LPN Hospice

Independence Health System; Greensburg (Westmoreland County); On-site; USD 45,000 - 60,000; Full time

Job summary

Independence Health System is seeking a compassionate Hospice LPN to join our team in Westmoreland County. The role includes providing emotional support, promoting patient independence, and adhering to quality care standards.

Qualified candidates must have a current PA nursing license and possess strong leadership and organizational skills. Home Care or Hospice experience is preferred.

Qualifications

• Current licensure as a Licensed Practical Nurse in Pennsylvania required.
• Strong judgment and understanding of nursing practice regulations.
• Home Care/Hospice experience preferred (1 year).

Responsibilities

• Identify patient care requirements and establish rapport with patients.
• Promote patient independence and provide emotional support.
• Document patient care and maintain continuity among nursing teams.
• Adhere to infection-control policies and regulations.
• Collaborate with multidisciplinary team for patient care.

Skills

Leadership ability

Organizational skills

Critical thinking

Communication skills

Education

Graduate of an accredited school of Practical Nursing

Job description

• Maintain professional and technical knowledge by attending education workshops, review professional publications, establish personal networks, and participate in professional societies.
• Assure quality of care by adhering to therapeutic standards, measuring health outcomes against patient care goals and standards, making or recommending necessary adjustments, and following system/hospital and nursing division's philosophies and standards of care set by state board of nursing, state nurse practice act, and other governing agency regulations.
• Protect patients and employees by adhering to infection-control policies and protocols, medication administration and storage procedures, and controlled substance regulations.
• Document patient care services by charting in patient and department records.
• Maintain continuity among nursing teams by documenting and communicating actions, irregularities, and continuing needs using Nurse Knowledge Exchange techniques.
• Maintain patient confidence and protects operations by keeping information confidential.
• Identify patient care requirements by establishing personal rapport with potential and actual patients, and other persons in a position to understand care requirements.
• Establish a compassionate environment by providing emotional, psychological, and spiritual support to patients, friends, and families.
• Promote patient's independence by establishing patient care goals, teaching patient/family to understand condition, medications, and self-care skills, and answering questions.
• Maintain safe and clean working environment by complying with procedures, rules and regulations; calling for assistance from health care support personnel.
• Resolve patient problems and needs by utilizing multidisciplinary team strategies.
• Maintain a cooperative relationship among health care teams by communicating information, responding to requests, building rapport, and participating in team continuous quality improvement and problem-solving methods.
• Contribute to team effort by accomplishing related results as needed.
• Ensure operation of equipment by completing preventive maintenance requirements by following manufacturer's instructions, troubleshooting malfunctions, calling for repairs, maintaining equipment inventories, and evaluating new equipment and techniques.
• Maintain nursing supplies inventory by checking stock to determine inventory level, anticipating needed supplies, placing and expediting orders for supplies, verifying receipt of supplies, and using equipment and supplies as needed to accomplish job results.
• Cognitive ability to function and concentrate on the essential and specialty functions of the job at a high level.
• Achieves thoroughness and accuracy when accomplishing an essential or specialty function of the job.
• Ability to think and concentrate for an entire shift.
• Hospice LPN will maintain and demonstrate an understanding of the Hospice benefit and comply with regulatory conditions of participation.
• Hospice LPN will function as a support nurse and core member of the Interdisciplinary Group.
• Hospice LPN will assist with the development of the plan of care that addresses the physical, psychosocial, emotional, and spiritual needs of the terminally ill patient and their family.
• Hospice LPN will follow established guidelines for pain and symptom management to enhance quality of life.
• Hospice LPN will educate patients/families regarding the care needs at the end-of-life, including palliative care measures.
• Hospice LPN will under the direction of the RN, provide Continuous care services when appropriate.
• Home Care LPN will maintain and demonstrate an understanding of Home Care requirements including homebound status of the patient.
• Home Care LPN will report status of all patients to the primary RN Case Manager.
• Home Care LPN will utilize sound problem solving techniques when confronted with unusual and unexpected situations.
• Other duties as assigned.

Competency and Experience [Knowledge, Skills and Abilities]

Required Qualifications/Experience

• Graduate of an accredited school of Practical Nursing.
• Strong leadership ability, good organizational skills, independent and critical thinking skills, sound judgment, and knowledge of legal aspects and liability of nursing practice.
• Strong ability to communicate complex and/or controversial topics and concepts to a wide and diverse audience.

Preferred Qualifications/Experience

• Home Care/Hospice experience preferred one (1) year experience.
• Experience in Healthcare setting.

License, Certification & Clearances

• Current licensure to practice as a Licensed Practical Nurse in the State of Pennsylvania required.
• Current Basic Life Support (BLS) approved curriculum of the American Heart Association (CPR and AED) program required.
• Act 33 with renewal
• Act 34 with renewal
• Act 73 FBI Clearance
• Valid Driver’s License (if out of state hire, the record report from applicable state driver’s license department is required)

Position Type/Expected Hours of Work

• Incumbent will be scheduled based on operational need (rotate shifts, standby, on-call, etc.).
• Travel may be expected locally between System locations.

Independence Health and its affiliated companies are Equal Opportunity Employers. It is their policy to prohibit discrimination of any type and to afford equal employment opportunities to employees and applicants without regard to race, color, religion, sex, sexual orientation, national origin, age, marital status, disability, veteran status, or genetic information, or any other classification protected by law. Independence Health and its affiliated companies will comply with all applicable laws and regulations.

Disclaimer

This job description is not designed to contain a comprehensive listing of all activities, duties or responsibilities that are required of the employee. Moreover, duties, responsibilities and activities may change or new ones may be assigned at any time with or without notice.

Qualifications

Education

Required

Licensed Pract Nurse or better in LPN-LICENSED PRACTICAL NU.

Equal Opportunity Employer/Protected Veterans/Individuals with Disabilities

This employer is required to notify all applicants of their rights pursuant to federal employment laws. For further information, please review the Know Your Rights notice from the Department of Labor.