Admissions RN, Part time, Saturday & Sunday 9a-9p, 24hrs/wk chez Stillwater Hospice

RN Admission Nurse

FLSA STATUS:         EXEMPT

REPORTS TO:           CLINICAL TEAM LEADER

POSITION OBJECTIVE:

Provide information to initiate care for potential patients. This includes assessment of needs, explanation of services, obtaining medical orders, and communication to referral sources, patients, family members, and members of the interdisciplinary team.

QUALIFICATIONS:

• Graduate of an accredited school of nursing.  
• A bachelor’s degree in Nursing is preferred.
• Must have a current RN license to practice in the state of Indiana.
• Must hold current CPR certification or obtain it within the orientation period.
• Infusion skills preferred
• Must be able to provide those services requiring substantial specialized nursing skills.
• Prefer one (1) year of recent hospital or home health care experience.
• Must have a current motor vehicle operator’s license and have access to an automobile with current automobile insurance coverage.
• Must be able to drive independently to all patient/family clients’ homes.
• Must be able to safely perform the essential functions of the job without posing a direct threat to their health and/or the safety of others in the workplace.
• Must be comfortable working with hospice patients with an emphasis on palliative care.
• Assists in servicing the community on the hospice philosophy as needed/requested.
• Ability to recognize needs and emergencies of hospice and palliative care patients and provide appropriate interventions.  
• Strong interpersonal skills.
• Strong assessment skills.

 ESSENTIAL FUNCTIONS

• Must be capable of functioning independently in the patient setting.
• Ability to recognize needs and emergencies of Hospice and Home Health Care patients and provide appropriate interventions.
• Conducts the initial assessment evaluation visit and identifies patient health problems by assessing environmental, psychosocial, spiritual, physiological, and health behavior systems, as assigned, for Hospice Home, hospice, and home health care referrals.
• Documents findings accurately, promptly, and on appropriate forms according to agency procedures.
• Delivers nursing care to patients, which includes teaching, providing direct care, referral advocacy, monitoring pain and symptom management, and initiating appropriate interventions.   
• Remains flexible for patient coverage, accepts responsibility under adverse conditions, such as weather-related crises.
• Follows orders from the patient’s physician and informs the physician and other personnel of changes in the patient’s condition and needs.
• Orients patient/family to hospice benefit services, including identifying the role of team members.
• Performs admissions, initiates plan of treatment, and communicates with members of the interdisciplinary team.
• Anticipates problems related to the impending death of the patient at the time of admission and pursues problem resolution with the interdisciplinary team.
• Participates in quality improvement activities and/or other agency committees or task forces when requested.      

Critical Skill Sets and Attitudes:

• Proficient and timely in all aspects of clinical documentation, including computer data entry.
• Proficient in all aspects of IV/SQ care, blood draws, all routine patient treatments (dressing changes,  catheters, etc.), pain and symptom management, care of the patient and family, including pediatric and HIV + patients; Mantoux administration.
• Display compassion, be a team player, have an optimistic outlook, be adaptive, accountable, and customer-driven.

 GENERAL FUNCTIONS

• Implements approved clinical policies and procedures in all work-related situations.
• Works in a cooperative relationship with other Agency personnel.
• Performs visits for hospice and home health care patients, if necessary, to supplement staffing needs.     
• Maintains expected and acceptable productivity.
• Coordinates care and services with other health care providers.
• Recommends utilization of additional Agency services and other community services, as appropriate.
• Maintains a therapeutic relationship with patients/families.  This includes confidentiality of personal matters related to patients and coworkers.
• Seeks appropriate clinical supervision.
• Assumes responsibility for continued professional growth and development by seeking educational opportunities to improve clinical practice.
• Participates in Quality Improvement activities and/or other agency committees or task forces when requested.
• Adheres to all Agency policies.
• Any other duties assigned by the supervisor.
• Adheres to Stillwater Hospice privacy practices as described in the Notice of Privacy Practices.

   ESSENTIAL PHYSICAL/MENTAL FUNCTIONS: 

• Lifting: Transfer patients into positions where they can perform daily care, personal hygiene, and grooming - Occasional.           
• Pushing/pulling: Readjust patient in bed - Occasional.
• Standing: While performing patient care, - Frequent.
• Sitting: While driving to and from the patient’s home - Occasional.
• Climbing: Up and down stairs in the patient’s home - Occasional.  Must be able to climb a minimum of three (3) flights of stairs.
• Balancing: Needed for normal ambulation, climbing stairs, and for reaching - Occasional to Frequent.
• Stooping/kneeling/ crouching: To perform patient care - Occasional.
• Fingering: Pen, visit reports -Frequent.
• Talking:  To communicate with patients and family, and to communicate with supervisor and coworkers - Frequent.
• Hearing: To communicate with patient, coworkers, patient’s family, and supervisor - Frequent to Constant.
• Seeing: Constant.
• Must have visual, hearing, and mental ability to initiate and comprehend written and verbal communication.
• Must be able to engage in clear, concise verbal/non-verbal communication.
• Must be able to endure long periods of sitting while driving.
• Must have the ability to remain calm in occasional emergency situations. 
• Recognize emergencies and know emergency procedures, according to Agency policy.

MARGINAL FUNCTIONS:

• Provides personal care.   
• Participates in QA by reviewing patient records to ensure compliance.

 ESSENTIAL HAZARDOUS PHYSICAL EXPOSURES:

• Must be willing to travel between patients in inclement weather.
• Potential threat of physical violence to self.   (Security personnel available upon request.)
• Potential exposure to dangerous animals, such as dogs, rodents, etc.
• Potential exposure to environmental pollutants.
• Potential exposure to infectious diseases, needle sticks, blood and body fluids, and hazardous waste.
• Potential exposure to variable temperatures in the working environment.

CHEMICAL OR HAZARDOUS PHYSICAL EXPOSURES:

•  Potential exposure to chemical/cleaning substances in the patient’s home environment.
•  Potential exposure to substances within the office environment, including copy machine toner, VDT emissions, cleaning solvents, and medical supply chemicals.

 ESSENTIAL PERSONAL PROTECTIVE EQUIPMENT REQUIRED:

• Seat belts must be worn when traveling during working hours, according to the state law.  
• Universal blood and body fluid precautions will be consistently used for all patients.  
• Protective clothing and equipment are provided by the employer at no cost to the employee.

 OTHER SPECIAL CONSIDERATIONS: 

• Must be willing to accept assignments and other duties as deemed necessary without regard to location, socioeconomic environment, disease, or ethnic origin.       
• Must accept responsibility for on-call, as assigned.   
• Must be willing to complete pre-admission screenings and admissions on holidays, weekends, or evenings when assigned.
• Must exhibit dependability in areas such as attendance, tardiness, and timely performance of duties.

Stillwater Hospice has been caring for the seriously ill of Northeast Indiana since 1888, and our goal is to foster the optimal quality of life through medical, spiritual, and emotional support for patients and their loved ones. We provide high-quality, patient-focused, and compassionate care that helps terminally ill patients and their families live as fully as possible. Providing hospice care allows patients and their families to have meaningful moments together.