Job Description

The Nurse Practitioner assists physicians in overseeing the clinical care and treatment of patients and families; to consult with the patients’ attending physician, in consultation with the hospice physician; provide clinical direction to the Interdisciplinary Group/Team to ensure quality care. Completing F2F – Face-to-face documentation and home visits for palliation and management of the patient’s terminal illness and conditions related to the terminal illness. Serves as a member of Interdisciplinary Group/ Interdisciplinary Team. The Nurse Practitioner reports to the Hospice Administrator.

Role Expectations:

• Collaborates with the IDG/T to ensure appropriate evaluation and palliative treatment of terminal disease.
• Consult with and assist in the IDG/T’s development of patient/family plan of care to ensure quality care is provided.
• Consults with and educates the patient/family regarding disease process, self-care techniques, end-of-life care. Provides training to other staff as needed.
• Performs and documents visits to patient/family based on plan of care and patient/family need.
• Interacts with attending and consulting physicians as necessary regarding palliative care, in collaboration with hospice physician.
• Consults with and provides education to other IDG/T members on a prn basis for clinical issues relating to palliation.
• Actively participates in the IDG/T. Communicates effectively, timely, and appropriately at all times.
• Informs physicians and other personnel of changes in the patient’s needs and outcomes of intervention, while evaluating patient/family response to care.
• Completes face-to-face encounters with patients, as assigned, prior to 3rd benefit period and each period afterwards.
• Provides clinical assessment results to hospice physician after making face-to-face encounters with patients, as assigned.
• Provides medical direction and education to the clinical staff, acts as a role model and provides consultation for attending physicians
• Communicates with the medical community/attending physician as needed to assure optimum patient care and acts as a liaison in the medical community.
• Performs home visits and patient assessment and interventions as requested by the IDG/IDT. Provides consultation for palliative and end-of-life care issues, completed Face to Face assessments as necessary.
• Supports the Hospice’s goals and vision.
• Promotes compliance with all fiscal intermediary and/or other third-party payors, through education, coaching, and other assistance as necessary.
• Demonstrates commitment, professional growth, and competency.
• Provides care utilizing infection control measures (OSHA)
• Work with Interdisciplinary Group/Team to ensure patient/family needs are met.
• Accurate, timely submission of all required paperwork.
• Promotes the Hospice’s philosophy and administrative policies.
• Meets industry caseload and productivity standards.
• Performs on-call responsibilities and provides on-call services to patients and their families as assigned.
• Provides effective communication to patients, their family members, team members, and other health care professionals.
• Transportation: Reliable transportation and valid auto liability insurance

Requirements

Education:

Graduate from a Baccalaureate School of Nursing, a Nurse Practitioner (NP) focused Master’s or Doctoral Nursing Program

Licensure:

Current state license as a Registered Nurse, and as an Advanced Practice Nurse. Current driver’s license.

Experience:

Two years experience as an Advance Practice Nurse, clinical care setting preferred; hospice or home health. Knowledgeable about the psychosocial, ethical, legal, and medical aspects of hospice care

• End of Life or Palliative Accreditation, Certification, or Specialty Practice desirable. Examples include HPM Fellowship, HPM Certification, ABMS, AOA, and HMDCB.

Skills:

• Ability to establish and maintain effective working relationships with all patient’s families, staff, the Governing Body, the Interdisciplinary Team, and other physicians.
• Ability to work collaboratively with multidisciplinary teams.
• Excellent problem-solving and decision-making capabilities.
• Commitment to patient-centered care and family support.

Physical Requirements:

1. Environmental and Working Conditions: Works in patient homes in various conditions; possible exposure to blood, bodily fluids, and infectious diseases; ability to work a flexible schedule; ability to travel locally; some exposure to unpleasant weather; PRN emergency calls.
2. Physical and Mental Effort: Prolonged standing and walking required, with ability to lift up to 50lbs and move patients. It requires working under some stressful conditions to meet deadlines and patient needs, make quick decisions and resource acquisition, and meet patient/family individualized psychosocial needs. Requires eye-hand coordination and manual dexterity.
3. Ability to communicate with patients, families, physicians, co-workers, and visitors to be able to exchange accurate information regarding patient condition and health status. Ability to exchange and express information utilizing language and communicate information effectively.
4. Ability to hear the nature of sounds. Ability to give full attention to what other people are saying, take time to understand the points being made, ask questions as appropriate, and not interrupt at inappropriate times.
5. Ability to make independent judgments and decisions. Ability to use logic and reasoning to identify the strengths and weaknesses of alternative solutions, conclusions, or problem approaches.
6. Ability to view tablet, Electronic Health Record, and review, assess, record or type data quickly and accurately.
7. Ability to determine resources needed to provide quality patient care.
8. Ability to travel to patient homes and office/support center locations to deliver care or for education purposes.

This description is a general statement of essential functions that are required to be performed regularly and continuously. It does not exclude other duties as assigned.