Job Openings in Walnut Ridge:

Registered Nurse

JOB SUMMARY:
Under physician's orders the Registered Nurse/Case Manager is responsible for identifying hospice care needs and for providing palliative and supportive care to the terminally ill patients and families. The Registered Nurse/Case Manager is also involved in the utilization of his/her teachings, assessments, observations, and intervention skills to provide comfort care and maximum quality of life to the patient and the family at home.
SUPERVISION:
• Supervised by: Patient Care Coordinator
• Supervises: Home Care Aide/Homemakers
• Works closely with: Hospice Staff
JOB SPECIFICATIONS:
• Education: Required: RN. Desired: B.S.N.
• Experience: Required: At least one year's experience as a staff nurse in an acute hospital or home setting, skilled in nursing practice, able to cope with emotional stress and tolerant of individual lifestyles. Desired: Experience in dealing with terminal patients and their families.
• Licenses, certifications and/or registrations:
a. Current Driver's License
b. Proof of current automobile liability insurance
c. Certificate of Liability with limits of 100/300/100
c. Current State Nursing license.
• Specialized knowledge and skills:
a. Humanitarian attitude and a good understanding of palliative care
b. Acceptance of the goals, mission and philosophy of Hospice
JOB FUNCTIONS:
• Assists in completing the initial assessment with emphasis on the physical and emotional needs.
• Provides direct care to patients in order to maintain the highest level of comfort and quality of life. Assumes primary responsibilities (as case manager of his/her individual patients) for the physical care of the patients always in conjunction with the physician's orders.
• Follows through with specific plan of care as established and modified by the Interdisciplinary Group with his/her individual comment/suggestions incorporated.
• Works with all disciplines in meeting patients' total needs.
• Participates in 24 hour, seven days per week call, as scheduled by the Patient Care Coordinator.
• Offers support and energy saving techniques to family members to facilitate stay at home versus
• . Participates in the bereavement program.
• Completes supervision of nursing care, homemaker/home care aide assignment sheets, as well as supervision and documenting the plan of care. Supervisory visits on home care aides every two weeks, supervisory visits on LPN's according to the state regulations (usually once a month).
• Will supervise Home Care Aides/Registered Nurse Externs.
• Teaches and counsels patient and family members regarding terminal illness.
• Communicates with the Patient Care Coordinator regarding renewal of physicians' orders, frequency, forms, etc. All communication regarding patients is always documented.
• Completes all forms, records, charts, etc., according to Hospice policy.
• Promotes health care by participating in Hospice's, as well as community health programs.
• Exemplifies familiarity with polices of Hospice and rules and regulations of State and Federal bodies which aid in determining policies.
• To educate, market, help recruit volunteers and participate with in-services to the community on hospice services, including but not limited to educating/marketing hospital discharge planners, nursing home Patient Care Coordinators', and doctors. Must be willing to participate in health fairs, and civic groups.
• Performs other related duties as assigned.
PHYSICAL REQUIREMENTS:
• Must be able to perform full-range sedentary work requiring sitting, walking, and standing.
• Must be able to climb stairs, access and operate elevators, and access patient's homes which may not have conventional access accommodations.
• Must possess vision, hearing, feeling, physical strength, and dexterity necessary to perform all the duties of a Hospice Registered Nurse/Case Manager.
• Must be able to communicate effectively with individuals both verbally and in writing. Must be able to give and receive instructions and information, both in person and via telephone.
• Work requires exerting force of up to 50 pounds occasionally, and/or up to 25 pounds frequently, and/or up to 10 pounds constantly in moving objects or materials.

