Nurse Practitioner – Hospice

Full Job Description

Job OverviewThe Hospice Nurse Practitioner (NP) provides comprehensive medical and symptom management for patients with terminal illnesses, serving to support the patients and families in achieving comfort, dignity and quality of life throughout the end-of-life journey.

This position focuses primarily on hospice patient care, ensuring high-quality, compassionate, and compliant service delivery in collaboration with the hospice interdisciplinary team. In addition, the NP provides occasional back-up coverage and clinical support for the organization’s Palliative Care program, as needed.

Primary Duties and Responsibilities:

• Conduct initial and follow-up in-person visits at various hospice sites of care (inpatient, home, facilities…) to provide comprehensive medical care, symptom management, and palliative treatment for terminally ill patients under the supervision of a collaborating physician.

• Performs history and physical exams, interprets diagnostic tests, formulates diagnoses, and documents findings in the patient’s medical record.

• Develops and manages individualized plans of care, including prescribing treatments, coordinating hospice services, and obtaining consultations or referrals as needed.

• Completes, maintains, and submits accurate and relevant clinical notes and medical records in multiple electronic medical record systems in a timely manner.

• Conducts required face-to-face visit encounters prior to the third and subsequent hospice benefit periods to assess hospice eligibility based on hospice conditions of participation and the local coverage determinations.

• Assists the hospice medical director in determining patient eligibility for certification and recertification for hospice care.

• Collaborates with the interdisciplinary team, attending physicians, and community providers to ensure coordinated, patient-centered care and effective symptom control.

• Provides education, counseling, and support to patients, families, and caregivers regarding disease progression, symptom management, and end-of-life decision-making.

• Serves as a clinical resource and educator for hospice staff, interdisciplinary team members, and community healthcare partners.

• Ensures compliance with Medicare, Medicaid, and state/federal regulations, and participates in quality improvement initiatives.

• Attends and participates in hospice interdisciplinary group meetings.

• Promotes patient safety, continuity of care, and strong relationships with patients, families, staff, and community referral sources

• Participates in the provider after-hours/weekend on-call panel for both hospice and palliative care

• Provides back-up coverage for home-based palliative care patients when primary palliative care providers are unavailable or if census indicates additional support

Knowledge, Skills & Experience Required:

· Graduation from an accredited School of Nursing and accredited Nurse Practitioner Program.

· Current nursing licensure in State and CPR certification, as required by organizational policy.

· Master’s degree in nursing with a minimum of one (1) year Nurse Practitioner experience in palliative care and/or hospice care; geriatrics, oncology or equivalent.

· Accreditation from an approved certifying body for advanced practice nursing as required by State.

· Certification in Hospice and Palliative Care or can obtain within 1 year of hire.

· Advanced knowledge of end-of-life care, general inpatient hospice (GIP) symptom management, and hospice eligibility criteria.

· Excellent observation, verbal and written communication skills, problem solving skills, mathematical skills; nursing skills per competency checklist.

· Must be a licensed CA Driver.

Job Type: Full-time

Pay: $53.90 – $90.54 per hour

Expected hours: 40 per week

Benefits:

• Dental insurance
• Employee assistance program
• Flexible spending account
• Health insurance
• Life insurance
• Paid time off
• Retirement plan
• Vision insurance

Work Location: In person