibilities. The RN may participate in weekend, holiday, on-call, and evening/night rotations.

SUPERVISION

• Direct Supervisor: Clinical Manager
• Next Line Supervisor: Director Clinical Services

DUTIES AND RESPONSIBILITIES

• Provides admission assessment and immediately engages with patient to develop rapport and a sense of trust. During the initial visit, performs appropriately timed physical assessment through observation, palpation, and auscultation, including medical stability and presenting symptoms, including accurately assessing patient's physical, psycho-social, ethnic, cultural, spiritual needs and patient's safety needs (e.g. fall risk, abuse and neglect). Consistently uses established assessment criteria for identification of victims of abuse.
• Correctly identifies, communicates and collaborates on patient problems/priorities/issues based upon assessment data, establishes measurable patient goals and communicates initial plan of care appropriately to interdisciplinary team.
• Collaborates with patient/family when developing plan of care, adjusting communication style as necessary. Establishes priority for patient care based on immediate patient condition and mutually set patient needs/expectations.
• Obtains and documents a complete list of the patient's current medications and enters them electronically in a timely manner.
• Conducts death visit and assists in the assessment of family needs for bereavement services following the patient's death and conveys information to bereavement staff no later than three days after death of patient. Notifies attending physician of death’ disposes of medications per HOC Policy. Completes death packet and submits in a timely manner.
• Follows all prescribed and accepted standards in providing patient care, administering medications, moving/transporting/lifting patients, and documenting patient’s condition, infection control, universal precautions and discarding of medical waste, etc.
• Communicates relevant information to the provider; including any change in referral diagnosis. Notifies Physician to obtain any necessary orders.
• Consistently follows policy and procedure for all waived testing and complies with Standard Precautions for all bedside invasive procedures.
• Notifies appropriate interdisciplinary team member, e.g. Social Work, Volunteer, or Chaplain when patient/caregiver is in need of additional resources.
• Completes all electronic documentation in a timely manner, following appropriate protocol. Ensures that the documentation contains pertinent information regarding patient's condition, and appropriate focus of treatment. Uses appropriate agency forms, using approved abbreviations consistently and correctly. Does not use unapproved abbreviations.
• Evaluates, treats and documents pain as appropriate to patient condition or need and uses appropriate pain scale.
• Reports patient/caregiver/employee incidents according to HOC policy.
• Conducts focused SNV wherever a patient resides, whether in a private home, nursing facility, ALF, CHH or hospital, to address a specific concern. Also evaluates, treats and documents pain and symptom issues.
• Performs liaison visits as scheduled to provide information regarding HOC services.
• Adapts communication style to meet population specific needs of patient. Creates a supportive environment and provides an atmosphere that supports each patient's dignity.
• Ensures that all documentation is kept with the patient record. Labels, in front of the patient/caregiver, any specimens taken. Ensures that all changes to documentation, including cross outs and write overs, are initialed and dated. Completes documentation, consistently and correctly following every visit as soon as possible.
• Submits accurate time sheets and correctly documented logs to CTS within 48 hours.
• Accurately signs out narcotics, signs out wastages and documents on MAR, or other approved flow sheet, as appropriate.
• Uses appropriate resources (pharmacy, drug manuals) to ensure his/her understanding of actions, interactions, side effects and proper administration. Recognizes and reports adverse drug reactions per policy and procedure. Recognizes and reports medication variances per policy and procedure.
• Accurately transcribes physician orders as per policy and procedure and places all information on the appropriate forms. Reads back orders to provider that are called in.
• Attends at least 80% of Access Team meetings. Actively participates in team meetings.
• Maintains open and professional communications with all staff. Intercedes as necessary to promote positive, constructive interactions between staff members/departments/others. Reports issues to appropriate supervisor.
• Consistently demonstrates empathy in interactions with patient/caregivers.
• Makes appropriate referrals to other modalities/disciplines. Referral form is completed per policy and procedures.
• Develops an effective working relationship with representatives from other agencies who provide services for assigned patients. Makes community referrals appropriately.
• Demonstrates responsibility for scope of position/own standard of practice. Maintains required skills, licensure, regulatory requirements, and credentials needed to perform assigned duties.
• Demonstrates full knowledge of current position's, and department's, relationship to flow of patient services and/or care plan of the patient. Demonstrates understanding of all other services of the organization.

QUALIFICATIONS

• Possess a current Maryland Board of Nursing (RN) license and thorough knowledge of nursing
• principles. Two or more years of med/surg or home health experience; hospice experience preferred.
• Demonstrated ability to provide quality patient care. Possesses ability to assess patient’s needs, e.g. physical, teaching, mental and spiritual.
• Must be able to perform the essential functions of the position with or without reasonable
• accommodation.
• Ability to recognize safety issues to self and others and be able to assess and implement use of lifts or other personnel to lift and move patients of all sizes and weights in a safe manner.
• Ability to perform consistently in stressful situations.
• Strong and creative, problem-solving skills with the ability to prioritize and delegate.
• Basic computer skills, to include but not limited to Microsoft Word and Outlook, required.
• Demonstrated commitment to quality, timely, and cost-effective patient care.
• Ability to simultaneously handle multiple assignments and projects with attention to details, efficiency and accuracy and deadlines.

REQUIREMENTS

• Current Maryland driver’s license and clean driving record. Reliable transportation a must.
• Must be able to safely lift or move up to 50 lbs.
• Compliant with health screening and vaccination requirements of organization, including TB screening and Influenza vaccination annually.

ESSENTIAL JOB FUNCTIONS

• THIS POSITION IS CLASSIFIED AS NON-EXEMPT.

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