SUMMARY: This position is primarily hospital based and will require working from inside our partner hospitals. The Palliative Care Nurse Practitioner at Old Colony Hospice serves as a representative of Old Colony Hospice as a care provider for the Palliative Care Consult Service (PCCS); develops and conducts a consultative process for area providers and facilities on issues of pain and symptom management; and develops palliative care research and increased access opportunities for patient symptom management.

 

ESSENTIAL DUTIES:

• Respond to a written order from a physician, NP, or PA for a palliative care consultation; coordinate palliative care services to patients and their families in collaboration with the patient’s physician and agency staff in order to maximize comfort

• Obtain a medical history, perform pertinent physical examination and provide follow up care on patients as well as develop, implement and evaluate appropriate plans of care for patients referred to the PCCS

• Evaluate patients in specific setting that have been referred to the PCCS and may determine their appropriateness for hospice care Provide pain and symptom management consultation, participates in advanced care planning discussions, and patient/family meetings at assigned sites

• Assess and modify the plan of care as needed to achieve, physical, spiritual, and psychosocial goals in accordance with patient/family needs and preferences Collaborate with agency physicians and/or other clinicians, keeping them informed of patient status through timely submission of documentation and regular telephone or other contact

• Coordinate optimal patient care and use of resources for the patient/family through effective collaboration with facility staff members, attending physicians/clinicians, and outside agencies

• Improve clinical outcomes by conducting research or applying research findings of others

• Collect, compile and document performance improvement monitoring information and activities to reflect care or service provided according to established standards and time frames

• Assist in developing policies and procedures for pain and symptom management assessments and educational resources for patients, families, physicians/clinicians, facility, and hospice staff

• Design tools for documentation in accordance with medical guidelines and establish systems and processes for the Old Colony Hospice Palliative Care Consultation Service (PCCS)

• Develop educational resources for patients, families, facility and hospice staff, attending physicians/clinicians, and outside agencies

• Maintain regular communication with fiscal staff and third party case managers and reviewers as needed to secure reimbursement for needed palliative care to patients and families; provide fiscally responsible treatments without compromising care and service

• Represent the programs and services associated with Old Colony Hospice specifically to physicians/clinicians, insurance representatives, case managers, social workers, and in general at professional meetings; promote concept and philosophy of hospice and palliative care

• Responsibilities require familiarity with relatively broad range of situations that may result in formulating independent decisions regarding practice standards as promulgated by relevant organizations including the American Nurses Association, the Hospice and Palliative Care Nurses Association, and the American Academy of Hospice and Palliative Care Medicine. Decisions must conform to established policies and procedures of the Palliative Care Consultation Service as outlined for each participating organization.

QUALIFICATIONS:

·        Registered Nurse, currently licensed in the Commonwealth of Massachusetts as both RN and NP, BS/MS in nursing are required; familiarity with and practices according to 4:00 Massachusetts Regulations Governing the Practice of Nursing in the Expanded Role CMR 244, 4.00-4.28. Current registration in or eligibility for controlled substance prescribing through the Drug Enforcement Administration and the Commonwealth of Massachusetts is required

• Prior experience in hospice, medical-surgical or oncology nursing is required, along with demonstrated understanding of hospice and palliative care principles.

• Must demonstrate the ability to be self-directed, flexible and cooperative in fulfilling role obligation and the ability to work collaboratively with hospice, hospital/facility staff and others as appropriate and applicable

• Must have knowledge and understanding of applicable federal, state and local hospice, Medicare, Medicaid, HMO regulations, as well as HIPAA and other regulations protecting personal health information of patients and other sensitive or confidential information

• Must be able to maintain reliable attendance and be flexible in managing time to respond to needs of organization with availability for times that are outside of the established schedule for this position

• Excellent interpersonal, communication and organizational skills; must have exceptional telephone and customer service skills and ability to establish positive working relationships and interact professionally with others

• Must have at least intermediate level computer expertise using standard computer applications with the ability to learn and apply specialized software to maintain patient records and data

• Must be able to present a professional image as a representative of Old Colony Hospice with patients, families, the general public and community at large

• Must have reliable transportation and current and valid driver’s license and able to travel from patient home, facility and to office as needed on a daily basis and in all types of weather and road conditions

• Must be able to pass a pre-employment drug test and background check as well as able to provide 3 current professional references that can be checked and verified prior to employment