Hospice Liaison Nurse- Sign on $3000

The Gilchrist Hospice Care (GHC) Hospice Liaison Nurse generates & facilitates patient admissions from Howard County hospital-based referral sources, promotes growth of admissions, performs or coordinates clinical assessments of possible patients, and is responsible for meeting GHC goals for successful relationships with area hospitals.

The Hospice Liaison Nurse establishes and nurtures external professional relationships, maintains awareness of local medical markets, provides clinical or psychosocial assessments of prospective patients when necessary, and represents GHC and its spectrum of services in a competent, professional manner consistent with the organization's goals

Education

Registered Nurse, Associates degree or Nursing Diploma

Experience

Minimum of three (3) years experience required with hospice, home health, critical care, ER, oncology medical/surgical experience, community outreach or pastoral counseling

Knowledge, Skills and Abilities

• Ability to market to and deal tactfully with customers (e.g. physicians, social workers, nurses, etc.), other possible referral sources, and the community.
• Excellent professional communication, negotiation, presentation and public relations skills.
• Self-directed with the ability to work with little supervision in a rapidly changing environment.
• Flexibility in scheduling and ability to manage multiple tasks simultaneously.
• Strong clinical or psychosocial assessment and documentation skills.
• Strong computer skills including, e-mail, EMR, Word and PowerPoint applications.

Licensures, Certifications

• Must possess current Maryland State license as a Registered Nurse or Social Worker.
• Valid driver's license and safe driving record and an automobile that is insured in accordance with GHC requirements

Physical Requirements

• Able to provide patient care or assistance that involves lifting, repositioning, moving patients and includes bending, reaching and twisting.
• Ability to travel to patient locations; includes ability to drive, negotiate stairs and walkways, including uneven surfaces at private homes or facilities.
• Sufficient dexterity to utilize electronic record keeping systems, computers/keyboards and or laptops and other related equipment.
• Vision ability to assess patient's health status using visual inspection and observation and to read medications, charts, calibration and monitoring devices as appropriate
• Speech to verbally communicate to assess and impart information concerning patient status; to effectively complete patient/family teaching and to interact with internal and external health care teams.

Working Conditions

• Normal office environment with driving as large part of the day in the field, which includes visits to patient's homes, some in unsafe areas (escort provided).
• Exposed to adverse working conditions due to performance of patient care activities and exposure to communicable diseases

Principal Duties and Responsibilities:

Account Management Responsibilities

• Actively develops and fosters area hospital referral source acceptance and allegiance to GHC.
• Effectively implements strategies and tactics to increase admissions from referral sources.
• Maintains awareness of changing medical environment and industry competition.
• Represents GHC with professionalism at all times & responds in a timely manner to referral source questions or requests for presentations.
• Maintains current knowledge of each facility's discharge planning process and builds relationships with key institutional referral sources.
• Professionally and compassionately interacts with patients, families and hospital referral sources to explain end-of-life care services.
• Delivers effective "in-services," "lunch & learns" and other presentations to relevant parties educating the medical community on GHC, end-of-life care, hospice philosophy and other related topics.
• Maintains current knowledge of Hospice Medicare Benefit and other applicable insurance information and communicates related information when needed.
• Tracks success of liaison efforts, partners with other Admission & Business Development team members to discuss current procedures, and suggests improvements and new ideas for Admission and Business Development team and specific roles.
• Prepares for and attends required meetings and contributes valuable feedback and relevant suggestions.
• Ensures all HIPAA Privacy and Security Regulations, Medicare Conditions of Participation and all other Joint Commission and other regulatory/compliance requirements are understood and followed.
• Assists with "Share Days" for prospective employees and in orienting new nursing personnel to policies, procedures and practices of GHC and the Hospice Liaison Nurse role.

• Performs job functions in a fiscally responsible manner consistent with GHC policies, mission and vision.

Direct Patient Care Services

• Performs eligibility and clinical assessment visits for patients and coordinates transition of patients to GHC service for their assigned hospital patients.
• Discusses clinical findings with hospital representatives when required.
• Explains GHC services to patients and families in situation-appropriate manner resulting in the admission of appropriate patients and positive impression of GHC.

• Completes timely electronic documentation of any eligibility visits and/or admissions performed and uses electronic medical record (EMR) systems effectively and efficiently to complete required documentation in a variety of patient care settings.

• Oversees pending patients (referrals) and partners with Hospice Admission RNs and other Admission team members in admission process.
• Prioritizes urgency of visits & duties when multiple referral sources require GHC services or information, as directed by GHC policies/procedures.
• Keeps all referral sources updated on the status of all patient care interactions, including on-going status reports for patients admitted to services, including death notifications.
• A willingness to perform the duties of an admissions nurse at homes and facilities when needed (e.g. holidays).

• Other duties as reasonably required.

All roles must demonstrate GBMC Values:

Respect

I will treat everyone with courtesy. I will foster a healing environment.

• Treats others with fairness, kindness, and respect for personal dignity and privacy
• Listens and responds appropriately to others' needs, feelings, and capabilities

Excellence

I will strive for superior performance in every aspect of my work. I will recognize and celebrate the accomplishments of others.

• Meets and/or exceeds customer expectations
• Actively pursues learning and self-development
• Pays attention to detail; follows through

Accountability

I will be professional in the way I act, look and speak. I will take ownership to solve problems.

• Sets a positive, professional example for others
• Takes ownership of problems and does what is needed to solve them
• Appropriately plans and utilizes required resources for various job duties
• Reports to work regularly and on time

Teamwork

I will be engaged and collaborative. I will keep people informed.

• Works cooperatively and collaboratively with others for the success of the team
• Addresses and resolves conflict in a positive way
• Seeks out the ideas of others to reach the best solutions
• Acknowledges and celebrates the contribution of others

Ethical Behavior

I will always act with honesty and integrity. I will protect the patient.

• Demonstrates honesty, integrity and good judgment
• Respects the cultural, psychosocial, and spiritual needs of patients/families/coworkers

Results

I will set goals and measure outcomes that support organizational goals. I will give and accept help to achieve goals.

• Embraces change and improvement in the work environment
• Continuously seeks to improve the quality of products/services
• Displays flexibility in dealing with new situations or obstacles
• Achieves results on time by focusing on priorities and manages time efficiently

COVID-19 Vaccination

All applicants must be fully vaccinated against Covid-19 or obtain a GBMC approved medical or religious exemption prior to starting employment at GBMC Healthcare, to include Gilchrist and GBMC Health Partners.

Equal Employment Opportunity

GBMC HealthCare and its affiliates are Equal Opportunity employers. All qualified applicants will receive consideration for employment without regard to race, color, religion, sex, sexual orientation, gender identity and expression, age, national origin, mental or physical disability, genetic information, veteran status, or any other status protected by federal, state, or local law.