Job Description

Job Location: Christopher House - Austin, TX 78702
Position Type: 40 HRS - 1 FTE
Job Shift: Flexible
HOSPICE AUSTIN
JOB DESCRIPTION
JOB TITLE:            RN
DEPARTMENT:  Christopher House Clinical

POSITION SUMMARY
Provides and coordinates nursing care in the in-patient facility.
WORKING RELATIONSHIPS
REPORTS TO:  Director of Inpatient Services
SUPERVISES:   None
INTERPERSONAL RELATIONSHIPS: All comments, actions and behaviors have a direct effect on the public’s perception of Hospice Austin. Interactions with patients, family members, physicians, referral sources, visitors, co-workers, etc. must be in a manner that is courteous, respectful, cooperative and professional. This behavior should promote an atmosphere of teamwork and positive relations.
EQUIPMENT/MACHINERY USED
Office equipment, automobile, infusion pump, enteral feed pump, CADD pump, nebulizer, wall oxygen concentrator and tanks, suction equipment.
DUTIES AND RESPONSIBILITIES
- Provides nursing care for patients as directed.
- - Performs initial and ongoing assessment of the impact of the terminal diagnosis on the patient's physical, functional, psychosocial, and environmental needs, activities of daily living, risk for pathological grief, cultural and spiritual implications, and verbal and non-verbal communication patterns.
- - Performs nursing assessments, i.e. Vital signs, pain assessment, breath sounds, etc.
- - Triages patient care problems.
- - Manages discomfort and provides symptom relief.
- - Performs specialized nursing skills related to palliative and end-of-life care.
- - Initiates appropriate preventive and rehabilitative nursing procedures.
- - Consults with and educates the patient and caregivers (including home health staff) regarding disease process, self-care techniques, end of life care, death and dying, comfort measures, medication use and side effects, etc. process for dealing with ethical issues.
- - Performs on-going evaluation of patient/family response to care.
- - Assesses the ability of the caregiver to meet the patient's immediate needs upon admission and throughout care.
- - Provides psychosocial support to patients and families.
- - Implements the individualized plan of care and recommends revisions to the plan as necessary.
- Coordinates nursing, personal and homemaker care.
- - Coordinates care with team members.
- - Informs the physician and other personnel of changes in the patient's needs and outcomes of intervention as needed.
- - Coordinates personal care, DME, and obtaining medications and medical supplies.
- - Coordinates all patient/family services and prioritizes needs with IDG members.
- - Documents in a timely manner patient assessments, patient contacts, physician orders and progress notes that demonstrate progress towards established goals.
- - Acts as a liaison between patient and physicians, hospital staff, home health staff, and other care team members to facilitate ongoing clinical care.
- - Works with Hospice Austin and hospital staff, when applicable, ordering DME, meds, etc.
- - Evaluates own needs for support and self-care.
- - Recognizes and maintains professional boundaries and relationships with patient/family/caregiver.
- - Provides preparation and support for patient’s death; pronounces deaths in accordance with state regulation, provides postmortem care, handles body and death event with respect and dignity and in accordance with patient/family/caregiver wishes.
- - Determines scope and frequency of services needed based on acuity and patient/family needs.
- - Uses case management approach, referring to other services as needed.
- - Provides supervision of care provided by CNAs and LVNs and paraprofessionals providing services to the patient according to regulatory guidelines
- Other duties as assigned.

QualificationsMINIMUM TRAINING, EDUCATION AND EXPERIENCE REQUIREMENTS
- Graduation from an approved school of professional nursing as determined by the Board of Nurse Examiners.
- Unrestricted license as a Registered Nurse by the Texas Board of Nurse Examiners.
- CPR certification.
PREFERRED QUALIFICATIONS
- 1-year previous hospice nursing experience.