Registered Nurse, Potomac

General Statement of Duties:  Registered Nurse (RN) provides nursing care to patients and families based on assessed needs reflected in the plan of care. Service area for Potomac team is primarily Berkeley County, WV.

Level of Responsibility:  Reports to Nurse Manager.          

Status: Non-exempt

Duties and Responsibilities: *Denotes essential job functions.

1. *Assesses physical, safety and psychosocial needs of patients and families as they relate to nursing problems for developing and updating the plan of care.
2. *Provides direct nursing care as directed by the plan of care, respecting patient/family autonomy.
3. Establishes and maintains good working relationships with the patient and family, the attending physician, coworkers and outside agencies.
4. *Establishes and revises the nursing and hospice aide components of the plan of care with team collaboration and the consent of the patient and family and updates as appropriate. 
5. *Educates patients/family regarding the progression of disease, pain and symptom management, safety, physical components of care, stages of dying, and hospice philosophy.
6. *Documents assessment, nursing interventions and patient/family teaching according to guidelines reflecting the plan of care.  Documents all other patient related information.
7. *Registered Nurses assess need for hospice aide services, develop aide plan of care and update aides as needed. Registered Nurses supervise aide care and document the hospice aide supervision biweekly.
8. *Functions as part of an inter-disciplinary team recognizing, reinforcing, and enhancing the role of all disciplines within the team.  Communicates with team to provide for continuity of care.
9. Provides updates to physicians as required.
10. *Serves as a resource to physicians on pain and symptom management.
11. Reports abuse and neglect to proper authority following organizational procedures.
12. *Participates in providing 24 hour-per-day, 7 days- a-week on call coverage to patient/families as needed.  Participates in back up call coverage as needed.
    1. Provides phone triage, assesses patient needs, and makes visits as needed.
    2. Available by phone for duration of shift: communicates with triage nurse or answering service if out of reach. 
13. Crisis Care - Provides direct nursing services to patients and families during a time of crisis when additional nursing care is required.  Gives end of shift report to appropriate staff member.
14. Assists with staffing of the Inpatient Facility as needed.
15. Enrolls patients in the hospice program as needed.
16. Participates in nursing staff meetings, in-services, and staff development to develop and maintain hospice expertise.
17. Provides educational opportunities for professional students or new employees as assigned.
18. Demonstrates competency as hospice nurse.
19. *Meets visit average standards established by the organization.
20. Complies with the employee standards.
21. Other duties as assigned.