Registered Nurse (Home Health and Hospice) - Gillette and Newcastle, WY area

This position is for a Registered Nurse providing comprehensive hospice and home health care to patients and families in the Gillette and Newcastle, Wyoming area. New RNs are welcome to apply. You will plan, organize, and direct hospice care with an emphasis on community health education and leveraging community resources to meet the needs of individuals and families within their homes.

Responsibilities

Patient Care

• Complete initial, comprehensive, and ongoing assessments of patients and families to determine hospice needs, including complete physical assessments and histories of current and previous illnesses
• Provide professional nursing care utilizing all elements of the nursing process
• Write and initiate plans of care based on nursing diagnoses
• Regularly re-evaluate patient and family/caregiver needs and participate in revising the plan of care as necessary
• Use health assessment data to determine nursing diagnoses
• Develop care plans that establish goals incorporating palliative nursing actions, including patients and families in the planning process
• Initiate appropriate preventive and rehabilitative nursing procedures
• Administer medications and treatments as prescribed by the physician
• Counsel patients and families in meeting nursing and related needs
• Provide health care instructions to patients as appropriate per assessment and plan
• Assist patients with activities of daily living and facilitate efforts toward self-sufficiency and optimal comfort care
• Act as Case Manager and coordinate patient care for assigned caseload

Communication

• Complete, maintain, and submit accurate and relevant clinical notes regarding patient condition and care given, including pain and symptom management changes and outcomes
• Communicate with physicians regarding patient needs and report changes in patient condition; obtain and receive physician orders as required
• Communicate with community health-related persons to coordinate the care plan
• Teach patients and families/caregivers self-care techniques, medication, diet, and other instructions as ordered by the physician
• Recognize and utilize opportunities for health counseling with patients and families/caregivers
• Work in concert with the interdisciplinary group
• Provide and maintain a safe environment for the patient
• Assist patients, families/caregivers, and other team members in providing continuity of care
• Work in cooperation with families/caregivers and hospice interdisciplinary group members to meet emotional needs of patients and families/caregivers
• Attend interdisciplinary group meetings

Additional Duties

• Participate in on-call duties as defined by the on-call policy
• Ensure arrangements for equipment and other necessary items and services are available
• Supervise ancillary personnel and delegate responsibilities when required
• Assume responsibility for personal growth and development and maintain and upgrade professional knowledge and practice skills through continuing education and in-service classes
• Fulfill obligations of requested and/or accepted case assignments
• Actively participate in quality assessment performance improvement teams and activities

Required Qualifications

• Graduate of a National League for Nursing accredited school of nursing
• Current RN licensure to practice professional nursing in Wyoming
• Current CPR certification
• Excellent observation, problem-solving, verbal and written communication skills, and nursing skills per competency checklist
• Ability to organize and prioritize workload independently
• Ability to work with minimal supervision and be self-directed
• Valid driver's license with maintained automobile insurance coverage
• Access to an automobile for agency-related travel to community partners and patients (essential function of the job)
• Physical ability to perform prolonged or considerable walking or standing
• Ability to lift, position, and/or transfer patients
• Ability to lift supplies and equipment
• Considerable reaching, stooping, bending, kneeling, and/or crouching
• Visual acuity and hearing to perform required nursing skills

Preferred Qualifications

• Minimum of two years of nursing experience, with at least one year in public health, home care, or hospice nursing