Social Worker

JOB SUMMARY:
• Responsible for assessing the psychosocial and economic needs of Hospice patients. Develops treatment plan to meet identification needs. Communicates with visiting staff to assist in implementing the patient's plan of care. Networks with community agencies to obtain resources for Hospice patients.
SUPERVISION:
• Supervised by: Patient Care Coordinator
• Supervises: No one
• Works closely with: All hospice staff
JOB SPECIFICATIONS:
• Education: Required: Bachelors of Social Work from a school accredited by the Council on Social Work Education or a related field and licensed as a Bachelor Social Worker according to State and Federal requirements. Desired: Masters of Social Work
• Experience: Required: Internship of one year of health care related social work experience. Desired: Previous home care experience
• Licenses, Certification and/or Registrations:
a. Licensed Bachelor or Masters of Social Work.
b. Current driver's license.
c. Proof of current automobile liability insurance.
d. Certificate of Liability with limits of 100/300/100
• Specialized Knowledge and Skills:
a. Ability to work with terminally ill patients and their care givers in a home setting.
b. Must be knowledgeable of psychosocial and economic factors that impact implementation of the medical care plan.
c. Demonstrate ability to utilize community resources
d. Knowledge of short-term therapy methods
e. Develop and present in-service education
f. Concise writing skills for documentation in the patient's medical record
g. Must be able to gain confidence of the patient/caregiver to assist resolving psychosocial and/or economic problems
h. Maintain patient confidentiality at all times
I. Convey to patients/caregivers empathy and understanding of their situations
j. Participate in Interdisciplinary Group meetings
k. Ability to network with community agencies
l. Communicates clearly with persons from all socioeconomic backgrounds
m. Humanitarian attitude and good understanding of hospice philosophy
n. Acceptance of the goals, mission, and philosophy of Hospice
JOB FUNCTIONS:
• Responsibilities relating to Hospice program include:
a. Complete patient assessments, including gathering data on the social, economic and cultural factors which may influence health status.
b. Report findings to the Interdisciplinary Team and participate as a team member in establishing an individual plan of care.
c. Be involved, as a member of the Interdisciplinary Team, in:
-Continuing provision and supervision of hospice care and services.
-14 day review and updating of the plan of care for each individual case
-Attendance at said IDT meeting with a frequency of once every two weeks.
• Participates in care planning.
• Updates care plans as needed.
• Documents appropriately, using medical social service forms in the patient's medical record.
• Assists with presentation of in-service education.
• Attends and participates in community meetings related to social services.
• Acts as a resource person for the entire staff.
• Assists entire staff in understanding the significant social factors related to the patient's illness.
• Completes all records/forms according to the organization's policies/procedures.
• Informs the family of their options in making decisions that are right for their family unit.
• To educate, market, help recruit volunteers and participate with in-services to the community on hospice services, including but not limited to educating/marketing hospital discharge planners, nursing home Patient Care Coordinators', and doctors. Must be willing to participate in health fairs, and civic groups.
• Performs other related duties as assigned.
PHYSICAL REQUIREMENTS:
• Must be able to perform limited full range medium work requiring sitting, standing, walking and driving
• Must possess vision, hearing, feeling, physical strength and dexterity necessary to perform all the duties of a Hospice Social Worker.
• Must be able to climb stairs, access and operate elevators, and access patient's homes which may not have conventional access accommodations.
• Must be able to maneuver on all types of terrain.
• Must be able to communicate effectively both verbally and in writing.
• Must be able to give and receive instructions and information, both in person and via telephone.
• Work requires exerting force of up to 50 pounds occasionally, and/or up to 25 pounds frequently, and/or up to 10 pounds constantly in moving object or materials.

Volunteer/Bereavement Coordinator

JOB SUMMARY:
Responsible for coordinating the Bereavement Plan of Care
SUPERVISION:
• Supervised by: Patient Care Coordinator
• Supervises: No one
• Works closely with: Patient Care Coordinator, Social Worker, Chaplain, Volunteer Coordinator, Hospice visiting staff.
JOB SPECIFICATIONS:
• Education: Required: High School graduate. Desired: Bachelor of Science Degree in related field.
• Experience: Desired One year experience coordinating a volunteer program. One year management/supervision experience.
• Licenses, certifications, and/or registrations:
a. Current driver's license
b. Proof of current automobile liability insurance
c. Certificate of Liability with limits of 100/300/100
• Specialized knowledge and skills:
a. Humanitarian attitude and a good understanding of hospice philosophy
b. Ability to organize, supervise, delegate and assess.
c. Acceptance of the goals, mission and philosophy of Hospice.
JOB FUNCTIONS:
• Evaluates and develops Bereavement Plan of Care of the survivor.
• Assigns volunteer to help meet needs of the survivor.
• Participates in high quality training programs for the volunteers continually assessing the need for change in the program.
• Maintains close communication with the volunteers assigned to survivors.
• Participates in support and in-service meetings for volunteers according to needs.
• Participates in community activities related to hospice such as speaking and education.
• Participates in social functions for volunteers.
• Keeps an updated Bereavement log and files on all bereaved contacts in a timely manner.
• Makes appropriate referrals to the Social Worker if survivor expresses financial or ineffective coping skills.
• Performs other related duties assigned.
• Coordinates efforts to network with existing grief support groups or develop new ones.
PHYSICAL REQUIREMENTS:
• Must be able to perform full-range sedentary work requiring sitting, walking, and standing.
• Must possess vision, hearing, feeling, physical strength and dexterity necessary to perform all the duties of a Bereavement Coordinator.
• Must be able to communicate effectively with instructions and information, both in person and via telephone.
• Work requires exerting force of up to 50 pounds occasionally, and/or up to 25 pounds frequently, and/or up to 10 pounds constantly in moving objects or materials.