Home Health & Hospice On-Call RN

Job Summary:

The On-Call Home Health & Hospice Nurse is experienced in nursing, with emphasis on community health education/experience and is available after business hours for Caledonia Home Health Care & Hospice.  The On-Call Home Health & Hospice Nurse will respond to all pages from the answering service during these times and will determine the appropriate course of action which may include taking referral/order information and making phone calls and/or visits to patients/families. This position requires four overnight shifts at 40 hours per week. 

Supervisory Responsibilities:

This position has no direct supervisory responsibilities.

Essential Job Functions/Responsibilities:  

• Responds to all pages from the answering service with a phone call to the caller within 15 minutes.
• Receives and documents physician orders in the electronic medical record.
• Receives and completes initial intake information from referral sources.
• Triages patient/family calls to determine need for phone versus in person intervention.
• In the event that a patient has an emergency need, the On-Call Home Health & Hospice Nurse will call 911 on behalf of the patient and report to the patient’s home immediately as appropriate.
• Reports his/her evening patient care activities, physician’s orders/referrals received to the covering supervisor in a timely manner the next morning.
• Completes an initial assessment of patient and family to determine home care needs.  Provides a complete physical assessment and history of current and previous illness(es).
• Initiates the plan of care.  Develops a care plan, which establishes goals based on nursing diagnosis and incorporates therapeutic, preventive, and rehabilitative nursing actions.  Includes the patient and the family in the planning process.
• Initiates appropriate preventive and rehabilitative nursing procedures.  Administers medications and treatments as prescribed by the physician.  Provides direct patient care as defined in the State Nurse Practice Act.
• Re-evaluates patient nursing needs and makes necessary revisions as patient status and needs change.
• Counsels the patient and family in meeting nursing and related needs.
• Provides health care instructions to the patient as appropriate per assessment and plan of care.
• Communicates with the physician regarding the patient’s needs and reports any changes in the patient’s condition; obtains/receives physician’s orders as required.
• Communicates with community health related persons to coordinate the care plan.
• Ensures that arrangements for equipment and other necessary items and services are available.
• Instructs, supervises and evaluates home health aide care when necessary.
• Participates in holiday visit rotation.

The above statements are intended to be a representative summary of the major duties and responsibilities performed by incumbents of this job.  The incumbents may be requested to perform job-related tasks other than those stated in this description.

Position Qualifications:

• Graduate of an accredited school of nursing.  One (1) to two (2) years of recent acute care experience in an institutional setting.
• Current licensure in state and CPR certification.
• Bachelor’s degree, with one (1) year of home health care experience preferred.
• Responsible for supervising home health aides.
• Excellent observation, verbal and written communication skills, problem solving skills, basic math skills; nursing skills per competency checklist.
• Prolonged or considerable walking or standing.  Able to lift, position or transfer patients.  Able to lift supplies and equipment.  May occasionally be in a position to lift and/or carry an item weighing up to 50 pounds. Considerable reaching, stooping, bending, kneeling or crouching.  Visual acuity and hearing to perform required nursing skills.
• Requires full range of body motion including handling and lifting clients, manual and finger dexterity and eye-hand coordination. 
• Requires knowledge of potential exposure to communicable diseases and bodily fluids.
• Requires working under stress in emergency situations during irregular hours.
• Must possess a valid driver’s license and a reliable vehicle.