Advanced Practice Registered Nurse (APRN)

Job Title/Position: Nurse Practitioner

Reports To: Clinical Director

Job Description Summary

CONTINUUM CARE HOSPICE

The Nurse Practitioner is a registered professional nurse with

advanced graduate education and clinical training who provides comprehensive hospice

services in compliance with the state Nurse Practice Act and under the supervision of a

collaborating physician. He/She provides hospice care through the evaluation and assessment

of the health history, health promotion, diagnosing medical conditions, management of health

problems by directing and developing the plan of care, prescribing medications or treatments,

coordinating and collaborating with patients, families and other healthcare practitioners. Under

the supervision of a physician, the nurse practitioner visits patients, completes physical

assessments, performs face to face assessments and evaluates hospice eligibility as assigned

in consultation with the hospice interdisciplinary team. The nurse practitioner builds from the

resources of the community to plan and direct services to meet the need of individuals and

families within their homes and communities.

Essential Job Functions/Responsibilities

Patient Care

• 2. 3. 4. 5. 6. 7. Provides medical care, palliates and manages terminal illness in compliance with the state
  
  
  

Nurse Practice Act under the supervision of a collaborating physician.

Completes history and physical examinations by evaluating the patient's medical condition

and health history, ordering and interpreting results from laboratory and diagnostic tests or

procedures, diagnosing health conditions and documents the findings in the patient's

medical record.

Manages health conditions and terminal illnesses by developing an individualized plan of

care, prescribing medications and / or treatments, obtaining consultations or making

referrals and coordinating hospice care services.

Completes the hospice face to face visit requirements prior to the third and subsequent

hospice benefit periods to a s s e s s hospice eligibility based on the hospice conditions of

participation and the local coverage determinations. Provides clinical information to the

hospice medical director for interpretation for eligibility for hospice recertification.

Makes recommendations to the hospice medical director regarding patient eligibility for

certification and recertification for hospice care.

Reviews clinical information, coordinates and oversees patient care in consultation with the

hospice interdisciplinary team and other healthcare practitioners.

Assures that patient receives appropriate measures to control symptoms, through

collaboration with interdisciplinary team members.

• Reviews and develops protocols for treatment and proposes options for interventions
  
  
  

based on the literature in collaboration with the collaborating physician.

• Consults the collaborating physician when the patient's plan of care is outside standardized
  
  
  

practice and protocols.

Communication

• Communicates and collaborates with the interdisciplinary group to create, review and
  
  
  

revise the patient's plan of care.

• Consults with the patient's attending physician, the hospice medical director and other
  
  
  

healthcare practitioners regarding the patient's eligibility for hospice care, ongoing care

needs and medical management related to the patient's terminal condition.

• Communicates with other community health practitioners to coordinate the plan of care.
• Attends and participates in hospice interdisciplinary group meetings.
• Completes, maintains and submits accurate and relevant clinical notes, physical
  
  
  

examination notes, assessment visit notes, medical orders, collaboration notes and other

documentation in the medical record.

• Educates/counsels patients, families, and/or caregivers as to preventative care, medical
  
  
  

problems, psychological problems, and spiritual problems in conjunction with the

interdisciplinary team to meet the total needs of patients.

• Provides and maintains a safe environment for the patient.
• Assists the patient and family/caregiver and other team members in providing continuity of
  
  
  

care.

• Works in cooperation with the family/caregiver and hospice interdisciplinary group to
  
  
  

identify the goals of care and meet the care needs of the patient and family/caregiver.

• Serves as a nursing resource for consultation and educations to members of the
  
  
  

interdisciplinary team and other healthcare practitioners in the community.

• Establishes, builds and nurtures relationships with staff and community referral sources to
  
  
  

facilitate program growth.

Additional Duties

• Maintains knowledge of and compliance with current Medicare/Medicaid, state/federal rules
  
  
  

and regulations for hospice services

• Feguations gover ene provision if heathetions of participation and other state
• Complies with all Health Insurance Portability and Accountability Act (HIPAA) requirements
  
  
  

in accordance with federal, state and organizational policies.