Registered Nurse, Hospice Admissions, 3 Day/12 Hour (Queens)

Coordinates and provides high quality nursing care to Hospice patients and families consistent with Hospice Care philosophy, policy, goals and objectives, and Standards of Nursing Practice. Works under moderate supervision.

• Understands and interprets the Hospice philosophy and responsibility to other health professionals, laymen and community.
• Monitors the effect of the plan of cares on the patient/family and informs physician and other personnel of changes in the patient's needs.
• Assists patients with activities of daily living, which may require positioning, moving, transferring and lifting patients of varying weights and physical conditions, with and without assistance and as appropriate, from family members and/or paraprofessionals.
• Appraises care provided and revises the goals and approaches to patient/family care in coordination with the interdisciplinary team.
• Provides nursing care in accordance with Agency policies, practices, procedures and Standards of Nursing Practice, which may require standing, stooping, sitting, crouching, bending and stretching to deliver patient care.
• Performs other related duties and projects, as assigned.
• Maintains productivity sufficient to meet Hospice goals.
• Assumes responsibility for professional growth.
• Visits clients every two weeks to assess the clients’ condition and update the plan of treatment.
• Orients, instructs and supervises License Practical Nurses, paraprofessional staff and volunteers.
• Evaluates conformance of the inpatient facility in carrying out the interdisciplinary team's plan of care for select patients, when assigned.
• Establishes and revises, as necessary, the nursing component of the patient/family plan of care based on goals mutually acceptable to the patient/family and significant others and makes referrals to other services, as necessary.
• Provides nursing care services and initiates appropriate preventive and rehabilitative nursing procedures.
• Participates in interdisciplinary team meetings.
• Understands and interprets Hospice Care reimbursement policy and determines the billing source for patient care.
• Transports and utilizes required medical equipment and supplies using VNS Health designated/supplied carrying case weighing approximately 25 – 30 lbs. to and from patient homes/care facilities, VNS Health offices and other locations.
• Manages a caseload of patients.
• Performs established work procedures in relation to Region/Program workflow.
• Assesses the physical, social, psychological, living conditions and pastoral care needs of the patient/family through professional knowledge and skills of observation, interviewing and physical examination on an ongoing basis.
• Coordinates implements and evaluates the effectiveness and outcome of the care plan by ongoing assessment, planning, coordination, counseling, teaching and supervision.
• Participates in the orientation of new staff.
• Initiates and maintains written (including clinical and progress notes) and verbal communications to assure optimal patient care.
• Travels to patients’ homes and/or other facilities with varying environments (e.g., elevated buildings, walk-ups, care facilities, single/multiple family homes, presence of pets, etc.) using approved transportation options to deliver direct care to the patient.
• In coordination with the interdisciplinary team, assesses the family's needs during the bereavement period and provides ongoing counseling with referral to community resources, as appropriate.
• Consults with and educates the client and family regarding the disease process, self-care techniques, and prevention strategies.

Licensure: License and current registration to practice as a Registered Professional Nurse in New York State required.

Education: State approved Diploma in Nursing OR Associate's Degree in nursing with at least one year of experience as a full-time staff nurse in a medical-surgical nursing area or other clinical healthcare experience required OR LPN with at least one year of experience as a full-time staff nurse in a medical-surgical nursing area or other clinical healthcare experience required OR Bachelor’s degree in nursing from a State-approved diploma program OR Bachelor’s Degree in a health or human services field required.

Experience: Minimum of one year of clinical nursing experience including at least six months of Hospice, or Med/Surg or ICU or Emergency Dep’t or Home care, Palliative Care, Oncology or Long Term Care experience, required. Bilingual skills may be required, as determined by operational needs. Demonstrated computer skills may be required based on operational needs.