Job Summary: The Registered Nurse (RN), Contact Center – Weekend Cadre meets all requirements of a NorthStar Care Community RN and provides professional nursing services or supervises the provision of nursing services to hospice patients in accordance with accepted standards of practice, scheduled on weekend hours (Weekend Cadre).

Essential Functions:

• Documents all calls and/or contacts and conducts follow-up activities if a visit is not scheduled.
• May assist with a preliminarily assessment of clinical referral information to assist the referring individual(s)/Referral Intake Specialists/Field Staff with ordering of specialty equipment such as IV pumps and medications
• Communicates actively and effectively through receiving, recording and conveying information to the interdisciplinary personnel in a timely manner.
• Accurately gathers and documents all required information to complete the RN Referral Template using the appropriate forms and data collection tools.
• Responds promptly to external customers and professional referral sources that contact the organization requesting help and assistance with hospice services via the telephone, and the website, utilizing required communication tools.
• Responsible for maintaining all required state licensure(s) and continuing education required for each license.
• Triages phone calls through problem assessment and needs identification utilizing critical thinking skills, all available patient records and Triage Protocols and Process Flows.
• Completes on-going telephonic assessment of the impact of the terminal diagnosis on the patient’s physical, functional, psychosocial and environmental needs and activities of daily living, including: the risk for pathological grief, cultural and spiritual implications, and verbal and non-verbal communication patterns. Assesses the ability of the caregiver to meet the patient’s immediate needs upon each telephone contact.
• Provides initial and ongoing patient/family instruction, education and support regarding the disease process, self-care techniques, end-of-life care, and issues of ethical concerns.
• Coordinates ordering durable medical equipment and supplies.
• Consistently utilizes the “Task” function in the electronic medical record for needed requests. Runs daily individual and department task lists. Completes all required tasks.
• Coordinates and assigns interdisciplinary services/personnel to provide direct patient care when necessary.
• Acts as a resource for staff members and orients new staff as needed.
• Proactively problem solves and identifies solutions utilizingcritical thinking skills.
• Participates in internal and external education, training, in-services and other activities to develop and promote personal, professional and organizational goals and growth.
• Responds to information requested by third party payers and calls clinical reports to case managers.
• Provides nursing telephonic interventions using Triage Protocols and Process Flows in order to expedite care to patients. Uses Triage Protocols, Process Flows and critical thinking skills to dispatch a Field RN when telephonic interventions are not successful.
• Adjusts to changes in workload and schedules based on changing team priorities.
• Adheres to the organizational Code of Conduct, policies and procedures and all regulatory and legal requirements.
• Adheres to NorthStar standards to care for every person, every time, 100% of the time.

Qualifications:

• Graduation from an accredited school of nursing with possession of a current license to practice as a registered professional nurse with a multi-state license.
• Minimum of one (1) to two (2) years of varied nursing experience required; hospice experience preferred.
• Must possess strong clinical assessment skills related to hospice eligibility, pain and symptom management and care planning.
• Ability to use technology (hardware and software) required of clinicians in their practice.
• Must possess excellent interpersonal skills, sound judgment, effective organizational, prioritization and follow-through skills, attention to detail, tact, dependability, emotional intelligence and the ability to promote positive, constructive relationships with communication and collaboration at all levels with the ability to maintain confidentiality.
• Must be able to cope with family/caregiver emotional stress, cultural diversity and be tolerant of individual lifestyles.
• The physical demands of the position include: vision, effective speech and hearing for extensive telephone contact; repetitive motion; traveling; driving or riding in motor vehicle; standing, sitting, walking, bending, reaching, and stretching; lifting up to forty five (45) pounds unassisted and the ability to assist in lifting patients using appropriate lifting techniques and/or devices.
• Must be able to work variable hours/shifts including at least 3 consecutive days every weekend, which must include Saturday and Sunday. Must have the ability to occasionally work extended days and holidays, as necessary. Will be placed in a holiday rotation which may be adjusted from time to time based on staffing.