Hospice Nurse Practitioner NP

This Nurse Practitioner position provides comprehensive hospice and palliative care services to patients and families in their homes and communities. You will work under the supervision of a collaborating physician and as part of an interdisciplinary hospice team to manage terminal illness, control symptoms, and support patients through end-of-life care.

Reporting to the Clinical Director, you will evaluate patients' medical conditions, complete physical assessments, order and interpret diagnostic tests, diagnose health conditions, and develop individualized plans of care. You will prescribe medications and treatments, make recommendations regarding hospice eligibility and recertification, and coordinate care with the interdisciplinary team and community healthcare practitioners.

Responsibilities

Patient Care

• Provide medical care and palliative management of terminal illness in compliance with state Nurse Practice Act regulations under physician supervision
• Complete history and physical examinations, evaluate medical conditions and health history, order and interpret laboratory and diagnostic test results
• Diagnose health conditions and document findings in the patient's medical record
• Develop individualized plans of care for managing health conditions and terminal illnesses
• Prescribe medications and treatments, obtain consultations, and make referrals as needed
• Complete required face-to-face hospice visits prior to the third and subsequent benefit periods to assess hospice eligibility
• Provide clinical information to the hospice medical director for eligibility interpretation and recertification
• Make recommendations to the hospice medical director regarding patient eligibility for hospice certification and recertification
• Review clinical information and coordinate patient care in consultation with the interdisciplinary team and other healthcare practitioners
• Ensure patients receive appropriate symptom control measures through collaboration with team members
• Review and develop treatment protocols and propose intervention options based on clinical literature in collaboration with the collaborating physician
• Consult with the collaborating physician when the patient's plan of care is outside standardized practice and protocols

Communication and Collaboration

• Communicate and collaborate with the interdisciplinary group to create, review, and revise the patient's plan of care
• Consult with the patient's attending physician, hospice medical director, and other healthcare practitioners regarding hospice eligibility, ongoing care needs, and medical management
• Communicate with community health practitioners to coordinate the plan of care
• Attend and participate in hospice interdisciplinary group meetings
• Complete, maintain, and submit accurate clinical notes, physical examination notes, assessment visit notes, medical orders, collaboration notes, and other documentation in the medical record
• Educate and counsel patients, families, and caregivers regarding preventative care, medical problems, psychological problems, and spiritual problems in conjunction with the interdisciplinary team
• Provide and maintain a safe environment for the patient
• Assist the patient, family, caregivers, and team members in providing continuity of care
• Work cooperatively with family, caregivers, and the hospice interdisciplinary group to identify goals of care and meet patient and family needs
• Serve as a nursing resource for consultation and education to interdisciplinary team members and other healthcare practitioners in the community
• Establish, build, and nurture relationships with staff and community referral sources to facilitate program growth

Additional Duties

• Maintain knowledge of and compliance with current Medicare/Medicaid, state, and federal rules and regulations for hospice services
• Ensure compliance with Medicare conditions of participation and other state regulations governing healthcare provision
• Comply with all Health Insurance Portability and Accountability Act (HIPAA) requirements in accordance with federal, state, and organizational policies
• Participate in organizational monitoring of the quality of medical services and quality improvement initiatives
• Assume responsibility for personal professional growth by developing, maintaining, and upgrading professional knowledge and practice skills through seminars, conferences, continuing education, and in-service classes
• Fulfill requested and accepted assignments
• Demonstrate knowledge in communication and counseling with patients and families regarding end-of-life issues

Required Qualifications

• Graduation from an accredited School of Nursing and accredited Nurse Practitioner Program
• Current nursing licensure in your state
• Current CPR certification
• Master's degree with a minimum of one year of Nurse Practitioner experience
• Minimum of one year of hospice or palliative care experience
• Current DEA license, if applicable to state regulations
• Accreditation from an approved certifying body for advanced practice nursing as required by your state
• Excellent observation, verbal, and written communication skills
• Problem-solving and mathematical skills
• Nursing skills per competency checklist
• Ability to perform prolonged or considerable walking or standing
• Ability to lift, position, and transfer patients
• Ability to lift supplies and equipment
• Considerable reaching, stooping, bending, kneeling, and crouching
• Visual acuity and hearing to perform required nursing skills
• Valid driver's license with an insured automobile in good working order that meets state and organizational requirements

Preferred Qualifications

• Certification in a specialist area such as Hospice and Palliative Nursing (CHPN), Pediatrics, or Geriatrics