Job Description

The Palliative Care Rn serves as a clinical resource to staff, patients and families through the continuum of oncology care. Serves as a clinical liaison between patients, physicians, physician office staff, and hospital departments. Conducts pre, concurrent, and post-treatment education and serves as a clinical resource to staff and families of oncology patients. This position will work in partnership with the Advanced practitioner in the Janesville region and will provide palliative services for both the outpatient and inpatient program.

Palliative care or Hospice experience preferred.

Serves as a clinical resource to staff, patients and families through the continuum of oncology care. Serves as a clinical liaison between patients, physicians, physician office staff, and hospital departments. Conducts pre, concurrent, and post-treatment education and serves as a clinical resource to staff and families of oncology patients.

PRIMARY RESPONSIBILITIES

• Provides expert clinical consultation and care regarding palliative care to patients, families, staff and community; especially related to symptom management.
• Functions as a member of a consultative interdisciplinary work team, and with unit patient care staff in a consultative role.
• Develops, negotiates and advances the plan of care specific to palliative care within and outside own discipline.
• Facilitates appropriate and timely use of resources in the provision of patient care that meets identified clinical outcomes.
• Serves as liaison between all hospital departments, medical services and administration.  Serves as a consultant to all departments and personnel in matters relative to practices as well as to the community through information sharing between hospitals, workshops, seminars, etc.  Communicates progress, plans and problems as appropriate.
• Maintains professional affiliation with nursing specialty organizations that foster and promote continued professional development and expertise in palliative care nursing.
• Conducts quarterly record reviews and communicates findings and recommendations to clinical director and utilizes automated processes and clinical information systems appropriately and efficiently.
• Demonstrates critical thinking skills, ability to prioritize and delegate nursing care based on comprehensive assessment, data collection, nursing interventions, patient responses to care, outcomes, patient/family needs and continuing care abilities post hospital discharge.
• Applies the existing body of evidence-based practice and scientific knowledge in health care to nursing practice, ensuring that nursing care is delivered based on patient’s age-specific needs and clinical needs as described in the department's Scope of Service.
• As an SSM Health nurse, I will demonstrate the professional nursing standards defined in the professional practice model.  Uses the ANA Code of Ethics for Nurses to guide his/her response to the current and evolving health and nursing needs of our patients and our patient populations.
• Works in a constant state of alertness and safe manner.
• Performs other duties as assigned.

EDUCATION

• Graduate of accredited school of nursing

EXPERIENCE

• Three years' registered nurse experience with demonstrated clinical practice in oncology

PHYSICAL REQUIREMENTS

• Constant use of speech to share information through oral communication.
• Constant standing and walking.
• Frequent lifting/carrying and pushing/pulling objects weighing 0-25 lbs.
• Frequent sitting, reaching and keyboard use/data entry.
• Frequent use of vision and depth perception for distances near (20 inches or less) and far (20 feet or more) and to identify and distinguish colors.
• Frequent use of smell to detect/recognize odors.
• Frequent use of hearing to receive oral communication, distinguish body sounds and/or hear alarms, malfunctioning machinery, etc.
• Occasional lifting/carrying and pushing/pulling objects weighing 25-50 lbs.
• Occasional lifting/moving of patients.
• Occasional bending, stooping, kneeling, squatting, twisting, gripping and repetitive foot/leg and hand/arm movements.
• Occasional driving.
• Rare crawling and running.

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