The Palliative Care Registered Nurse (RN) supports VITAS Healthcare’s growing palliative care program within the assigned service area. The selected candidate will become an integral part of a comprehensive Palliative Care Team focused on providing individualized, coordinated care to patients and families residing in the community.
Responsibilities
- Coordinates care for assigned patients and provides expert, individualized support to patients and families
- Completes initial and on-going comprehensive physical and psychosocial assessment of the patient and family to identify needs and areas for intervention.
- Ensures appropriate referrals to specialists when indicated and support adherence to treatment plan, including physician visits for evaluation and on-going management.
- Assists patients in accessing appropriate services and resources in the community to improve their overall health and well-being.
- Educates patient and family to enhance understanding of disease processes and plan of care, including discussion of treatment options to ensure informed decision making.
- Provides emotional support and counseling to patients and their families to improve transitions, adjustment to illness and adherence to treatment plan.
- Evaluates the patient’s physical and emotional recovery after treatment utilizing appropriate resources as needed.
- Empowers patients to take control of their health care by encouraging appropriate goal-setting and discussions about advance care planning/development of advance directives.
- Builds relationships with other clinicians involved in the patients’ care.
- Promotes patient-centered approach to care.
- Partners with healthcare team to manage transitions of care between hospital, primary and specialty care.
- Facilitates proactive discharge planning or follow-up to promote better outcomes, decreased length of stay and reduced readmission rates.
- Protects patient rights to privacy and safeguard confidentiality when releasing patient information.
- All other duties as assigned.
Qualifications
- Minimum 2 years’ experience as Registered Nurse
- 1–2 years of nursing experience in a community-based setting, such as home health, rehabilitation, hospice, or palliative care, preferred.
- Knowledge of the interdisciplinary team concept.
- Experience in patient education, planning, and management desired.
- Exceptional communication and customer service skills.
- Reliable transportation, current state driver’s license and automobile insurance.
- Bilingual a plus.
Education
- Bachelor’s degree preferred.
- Current and Valid Registered Nurse License in the state position is based.
- BLS certification required