Admissions Lead

Schedule: Full-time

Compensation: Starting compensation range of $55.00 - $60.00 hourly. Exact compensation will be based on job-related factors including experience, education, licensure, certifications, and location, in accordance with applicable laws.

Position Overview

The Hospice Admissions Lead Nurse is a senior clinical admissions role responsible for overseeing day-to-day admissions performance, coaching and developing Admissions Nurses, and ensuring strong referral-to-admission conversion, speed-to-admission, and clinical quality.

This role functions as a player-coach, carrying a partial admissions caseload while leading admissions workflows, providing real-time clinical guidance, and serving as the escalation point for complex eligibility, family dynamics, and hospital partner issues.

The Admissions Lead Nurse owns admissions outcomes for their assigned market or joint venture and works closely with Intake, Clinical Operations, and Nursing Leadership to continuously improve admissions performance and experience.

Key Responsibilities

Admissions Leadership & Daily Operations

• Provide day-to-day leadership and oversight of Admissions Nurses within the assigned market or joint venture.
• Serve as the primary clinical escalation resource for complex hospice eligibility, family dynamics, and admission barriers.
• Ensure consistent execution of admissions workflows, SOPs, and best practices.
• Support staffing coordination, coverage planning, and workload balancing to meet referral demand.

Referral-to-Admission Performance Ownership

• Own referral-to-admission conversion, speed-to-admission, and admission quality outcomes.
• Monitor real-time referral pipelines and intervene proactively to prevent delays, leakage, or avoidable non-admits.
• Partner with Intake and Operations to optimize referral routing, scheduling, and handoffs.
• Identify trends in deferrals, non-admits, and delays and lead corrective actions.

Player-Coach Clinical Execution

• Maintain a partial admissions caseload, completing hospice admissions as needed.
• Model best-in-class hospice eligibility assessments, patient/family education, and documentation.
• Lead by example in professionalism, urgency, and compassionate communication.
• Support same-day and high-acuity admissions when needed.

Coaching, Training & Development

• Coach Admissions Nurses through case reviews, shadowing, real-time feedback, and skills development.
• Support onboarding and training of new Admissions Nurses.
• Partner with Nursing Leadership on performance management, remediation, and development planning.
• Reinforce clinical standards, documentation quality, and hospice eligibility rigor.

Hospital & Referral Partner Engagement

• Serve as a senior clinical point of contact for hospital case managers, social workers, physicians, and nursing leaders.
• Address escalated hospital partner concerns related to admissions decisions, responsiveness, or patient experience.
• Provide clear, timely feedback to referral sources regarding admission outcomes.
• Strengthen hospital relationships through consistency, credibility, and follow-through.

Documentation, Compliance & Quality Oversight

• Ensure admissions documentation meets Medicare, state, and organizational compliance standards.
• Conduct chart reviews and provide feedback to Admissions Nurses.
• Partner with Quality and Compliance teams to address audit findings or risk areas.
• Maintain high standards for eligibility documentation, consents, and physician orders.

Continuous Improvement & Collaboration

• Partner with Intake, Clinical Operations, and Leadership to improve admissions workflows and systems.
• Participate in admissions performance reviews, root cause analyses, and improvement initiatives.
• Provide frontline insight into process gaps, training needs, and system improvements.
• Support change management during growth, new JV launches, or workflow changes.

Performance Outcomes & Key Metrics

Growth & Access (40%)

• Referral-to-admission conversion rate meets or exceeds organizational benchmark
• Speed-to-admission performance (same-day or within defined SLA)
• Reduction in avoidable non-admits and referral leakage
• Admissions capacity aligned with census growth targets

Clinical Quality & Compliance (30%)

• Accurate hospice eligibility determinations across admissions team
• Audit and chart review compliance ≥ 99%
• Zero material documentation deficiencies related to admissions

Patient, Family & Partner Experience (20%)

• High patient and family satisfaction related to admissions experience
• Positive hospital and referral partner feedback
• Effective handling of escalations and complex cases

Culture & Team Leadership (10%)

• Strong coaching, accountability, and team engagement
• Demonstration of emotional intelligence, urgency, and ownership
• Active contribution to training and continuous improvement culture

Required Qualifications

• Active, unrestricted Registered Nurse (RN) license in the applicable state
• Minimum of 5 years of hospice, palliative care, or closely related clinical experience
• Prior hospice admissions experience required
• Demonstrated ability to lead, coach, and influence clinical peers
• Strong knowledge of hospice eligibility criteria and Medicare hospice regulations
• Exceptional communication, clinical judgment, and problem-solving skills
• Proficiency with EMRs and admissions/intake systems
• Valid driver’s license and reliable transportation

Preferred Qualifications

• Prior experience in an Admissions Lead, Admissions Manager, or Charge Nurse–type role
• CHPN (Certified Hospice & Palliative Nurse) or willingness to obtain
• Experience working in hospital-based or joint venture hospice models
• Experience supporting high-volume or hospital-based referral environments
• Bilingual preferred

Cultural Expectations

Admissions Lead Nurses at Loma Linda University Hospice are expected to:

• Take full ownership of admissions outcomes for their market
• Lead with urgency, empathy, and professionalism
• Coach others while holding high performance standards
• Communicate clearly and decisively with internal and external stakeholders
• Serve as a visible clinical leader who reinforces Loma Linda University Hospice’s mission and values

About Loma Linda University Hospice

Loma Linda University Hospice is dedicated to a patient-first mission, ensuring compassionate, high-quality care that supports patients and families through every stage of need. Loma Linda University Hospice’s culture is defined by data-driven excellence, operational transparency, and a steadfast commitment to its core values of Dignity, Integrity, Compassion, Excellence and Partnership. Loma Linda University Hospice was created in 2026 though a joint venture between Loma Linda University Health and Kara Health.

Loma Linda University Hospice is an equal opportunity employer and is committed to a policy of equal employment opportunity for all employees and applicants. We do not discriminate on the basis of race, color, religion, sex, sexual orientation, gender identity, national origin, age, disability, veteran status, or any other legally protected status in accordance with applicable federal, state, and local laws. All employment decisions are based on job requirements, individual merit, and business need.