• Graduate of an accredited school of nursing (BSN preferred).
• One to two years of recent acute care, home care, and/or hospice care experience, preferred.
• One to two years of telephone triage experience preferred.

• Current RN licensure in the state of Ohio.
• CHPN certification, preferred.
• Current CPR certification.
• Valid Ohio driver’s license with current automobile insurance.
• Reliable transportation accessible for travel while on HNCO business.

• None.

• Current nursing practices, principles, methods and procedures used to provide end-of-life care.
• Nursing assessment skills with/without visual inspection utilizing basic nursing theory.
• Good math skills; ability to complete dosage calculations accurately.
• Excellent written, verbal, and interpersonal communication skills.
• Good computer skills; EMR experience preferred.
• Excellent observation, critical thinking and problem-solving skills.
• Good judgment and decision-making based on hospice guidelines.
• Decisive judgment.
• Assess data reflecting the patient’s status and interpret the appropriate information.
• Define problems, collect data, establish facts, and draw valid conclusions.
• Good organizational skills and ability to prioritize work.
• Assess and respond to the needs of patients and families in varied settings.
• Deal with people in crisis effectively.
• Work in a stressful environment and take appropriate action.
• Demonstrate sensitivity to issues of grief and loss; cope with family emotional stress and individual. lifestyles
• Empathize with the needs of ill, injured, frail and the impaired.
• Work independently and in a collaborative team environment.
• Maintain confidentiality of protected health information and general hospice information in accordance with applicable laws and HNCO policy.
• Demonstrate ethical behavior and HNCO core values.
• Basic elements of body functioning and proper procedures for lifting and moving patients.

• Requires full range of motion, manual and finger dexterity and eye-hand coordination.
• Direct contact with patients, which may require moving patients, lifting, stretching, reaching, stooping, bending, kneeling and/or crouching.
• Prolonged or considerable walking or standing.
• Must be able to lift position and/or transfer patients, supplies and equipment.
• Visual acuity and hearing to perform required nursing skills.

• Answers after-hours phone calls, assess needs of all agency patients or family by completing a nursing assessment, provides education over the telephone and coordinates on-call staff to provide appropriate care.
• Performs a short evaluation of the patient situation to estimate the severity of illness and/or injury including learning about the chief complaint and obtaining vital signs and mental status information; and determines the urgency of seeing the patient based on the assessment and familiarity with patients’ condition and history.
• Provides direct patient care as defined in the scope of practice, including specialized duties related to end-of-life care, by utilizing all elements of the nursing process; provides basic nursing services in accordance with the Interdisciplinary Care Plan; initiates and applies preventative and therapeutic nursing procedures and techniques; fulfills the obligations of case assignments; uses and prepares equipment and supplies effectively, adhering to aseptic technique when indicated.
• Responds to patient’s medical or emotional crisis and/or death of a patient and makes home visits to provide direct patient care as needed.
• Provides accurate medication administration, and nursing documentation such as: medical records, authorization forms, and laboratory requisitions. Implements pain management assessment and documentation.
• Provides appropriate pain/symptom management, administers medicine within the scope of practice and as directed by the RN Case Manager; evaluates patient’s response to treatment/medications, and communicates with RN Case Manager as appropriate.
• Reports to the Case Manager/RN services rendered and contact made after completion of visit; communicates anticipated needs, changing and/or unmet needs of patient and/or caregivers; observe the patient for changes in condition and reports changes to RN Case Manager.
• Assists the patient with activities of daily living and facilitates the patient’s efforts towards self-sufficiency and optimal comfort care.
• Contacts the interdisciplinary team as necessary to report any identified needs.
• Reports, documents and communicates patient observations in the EMR system; provides accurate and timely documentation of patient contact and services to reflect the Plan of Care
• Receives report from the Clinical Manager or designee at the designated time.
• Provides a safe environment for the patient, ensuring all needs can be met appropriately
• Provides continuous care, as needed.
• Adheres to HNCO payroll, billing and documentation policies and procedures.
• Assumes responsibility for on-call duty as scheduled (including holiday rotation) and consistent with HNCO policies and procedures.
• Participates in HNCO quality assessment performance improvement initiatives and activities.
• Participates in personal and professional development.
• Attends HNCO meetings, training, seminars and HNCO-sponsored events.
• Performs all other duties as assigned.

• Environmental Conditions: May be exposed to extremes of heat and cold in all weather conditions. Must drive in various weather conditions on roads in varying degrees of repair.
• Working Conditions: May be exposed to infections and contagious diseases. Contact with patients under a wide variety of circumstances. May be exposed to/occasionally exposed to patient elements. Subject to varying and unpredictable situations. Handles emergency or crisis situations. Travel required.
• OSHA exposure category: Category I ? Position includes tasks that involve exposure to blood, body fluids, and tissues.
• Required Personal Protective Equipment: Mask, gloves, gowns, and goggles (follows standard precautions using personal protective equipment as required for procedures).

Hospice of North Central Ohio is a non-profit, community-oriented organization serving Ashland, Crawford, Huron, Knox, Morrow, Richland and Wayne counties. Our dedicated professionals are driven to make a difference in the lives of those we serve, and we are blessed to do so with our community's support. Hospice of North Central Ohio is an agency of the United Way of Ashland County, Shelby United Fund, New London United Fund, and Mohican Area Community Fund. To better serve the community, we are affiliated with We Honor Veterans, Midwest Care Alliance, and National Hospice and Palliative Care Organization. We also work closely with local nursing homes and assisted living facilities. Hospice of North Central Ohio is a charitable non-profit corporation as defined in section 501(c)(3) of the Internal Revenue Code.