What are the responsibilities and job description for the Home Health - Registered Nurse (Full time, Monday - Friday Day shift) position at Washington Regional Medical System?
Organization Overview, Mission, Vision, and Values
Our mission is to improve the health of people in the communities we serve through compassionate, high-quality care, prevention, and wellness education. Washington Regional Medical System is a community-owned, locally governed, non-profit health care system located in Northwest Arkansas in the heart of Fayetteville, which is consistently ranked among the Best Places to live in the country. Our 425-bed medical center has been named the #1 hospital in Arkansas for five consecutive years by U.S. News & World Report. We employ 3,400 team members and serve the region with over 40 clinic locations, the region’s only Level II trauma center, and five Centers of Excellence - the Washington Regional J.B. Hunt Transport Services Neuroscience Institute; Washington Regional Walker Heart Institute; Washington Regional Women and Infants Center; Washington Regional Total Joint Center; and Washington Regional Pat Walker Center for Seniors.
Position Summary
The Home Health Registered Nurse reports to the Nurse Supervisor and Director of Home Health and is responsible for delivering skilled nursing care to patients in their homes in accordance with physician orders, the established plan of care, and agency policies. This role performs comprehensive patient assessments, develops and updates individualized care plans, provides direct clinical interventions, educates patients and caregivers, and coordinates services with the interdisciplinary care team to support safe, effective, and patient-centered care in the home setting.
Essential Position Responsibilities
- Perform in-home nursing assessments and document the patient’s clinical condition, response to treatment, and progress toward goals at each visit.
- Complete admission, recertification, transfer, resumption of care, and discharge assessments in accordance with regulatory and agency requirements.
- Review medications, monitor vital signs, identify changes in condition, and communicate significant findings to the appropriate provider or supervisor.
- Administer medications and treatments as ordered by the physician and within the scope of licensure.
- Provide wound care and other skilled nursing interventions, evaluating and documenting healing progress and patient tolerance.
- Develop, update, and implement individualized plans of care based on patient needs, goals, and physician orders.
- Educate patients, families, and caregivers regarding disease processes, medications, treatments, safety precautions, and self-management strategies.
- Coordinate care with physicians, therapists, social workers, and other members of the interdisciplinary team to promote continuity of care.
- Identify patient and family support needs and recommend community resources or services that may enhance safety, independence, and quality of life.
- Complete all required clinical documentation, visit notes, and related reports accurately and within established timeframes.
Qualifications
- Education: Graduate of an accredited school of nursing, required.
- Licensure and Certifications: Current Registered Nurse licensure, required. Current CPR certification, required. Valid driver’s license and proof of current automobile liability insurance, required.
- Experience: Minimum of one year of clinical nursing experience, required. Home health or community-based nursing experience, preferred.
Work Environment: This position involves regular exposure to communicable disease and body fluids in patient care settings. The role requires frequent standing, walking, bending, reaching, pushing, pulling, and lifting or carrying up to 50 pounds. This position also includes periodic sedentary work associated with documentation, care coordination, and administrative tasks. Frequent local travel is required to provide care in patients’ homes.