Advanced Practice Registered Nurse

Description

Palliative Care | Cape Girardeau, MO | Full Time

Job Summary The APRN will work in a collaborative practice arrangement at Southeast Hospital. He/She will provide inpatient clinical services that reflect the organization's mission and vision; to provide education, dignity, compassion and comfort. He/she will commit to drive quality through evidence based practice, patient centric care, and knowledge of regulatory guidelines and core measures. He/she will assist in project planning and ensure pre-established protocols and regulatory requirement are met. The APRN is responsible and accountable for quality care of patients by utilizing the nursing process as defined for advanced practice nurses in the Missouri Nurse Practice Act. Essential Functions

• Provides palliation and management of chronic/terminal conditions.
• Promotes the highest quality of care for patients and families
• Models a culture of safety for the organization and demonstrates a commitment to patient safety and as a leader, educates others regarding patient safety
• Orders and evaluates appropriate diagnostic studies.
• Performs and monitors therapeutic procedures.
• Records and documents assessment data, interventions, results and patient outcomes.
• Stays current on charting, billing, dictation daily.
• Maintains appropriate records and documentation of clinical and educational activities
• Recognizes and uses appropriate channels to communicate stressful patient care/performance situations that arise with physicians, families, and other staff members
• Acts as a role model and in selected cases, precepts advance practice nurses, i.e. nurse practitioner students (as appropriate)
• Serves on interdisciplinary committees as required
• Responsible and accountable for quality care of patients by utilizing the nursing process as defined for advanced practice nurses in the Missouri Nurse Practice Act.
• Collaborates with nursing staff in all settings to implement and evaluate patient care delivery.
• Demonstrates understanding of team approach and communication. Contributes to a positive atmosphere, demonstrates excellent internal and external customer service skills.
• Works with collaborating physician(s) regarding quality improvement activities. Contributes to the development of new ideas to benefit the department, hospital, and/or staff.
• Demonstrates knowledge in communication and counseling patients and families in dealing with end of life issues.
• Facilitates discussions related to ethical patient care issues, assisting to achieve satisfactory resolution to the patient care issue.
• Builds a culture of respect, trust, and professionalism among medical staff providers which is represented by fairness, integrity, and nondiscrimination.
• Patient advocacy. Demonstrates the ability to work with diverse social and economic situations without imposing own values. Maintains appropriate professional boundaries
• Performs other duties as needed to successfully fulfill the function of the position
• Perform physical assessment in the hospital setting
• Evaluates assessment data and establishes appropriate treatment regimen
• Collaborates with other providers to develop and update patient�s plan of care and ensures adequate pain and symptom management and control
• Serves as a resource regarding pain and symptom management for staff as well as patients and families
• Documents care provided in the EMR providing evidence of progression of the end-stage disease process
• Educate patients/families and staff to promote an understanding of the underlying disease process and expected future course of their illness
• Work closely with case management and care transitions team to ensure a smooth post-acute care transition.
• Assist in creating a process for identifying appropriate palliative care referrals to help reduce readmissions
• Serves in consulting role and collaborates with attending physicians
• Perform physical assessment in the home and nursing home settings.
• Evaluates assessment data and establishes appropriate treatment regimen.
• Ensures palliative care visits are coded correctly for optimal and accurate billing.
• Supervises clinical activities of ancillary team members.
• Acts as a role model and in selected cases, precepting advance practice nurses.
• Collaborates with patient�s attending physician to develop and update the patient�s plan of care and ensure adequate pain and symptom management and control.
• Serves as a resource to hospice/home health/palliative care patients/families and attending physicians regarding pain and symptom control management. Provides education and training to provide continuous learning opportunities.
• Documents care provided in the EMR providing evidence of progression of the end-stage disease process.
• Provides patient education related to patient and symptom management.
• Community physician liaison.
• Handles phone calls from home care staff.
• Rotating on call responsibility 24/7 for palliative care patients.
• Works in an independent/interdependent relationship with medical staff members to facilitate consultation, collaboration or referral
• Works closely with physicians in all specialty areas to coordinate patients� plan of care
• Serves as a resource to members of the health care team to facilitate patient care delivery by using an in-depth pathophysiological knowledge base
• Enhances collaboration between Southeast Health and healthcare providers to promote teamwork and communication among the entire healthcare team.
• Acts as resource to Providers and staff and is available to provide educational programs which will improve clinical skills, enhance knowledge base and improve patient care
• Maintains and enhances a current level of knowledge relative to professional practice, as well as continuing education requirements necessary for licensure and ongoing certification
• Accepts self-responsibility for advancing skills and continuing education as evidenced by:
• Setting realistic and measurable goals for individual developmental needs based on personal, peer, and supervisory evaluations of strengths and learning needs
• Assessing own performance status in relation to this position description and progress toward achievement of professional goals on an annual basis
• Seeks learning experiences/responsibilities to strengthen areas requiring development and to advance knowledge about other current developments in nursing
• Staff, physician, and community education. Acts as a liaison to physicians in the community and provides for consultation and education to colleagues related to admission criteria for hospice and palliative care.
• Participants in activities necessary to annual competency review. Documents continuing competency in the areas of medical diagnoses, therapeutics, invasive procedures and management of the patient as well as required certifications

Qualifications

• Bachelor's Degree Nursing required
• Master's Degree preferred
• Minimum of 2 years Clinical experience and certification in his/her field of expertise preferred
• Experience with Palliative Care preferred
• RN - Registered Nurse - State Licensure And/Or Compact State Licensure In the State of Missouri Upon Hire required
• APRN-BC - Advanced Practice Registered Nurse, Board Certified In the State of Missouri Upon Hire required
• BLS - Basic Life Support Upon Hire required