Job Description Summary
The Palliative Care Nurse works in collaboration with the interdisciplinary team and physicians to deliver palliative care consultation services for seriously ill patients and their family caregivers across care settings. The Palliative Care Nurse promotes the mission, values and vision of Visiting Nurse & Hospice Care.
 

ESSENTIAL JOB FUNCTIONS/RESPONSIBILITIES

• Performs a comprehensive palliative care consult of patient and family, and collaborates in the development of the plan of care with patient, family, primary physician, other community health care providers, disciplines and the Palliative Care team. 
• Performs skilled assessment and evaluation of patient with meticulous pain and symptom management.  
• Provides training and continuing education for hospital staff, medical residents, house staff, VNHC staff, community members, and other health care providers as needed. 
• Provides recommendations for patients related to palliative care and end of life care. 
• Consults with Palliative Care Medical Director(s)/physicians and primary care physicians routinely documenting reported findings and recommendations. 
• Prepares and maintains accurate patient records, charts, and documents to support sound evidence based nursing practice. 
• Evaluates patient responses to interventions and progress toward the attainment of the pre-established goals, making appropriate alterations of treatment plan and goals as necessary. 
• Communicates any changes of treatment plan and goals to the appropriate discipline and documents as needed.
• Collaborates closely with other health care providers and disciplines to ensure smooth transitions between heath care settings. 
• Is able to work flexibly in different care settings including but not limited to: acute care hospital, skilled nursing facility, home, clinic and inpatient hospice facility. 
• Comprehends and adheres to all licensing and certification regulations pertinent to job. 
• Attends interdisciplinary meetings. 
• Promotes respectful collaboration among community health care providers and disciplines with the ability to resolve conflicts professionally and collegially. 
• Participates in educational programs to maintain skills and knowledge of current nursing practices. 
• Utilizes approved references and policy and procedure manuals when providing care. 
• Adheres to the practice of confidentiality regarding patients, families, staff and the organization. 
• On-call responsibilities as needed.
• Performs other related duties as assigned by supervisor.

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.
 

• Registered Nurse licensed in the state of California.
• CPR Certification.
• Minimum 2 years of RN experience required.
• 2 years palliative care / hospice experience preferred.
• Excellent interpersonal and communication skills.
• Current state driver’s license and automobile insurance.
   

• Ability to lift 25 lbs. above shoulders, lift arms above head, push/pull 200 lbs, stoop, bend and squat. 
• Ability to walk up one flight of stairs without assistance of another.
• Ability to walk one mile either all at once or throughout the day.
• Ability to sit for one hour.
• Visual acuity sufficient to carry out tasks.
• Hearing capacity to sense body sounds, (i.e., bowel sounds, lung sounds, blood pressure, heart sounds, crepitus, etc.). 
• Sense of touch adequate to assess by palpation. 
• Ability to smell common odors related to disease process. 
• Ability to accommodate environmental extremes of the service area. 
• Emotional psychological development to grade 14 and able to read and write. 
• Ability to react independently to life threatening situations. 
• Ability to reason, deduce and carry out complex multiple step processes. 
• Ability to carry out the scientific method of reasoning and deduction. 
• Ability to read and write in the English language.