Job Type Part-timeDescriptionJob SummaryResponsible for providing nursing care, interventions, education, and support to patients and families during weekends and holidays on call.Essential Duties and Responsibilities
- Assumes primary responsibility for all patients during assigned shift, including assessing, planning, implementing, and evaluating patient care needs.
- Obtains patient and family information in order to provide care in accordance with the standards and practices of Northern Illinois Hospice.
- Responds to medical or emotional crisis and/or death of a patient. Makes home visits to provide direct care as needed.
- Assesses patient's condition, documents appropriately and updates Care Plans as needed.
- Responds to incoming calls and return calls as outlined in Northern Illinois Hospice's On Call Policy and Procedure.
- Provides follow up phone calls as needed after triage calls to ensure patients' and families' understanding of provided instructions and effectiveness of intervention.
- Provides patient's visit at the request of the patient and/or family during on call hours.
- Promotes professional, courteous, nursing services to the patients consistent with knowledge, training, and experience.
- Demonstrates understanding of the Interdisciplinary Team concept. Cooperates and works with all team members for effective patient care. Demonstrates positive teamwork behavior.
- Educates Patient/Family/Caregiver/Nursing Facility Staff on administration of medication, symptom management and pain control, and DME/oxygen as directed by the physician and Northern Illinois Hospice's protocol when applicable.
- Informs the Clinical Care Director, Patient Care Coordinator or designee of the patient's disease progression and all other appropriate clinical matters concerning the patient/family unit for which she/he has responsibility.
- Maintains current knowledge of Medicare/Medicaid benefits, private insurance, supportive care, continuous care and in-patient requirements.
- Maintains confidentiality of patient/family information regarding disease, diagnosis, financial, or other information obtained during the course of employment.
- Adheres to professional standards for practice of nursing.
- Maintains up-to-date knowledge and understanding of local, state, and federal laws that impact the practice of nursing in the hospice setting.
- Maintains Standard Precautions and uses necessary personal protective equipment in order to maintain a safe environment in conjunction with OSHA regulations.
- Provides emotional support and spiritual support to patient and family/caregiver.
- Completes and submits documentation in a timely and accurate manner according to policy, including, but not limited to, Visit Reports, Care Plans, IDT Reports, Travel and Mileage Logs.
- Contacts and collaborates with primary physicians to ensure optimal symptom management.
- Participates in IDT meetings on a regular basis (minimum 2 meetings per month).
- Attends agency required meeting such as monthly clinical meetings, all-staff meetings, etc.
- Participates in quality improvement activities to ensure the highest levels of service.
- Provides and promotes superior customer service, exhibits good communication skills with patients, families, team members and professional community.
- Adheres to organizational policies and procedures.
- Follows infection control policies and procedures; utilizing PPE as required.
- Follows building protocol.
- Attends mandatory education in-services and meetings.
- Maintains confidentiality according to HIPAA requirements of patient and family regarding disease/diagnosis, financial, and other information obtained during employment.
- Abides by agency proprietary confidential information policy.
- Demonstrates the Model visit on each visit encounter.
- Follows safety education including physical ergonomics.
- Maintains personal and professional boundaries.
- Provides accurate and timely documentation, including pertinent and complete data in the electronic medical record, according to documentation guidelines.
- Other job related duties as assigned.
RequirementsEducation: Minimum Associates Degree in Nursing; Nursing Diploma, BSN preferred.Training and Licensure: Current Professional Registered Nurse license issued by the Illinois Board of Nursing. CPR Certification required.Knowledge/Skills/Ability: Ability to read, analyze, and interpret general business periodicals, professional journals, technical procedures, or governmental regulations. Ability to write legible reports. Ability to effectively present information and respond to questions from groups of managers, patients/families, and the general public. Ability to apply concepts such as fractions, percentages, ratios, proportions to practical situations, such as medication dosages. Ability to solve practical problems and deal with a variety of concrete variables in situations where only limited standardization exists. Ability to interpret a variety of instructions furnished in written, oral, diagram, or scheduled form. Ability to triage, giving greatest attention to situations requiring greatest care.Experience: One year of Medical/Surgical, Oncology, or Hospice experience.Other: Local residence with ability to respond to on-call within 30 minutes. Meets agency requirements for criminal background check.Expected Hours of Work: (8:00am - 8:30pm Sat/Sun) Flexible (Every weekend or Every Other Weekend) JOB FACTORS:Physical Requirements: The physical demands described here are representative of those that must be met by an employee to successfully perform the essential functions of this job. Reasonable accommodations may be made to enable individuals with disabilities to perform the essential functions.While performing the duties of this job, the employee is regularly required to use hands to finger, handle, or feel objects, tools, or controls and talk and hear. The employee frequently is required to stand and reach with hands and arms. The employee is frequently required to walk; sit; and stoop, kneel, or crouch.The employee must frequently lift up to 50 pounds and occasionally lift and/or move a bed bound patient who is unable to assist his/her own care, using the appropriate equipment and/or techniques: weight may vary 10-250+. Specific vision abilities required by this job include night vision, close vision, distance vision, color vision and depth perception.Mental Requirements: Must be able to work independently, make judgments based on assessments and data available and act accordingly. Must be flexible, innovative, and possess good interpersonal skills. Must be able to cope with mental and emotional stress and demonstrate emotional stability.Working Conditions: The work environment characteristics described here are representative of those an employee encounters while performing the essential functions of this job. Reasonable accommodations may be made to enable individuals with disabilities to perform the essential functions. While performing the duties of this job, the employee frequently travels by car and may be exposed to varied weather conditions. The noise level in the work environment will vary.Transportation: Must have a current valid driver's license, auto liability insurance, and reliable transportation.OSHA: This position performs tasks that involve exposure to blood, body fluids or tissue. Employees are offered the opportunity to receive the Hepatitis B Vaccination series.