Hospice Registered Nurse

Heartland Hospice; Grand Rapids (MI); On-site; USD 70,000 - 85,000; Full time

Job summary

Heartland Hospice seeks a compassionate Hospice RN / RN Case Manager to serve patients in their homes and other settings in the Grand Rapids area. You will lead nursing care according to individualized plans of care and collaborate with an interdisciplinary team to ensure comfort, dignity, and support for patients and families.

You will perform comprehensive assessments, manage symptoms, and educate families while maintaining accurate documentation and regulatory compliance.

Qualifications

• RN with current license in the state of employment.
• Minimum of 1 year RN experience in acute care, oncology, long-term care, hospice or home health; hospice or palliative care preferred.
• CPR certification; current automobile insurance and valid driver's license.

Responsibilities

• Perform comprehensive patient assessments and reassessments in person or via telecommunication; provide education to patients, families and caregivers.
• Deliver skilled nursing interventions and symptom management per plans of care.
• Develop and update individualized plans of care including visit frequency and risk identification.
• Coordinate care across interdisciplinary teams and consult with physicians and nurses as needed.
• Educate patients and caregivers about disease processes, self-care, hospice services, medications and nutrition.
• Document timely clinical records and ensure regulatory compliance.
• Participate in on-call activities and support care transitions within the team.

Skills

Patient-centered communication

Interdisciplinary collaboration

Clinical assessment

Regulatory compliance

Education

Registered Nurse

Job description

Lead with Heart. Be the Difference. Transform End-of-Life Care.

Join our company, where every day is an opportunity to deliver personalized, meaningful hospice and palliative care to patients facing life-limiting illness. We support patients and their families with dignity, comfort, and love.

What You'll Do as a Hospice RN / RN Case Manager

• Be the primary point of contact for patients and families, guiding them through every step of their hospice journey.
• Deliver and document skilled, hands‑on nursing care based on each patient's individualized Plan of Care-in their home, assisted living, or wherever they call home.
• Perform initial and ongoing assessments to monitor patient condition and adjust care as needed.
• Collaborate with an interdisciplinary team-including physicians, LPNs, CNAs, social workers, chaplains, and others-to build and refine personalized care plans.
• Provide emotional, physical, and spiritual support not just to the patient, but to their loved ones as well‑offering education, comfort, and bereavement guidance.
• Teach caregivers how to care for their loved one safely and confidently, offering both practical training and emotional reassurance.
• Communicate important updates in patient condition to the care team, ensuring timely and appropriate interventions.
• Maintain accurate, up-to-date clinical documentation and follow infection control and compliance standards.
• Support the organization's quality improvement and scheduling initiatives to ensure care is consistent, compassionate, and efficient.
• Help patients and families understand and navigate topics such as:
  • Medication administration
  • Hospice philosophy and services
  • Symptom and pain management
  • End‑of‑life processes and expectations

Essential Functions

Job Responsibilities

• Perform comprehensive patient assessments and reassessments including in‑person/telephonic RN assessments/screenings and provide education to patients, family members and caregivers as appropriate.
• Deliver skilled nursing interventions and symptom management aligned with goals of care.
• Develop and update individualized plans of care including patient visit frequency to meet individual needs and risk identification.
• Coordinate care across interdisciplinary teams including consultation with physicians and nurse partitioners.
• Provide patient and caregiver education regarding disease process, self‑care techniques, end‑of‑life care, medications, nutrition and dietary needs.
• Communicate change in condition, or signs and symptoms of decline to appropriate provider (e.g., NP, PCP, Hospice Physician).
• Support the continuity of care by recognizing and supporting home health, palliative and hospice referrals as appropriate and recognizing and supporting transitions in levels of care.
• Document timely clinical records on all patients including screening/assessment findings, physician orders, progress notes, and care plans.
• Maintain effective working relationships with IDG, and involve team when patient's care plan warrants team participation to achieve desired outcome.
• Participate in on‑call and patient support activities as applicable, conducting on‑call services in a clinically competent and responsive manner.

Core Competencies

• Clinical excellence and sound judgment
• Patient‑centered communication and empathy
• Interdisciplinary collaboration
• Accountability and regulatory compliance
• Adaptability and critical thinking
• Timeliness of patient visits and documentation
• Accuracy and completeness of clinical records
• Patient and caregiver satisfaction
• Compliance with regulatory and policy standards
• Participation in team collaboration and IDG activities

About You

To perform this job successfully, an individual must be able to perform each essential duty satisfactorily. The requirements listed below are representative of the knowledge, skill, and/or ability required.

Education

Registered Nurse

Experience

A minimum of one (1) year experience as an RN, either in acute care hospital, oncology, long‑term care, hospice or home health. School internships and clinical hours may be considered as experience in individual cases. Hospice or palliative care experience preferred.

Licenses, Certifications and/or Registration

• Current license to practice nursing in the state of requested employment
• CPR Certification
• Current automobile insurance and valid driver's license

Specialized Knowledge and Skills

Knowledge of terminally ill patients and their families along with understanding of hospice; ability to apply knowledge of the special needs of hospice patient and families; knowledge of roles of all disciplines providing hospice services; excellent patient assessment skills; knowledge of community resources; good oral and written communication skills; documentation and program management; knowledge of general nursing practice; thorough knowledge of managed care principles, regulatory guidelines (i.e., Medicare, Medicaid, ACHC, and human resource