Admissions Nurse PRN

JOB SUMMARY: The Admissions Nurse is responsible for establishing and maintaining positive relationships with customers and referral sources within the Community. The Admissions Nurse will ensure that the DPCS, Executive Director (ED) and Community Education Director are notified of community needs regarding community education as it relates to the hospice philosophy of care and delivery of services. This position is also responsible for developing and increasing the access to Bristol Hospice Services in the communities that the location serves.

ESSENTIAL JOB FUNCTIONS:

• Relay information to the DPCS, ED and Community Education Director of initiatives that promote hospice access in the hospice community

• Ensure the educational needs of the community related to hospice care and services, are assessed and met on an ongoing basis

• Establish and monitor community, customer, payer and patient perceptions of Bristol Hospice as a high-quality provider of hospice services in the community

• Facilitate communication with agency and referral sources as needed to promote the continuum of care

• Maintain comprehensive working knowledge in the field of Hospice educational resources and share information with appropriate organizational personnel

• Facilitate and follow the referral to admission process

• Serve as a resource to review and consult available patient information related to the case, to determine hospice care needs and criteria

• Coordinate and communicate with hospice agency leadership and referral sources to promote care coordination and a timely admission process

• Confer with Medical Director or Attending Physician regarding patient hospice determination criteria; obtain physician orders and Certification of Terminal Illness, as well as other admission documentation as required

• Facilitate and complete hospice consults/evaluations and admissions as indicated

• Ensure coordination and communication with referral sources and hospice agency leadership

• Complete initial assessments of patients and families to determine hospice needs

• Provide a complete physical assessment and history of current and previous illness(es) of referrals

• Work with the intake department so they can serve as a liaison between facility, physicians, hospitals, skilled nursing facilities, community and hospice programs, with coordination of referrals/admission process and services

• Respond to customer and referral source requests and concerns, as needed

• Coordinate with the ED and DPCS regarding the need for planning, implementation and evaluation of in-service and continuing education programs

• May be required to actively participate in the Quality Assurance Performance Improvement (QAPI) process, as directed by ED or DPCS

• May be required to function as an RN Case Manager and maintain an assigned patient case load as determined by the ED or the DPCS

• Provide professional nursing care by utilizing all elements of the nursing process

• Use health assessment data to determine nursing diagnosis

• May be required to participate in IDT meetings and work with the IDT to determine the patient/family plan of care, as needed

• Provide patient/family education related to the patient/family plan of care

• Comply with accepted professional standards of practice and principles

Qualifications

REQUIRED EDUCATION & EXPERIENCE:

• Must have a minimum of one (1) year of experience as a professional nurse within the last three (3) years or have a bachelor's degree in nursing from a program accredited by the National League of Nursing

• Must have a current RN license needed to work in the State

REQUIRED KNOWLEDGE, SKILLS & ABILITIES:

• Must have excellent observation skills

• Must possess exceptional verbal and written communication skills

• Must possess excellent problem-solving skills, basic math skills and nursing skills per competency checklist

OTHER REQUIREMENTS:

• Must be able to travel 20% of the time, often without notice

• Must be flexible in work hours

• Must possess the willingness to maintain comprehensive working knowledge regarding information systems and applicable software programs

WORK ENVIRONMENT:

• Must comply with company policies, procedures and processes in addition to Hospice and Homecare rules and regulations

• Must comply with harassment and discrimination policies

• Must foster good working relationships

• Must be a licensed driver with licensed automobile that is insured in accordance with organization/state requirements and is in good working order

• Must be willing to submit to a criminal background check prior to hire and annually thereafter

• Possess and maintain current CPR certification

PHYSICAL ENVIRONMENT:

• Must be able to see color changes on a patient's skin; can listen to heart and lung sounds through a stethoscope; and feel skin temperature, as well as palpating pulses

• Must demonstrate vital sensory abilities including near vision, far vision, perceptual speed, visual color discrimination, depth perception and hearing sensitivity

• Must have finger dexterity, arm-hand steadiness and manual dexterity

• Must be able to manipulate equipment in a safe and effective way and use tools that require motor functioning, such as blood pressure monitors and hemostats

• Must be able to communicate with patients, families and other health care workers

• Speech clarity, speech recognition and written expression are vital abilities for performing the job

• Must be able to lift heavy items on a frequent basis

• Must be able to lift and carry up to 50 lbs. with or without assistance and must be able to spend a prolonged amount of time standing, walking, bending and stretching

• Must possess the ability to deal with stressful situations as well as grieving families.

• Must be compassionate without becoming personally involved with the patients and their families

• Must be willing to participate in a drug/alcohol screen prior to hire, if involved in a work- related automobile accident or if reasonable suspicion is reported