LPN - Community Hospice

POSITION SUMMARY:
To provide a full range of skilled nursing care to terminally ill patients in a home care setting, under moderate to minimal clinical supervision, with a focus on patient education and palliative care to meet the physical and emotional needs of patients, while educating and providing support to families
MINIMUM QUALIFICATION STANDARDS:
I. Education:
Bachelors or Higher degree in Nursing
II. Experience:
• Minimum or one or more years of directly related home or public health or hospice nursing experience
• Or, two or more years of directly related home or public health or hospice nursing experience
• OR, three or more years of general nursing experience, including at least one year of directly related home/public health or hospice nursing experience
• OR, one year of experience at the nursing level I position at the University of Vermont Health Network Home Health & Hospice, with a strong job performance record
III. License Requirements:
Current LPN licensure or compact licensure recognized by the State of Vermont is required.
CPR certification required for MMRH within 3 months of hire
IV. General:
• Must demonstrate and maintain any required competency
• Able to speak, read and write in English
• Be honest, self-directed, possess initiative, display good judgment and a positive attitude toward daily activities
• Have the ability to communicate clearly and effectively both orally and in written work
• Be able to work cooperatively and in a productive manner with organization’s employees, clients, customers and the general public
• Maintain satisfactory standing with the Adult Abuse Registry, Child Abuse & Neglect Registry, Vermont Criminal Information Center and OIG
• Be free from the illegal use and effects of drugs and alcohol in the workplace
• Be able to carry out the functions of this job without risk of harm to the health and safety of self and others
• Hold a valid driver’s license and have a reliable, registered vehicle with insurance as required by the organization, and appropriate to position
• Broad base of clinical nursing knowledge and skills relevant to hospice and home care nursing
• Good understanding of and experience in home health/hospice nursing, and a strong interest in the field
WORKING CONDITIONS:
1. Traveling may be required
2. May work in community based settings, and clients’ homes and outdoors
3. May work during non-business hours
4. May experience:
• Hostile and emotionally upset clients, family members, visitors and staff
• Stress due to a demanding profession
• An exposure to blood-borne pathogens
• A variety of environmental exposures such as inclement weather, animals, firearms, tobacco use, dust, and other client based activities and preferences
ESSENTIAL PHYSICAL REQUIREMENTS:
1. Must walk, sit, stand, bend, lift and move intermittently during working hours
2. Must have the ability to push, pull and lift from the floor, up to a total of 50 pounds and be able to move with the weight, as to organization’s standards
3. Climbing-be able to navigate stairs of varying heights and degrees
4. Balancing-be able to maintain balance
5. Kneeling, crouching, stooping, twisting, reaching below waist level, reaching overhead and reaching torso level
6. Manual finger dexterity-will need dexterity to perform duties and use equipment
7. Visual acuity-will need sufficient eyesight to drive a car, use office equipment and perform duties
8. Auditory acuity- will need to assist individuals in person and by telephone
PERFORMANCE REQUIREMENTS:
I. Performance Standards:
• Provide a full range of skilled nursing care to terminally ill patients in their homes, under moderate to minimal personal and procedural clinical supervision, including: ongoing assessments of current health status; venipuncture, catheter changes, care of central lines, and similar technical procedures; administering of medications and medication set-up; changing dressings and assessing wounds; teaching patients about their diseases, medications, diets and nutritional needs, physical activities; special terminal care and comfort measures; post-mortem care; information/advising clients about, referring them to, and assisting them in dealing with various government and community programs and services available to them
• Provide emotional support and general companionship to patients and their families and other caregivers, before and after death, as appropriate to individual circumstances
• Admit patients and conduct comprehensive initial in-home assessments
• Manage a caseload of patients, including developing appropriate care plans and revising as circumstances change, scheduling visits, and so forth
• Supervise and train home care assistants, student interns working on assigned cases
• Plan and coordinate a variety of services for patients provided by the UVM Health Network Home Health & Hospice and other community health care, human service, and hospice organizations. Performa variety of patient advocacy functions. Assess stress levels of family members and caregivers, and take appropriate steps to help them cope with it
• Confer with patients’ families, physicians, and other care providers to coordinate services, discuss patients’ status, needs and problems, provide information on available resources for funerals/burial/cremation, and the like, frequently with a strong emphasis on informing others about hospice services, the special characteristics and needs of the terminally ill, bereavement, and so forth
• Prepare all required clinical and administrative documentation related to assigned activities, including admissions write-ups, chart notes, documentation of conversations, care plans, and the like, adhering to all relevant legal regulations, technical requirements of government Agencies, internal procedures, and professional standards
• Travel to and from patients’ homes and UVMHN Home Health & Hospice offices
• Confer regularly with supervisor, other clinical team members, departmental office staff, and other UVMHN Home Health & Hospice personnel to plan and coordinate activities, consult on cases, exchange information, investigate and resolve problems, and the like. Attend staff meetings
• Serve on special departmental and/or organization’s committees, and participate in special projects and activities on a limited basis
• Assist in the orientation and training of new nursing staff
• Participate in a variety of ongoing formal and informal professional training and development programs and activities in order to acquire broad and in-depth knowledge and skills pertinent to hospice nursing, as well as thorough understanding of mission and goals of the UVMHN Home Health & Hospice, and to keep abreast of relevant new clinical/technical developments in the field
• In carrying out all clinical duties, adhere to established guidelines and professional standards while adapting nursing plans to meet many different contingencies, consulting with senior staff regarding unusual situations
• Other duties as assigned by supervisor
II. Professional Accountability:
• Demonstrates a commitment to the mission and values of the organization
• Complies with all organization policies and procedures
• Demonstrates respectful and effective communication in all interactions
• Protects the privacy and confidentiality of clients, co-workers and organization’s operations
• Complies with organization’s policies to protect confidentiality, integrity, availability and security of all protected health information
• Organization’s security official
• Conducts him/herself in a safe manner by adhering to all safety practices, rules and standards
• Demonstrates a commitment to quality and proactively seeks to make improvements to systems and processes
• Reports to work on time, provides advance notice for time off, accurately reports time and attendance and appropriately manages paid time off (if applicable) in accordance with organization’s policy
• Demonstrates a commitment to integrity in work habits and use of organization’s resources
• Performs duties as assigned that may be outside his/her principle responsibilities
• Meets own learning needs. Participates in educational programs of the organization, including completion of all mandatory competencies, education or training
• Effectively communicates to transfer information, provide guidance and resolve conflicts
• Reports concerns and complaints regarding abuse, neglect and exploitation in accordance with Vermont State Law and the organization
• Enhance or improve organization’s services by participating in team meetings, projects and committees
• Contributes to a positive work environment and responds in a constructive manner to change
• Documents the provision care and services in accordance to organization’s policy
SIGNATURES:

Supervisor Date

Employee Date