Hospice & Palliative Care Nurse Practitioner

Northern Counties Health Care, Inc.; St. Johnsbury (VT); On-site; USD 95,000 - 130,000; Full time

Job summary

Northern Counties Health Care, Inc. seeks a Hospice and Palliative Care Nurse Practitioner to provide comprehensive hospice services in patients’ homes and communities in compliance with state nursing standards.

The NP conducts exams, develops plans of care, prescribes medications, and collaborates with an interdisciplinary team to ensure quality hospice care. The role involves coordinating with patients and families, evaluating hospice eligibility, and contributing to clinical documentation and

Qualifications

• Advanced graduate education and clinical training.
• Registered nurse practicing under supervision of a collaborating physician.

Responsibilities

• Provide hospice medical care under supervision of a physician.
• Complete history and physical exams and document findings.
• Develop care plans, prescribe medications, and coordinate hospice services.
• Assess hospice eligibility and report to hospice medical director.

Skills

Nurse Practitioner

Hospice care

Interdisciplinary teamwork

Education

Graduate education in nursing

Tools

Medical records

Job description

Job Summary

The Hospice and Palliative Care Nurse Practitioner is a registered professional nurse with advanced graduate education and clinical training who provides comprehensive hospice services in compliance with the state Nurse Practice Act and under the supervision of a collaborating physician. Provides hospice care through the evaluation and assessment of the health history, health promotion, diagnosing medical conditions, management of health problems by directing and developing the plan of care, prescribing medications or treatments, coordinating and collaborating with patients, families, and other healthcare practitioners. Under the supervision of a physician, the nurse practitioner visits patients, completes physical assessments, performs face‑to‑face assessments and evaluates hospice eligibility as assigned in consultation with the hospice interdisciplinary team. The nurse practitioner builds from the resources of the community to plan and direct services to meet the need of individuals and families within their homes and communities.

Supervisory Responsibilities

This position has no direct supervisory responsibilities.

Essential Job Functions / Responsibilities

• Provides medical care, palliates, and manages terminal illness in compliance with the state Nurse Practice Act under the supervision of a collaborating physician.
• Completes history and physical examinations, evaluates the patient’s medical condition and health history, orders and interprets results from laboratory and diagnostic tests or procedures, diagnoses health conditions, and documents the findings in the patient’s medical record.
• Manages health conditions and terminal illnesses by developing an individualized plan of care, prescribing, administering and dispensing medications and/or treatments, obtaining consultations or making referrals and coordinating hospice care services.
• Completes the hospice face‑to‑face visit requirements prior to the third and subsequent hospice benefit periods to assess hospice eligibility based on the hospice conditions of participation and the local coverage determinations, and provides clinical information to the hospice medical director for eligibility for hospice recertification.
• Makes recommendations to the hospice medical director regarding patient eligibility for certification and recertification for hospice care.
• Reviews clinical information, coordinates and oversees patient care in consultation with the hospice interdisciplinary team and other healthcare practitioners.
• Participates with physician in quarterly review of the patient’s health record.
• Assures that the patient receives appropriate measures to control symptoms, through collaboration with interdisciplinary team members.
• Reviews and develops protocols for treatment and proposes options for interventions based on the literature in collaboration with the collaborating physician.
• Consults the collaborating physician when the patient’s plan of care is outside standardized practice and protocols.
• Provides general preventive health care to palliative care patients.
• Manages and follows up routine and problem patients.
• Adheres to policies and procedures as outlined in the Policy and Procedure Manual.

Communication

Communicates and collaborates with the interdisciplinary group to create, review and revise the patient’s plan of care; consults with the patient’s attending physician, the hospice medical director and other healthcare practitioners regarding the patient’s eligibility for hospice care, ongoing care needs and medical management related to the patient’s terminal condition; works with the Medical Director to insure compliance with practice activities around patient satisfaction, utilization, productivity, clinical competence and peer satisfaction; communicates with other community health practitioners to coordinate the plan of care; attends and participates in meetings, including but not limited to hospice interdisciplinary group meetings; completes, maintains and submits accurate and relevant clinical notes, physical examination notes, assessment visit notes, medical orders, collaboration notes and other documentation in the medical record; educates/counsels patients, families and/or caregivers about preventative care, medical problems, psychological problems and spiritual problems in conjunction with the interdisciplinary team to meet the total needs of patients; provides and maintains a safe environment for the patient; assists the patient and family/caregiver and other team members in providing continuity of care; works in cooperation with the family/caregiver and hospice interdisciplinary group to identify the goals of care and meet the care needs of the patient and family/caregiver; serves as a nursing resource for consultation and education to members of the interdisciplinary team and other healthcare practitioners in the community.