Hospice Registered Nurse, UCM Home Care - Full-Time, Days

Be a part of a world-class academic healthcare system, UChicago Medicine, as a Registered Nurse(RN) in our Hospice Department for a Full-Time, Days position. Our hospice team strives to improve the quality of a person's last days. Our goal is to help our patients live out every day to the best of their ability and keep them in the comfort of their own home, if at all possible. Hospice care at UChicago Medicine offers a team-oriented approach that assists patients and their families with the physical, emotional, social, spiritual, and grief needs they may have as we go through this journey together. This position is a 100% onsite opportunity, and you will be traveling in the field between patients' homes. You will need to be based in the greater Chicagoland area.

The Hospice Registered Nurse plans, organizes, and directs the hospice care of patients in conjunction with the Hospice Interdisciplinary Team. The RN provides direct patient care with an emphasis on palliative care and provides education and support to families and caregivers. Completes an initial assessment of the patient and family to determine hospice care needs. Regularly re-evaluates patient/family hospice needs. Develops care plan.

Essential Job Functions 

• Completes an initial assessment of the patient and family to determine hospice care needs. Provides a complete physical assessment and history of current and previous illness(es).
• Regularly re-evaluates patient/family hospice needs.
• Initiates the plan of care and makes necessary revisions as patient status and needs change.
• Develops a care plan that includes the patient and the family in the planning process.
• Initiates appropriate palliative nursing procedures.
• Educates the patient and family (caregiver) in ways to achieve palliative goals.
• Provides health care instructions to the patient, family (caregiver) as appropriate per assessment and plan.
• Provides direct patient care.
• Documents patient and family assessments and interventions.
• Identifies bereavement and discharge planning needs as part of the care plan development.
• Prepares clinical notes and updates the primary physician when necessary.
• Communicates with the physician regarding the patient’s needs and reports any changes in the patient’s condition; obtains/receives physicians' orders as required.
• Actively participates with the Interdisciplinary Team to coordinate the care plan.
• Ensure that arrangements for equipment, medication, and other necessary items and services are available.
• Provides in-service education as requested.
• Responds to patient care needs and deploys to the patient's home timely manner when receiving calls for assistance.
• Makes a home visit at the time of death to pronounce
• Instructs, supervises, and evaluates Hospice Aide care every fourteen days.
• Conducts quality review audits in the clinical record to ensure compliance
• Other duties as assigned.

Required Qualifications

• Graduate of an NLN-accredited School of Nursing
• Current state of Illinois nursing license as an RN
• Current Basic Life Support (BLS) certification through the American Heart Association (AHA)
• One to two years of recent Hospice experience
• Excellent observation, verbal and written communication skills, problem-solving skills, basic math skills, and nursing skills per the competency checklist
• Possesses and maintains a valid driver’s license and current automobile insurance, and has the availability of personal and dependable mode(s) of transportation to conduct home visits

Preferred Qualifications

• Previous Hospice experience in the home setting

Position Details 

• Job Type/FTE: Full-Time (1.0 FTE) 
• Shift: Days, 8a-8p, every weekend
• Work Location: In the Field - will travel into patient's homes
• Unit/Department: UCM Home Care
• CBA Code: Non-Union