RN Casual Hospice

Essential Job Functions

• Maintain professional and technical knowledge by attending education workshops, review professional publications, establish personal networks, and participate in professional societies.
• Assure quality of care by adhering to therapeutic standards, measuring health outcomes against patient care goals and standards, making or recommending necessary adjustments, and following Home Health and Hospice and nursing division's philosophies and standards of care set by state board of nursing, state nurse practice act, and other governing agency regulations.
• Protect patients and employees by adhering to infection-control policies and protocols, medication administration and controlled substance regulations.
• Maintain patient confidence and protects operations by keeping information confidential.
• Identify patient care requirements by establishing personal rapport with potential and actual patients, and other persons in a position to understand care requirements.
• Establish a compassionate environment by providing emotional, psychological, and spiritual support to patients and caregivers
• Promote patient's independence by establishing patient care goals, teaching patient/caregivers to understand condition, medications, and self-care skills, and answering questions.
• Document patient care services by charting in patient and department records
• Maintain continuity among nursing teams by documenting and communicating action, irregularities, and continuing needs using Nurse Knowledge Exchange techniques
• Maintain safe and clean working environment by complying with procedures, rules and regulations; calling for assistance from health care support personnel.
• Maintain nursing supplies inventory by checking stock to determine inventory level; anticipating needed supplies; placing and expediting orders for supplies; verifying receipt of supplies; using equipment and supplies as needed to accomplish job results
• Provide direct and indirect supervision of personal care provided by Home Health Aides in the patients' homes, in accordance with federal regulation and accrediting bodies
• Resolve patient problems and needs by utilizing multidisciplinary team strategies
• Maintain a cooperative relationship among health care teams by communicating information; responding to requests; building rapport; participating in team continuous quality improvement and problem-solving methods
• Contribute to team effort by accomplishing related results as needed

Specialty Job Functions

• Hospice Role to understand the Hospice philosophy and perform care accordingly to enhance the quality of life of the terminally ill patient
• Maintain and demonstrate an understanding of the Hospice benefit and comply with regulatory conditions of participation
• Assess eligibility for Hospice care and obtain the informed consent prior to the initiation of services
• Function as a primary nurse and core member of the Interdisciplinary Group to develop a plan of care that addresses the physical, psychosocial, emotional and spiritual needs of the terminally ill patient and family
• Follow established guidelines for pain and symptom management to enhance quality of life
• Educate patient and caregivers regarding the care needs at the end-of-life including palliative care measures
• Mental health role- in conjunction with the physician, implement mental health concepts and psychiatric using principles in the plan of care
• Provide supportive psychotherapy
• Demonstrate knowledge of commitment laws, mental health clinical programming, and community resources
• Make appropriate referrals based on the nursing assessment and in collaboration with the physician
• Function as a resource for Agency staff with patients demonstrating mental health problems as a secondary diagnosis
• Other related duties as assigned.

Required Qualifications

• Graduate of an accredited Nursing Program required.
• Six (6) months medical/surgical experience
• Strong leadership ability, good organizational skills, independent thinking and decision-making ability, analytical problem solving skills, sound judgment, excellent oral and written communication skills, must be able to function in a team environment, and knowledge of legal aspects and liability of nursing practice.

Preferred Qualifications

• Bachelor's Degree in Nursing preferred.
• RN's with one (1) year experience in medical/surgical nursing or other healthcare related field; IV and phlebotomy training; certification in an applicable area; Bachelor of Science degree in nursing. For Hospice- prior Hospice and/or oncology experience; Hospice and Palliative Care Certification

License, Certification & Clearances

• Current licensure to practice as a Registered Nurse in the State of Pennsylvania required.
• Current Basic Life Support (BLS) approved curriculum of the American Heart Association (CPR and AED) program required.
• Act 33 with renewal
• Act 34 with renewal
• Act 73 FBI Clearance
• Valid PA Driver's License

Supervisory Responsibilities

• This position has no direct supervisory responsibilities, but may serve as a coach and mentor for other positions in the department.

Position Type/Expected Hours of Work

• Regular, consistent, on-site and timely attendance.
• Incumbent will be scheduled based on operational need (rotate shifts, standby, on-call, etc.).
• Travel may be expected locally between Excela Health locations.

LEAN

• Actively promotes a Lean work culture by performing team member duties to encourage consistent use of LEAN principles and processes, including continually seeking work process improvements. Recognizes the necessity of taking ownership of one's own motivation, morale, performance and professional development. Strives for behavior consistent with being committed to Excela's missions, vision and values.

AAP/EEO

• Excela Health is an Equal Opportunity Employer. It is the policy of Excela Health to prohibit discrimination of any type and to afford equal employment opportunities to employees and applicants, without regard to race, color, religion, sex, national origin, age, marital status, non-job related disability, veteran status, or genetic information, or any other protected class. Excela Health will conform to the spirit as well as the letter of all applicable laws and regulations.
• Ability to perform the Essential Functions listed on the Physical Conditions and ability to perform the Essential Functions on the Working Condition chart below.