Job Duties/Knowledge (Essential)

• Completes an initial assessment of patient and family to determine home care needs. Provides a complete physical assessment and history of current and previous illness(es).
• Regularly re-evaluates patient nursing needs.
• Initiates the plan of care and makes necessary revisions as patient status and needs change.
• Uses health assessment data to determine nursing diagnosis.
• Develops a care plan which establishes goals, based on nursing diagnosis and incorporates therapeutic, preventive, and rehabilitative nursing actions. Includes the patient and the family in the planning process.
• Initiates appropriate preventive and rehabilitative nursing procedures. Administers medications and treatments as prescribed by the physician.
• Counsels the patient and family in meeting nursing and related needs.
• Provides health care instructions to the patient as appropriate per assessment and plan.
• Identifies discharge planning needs as part of the care plan development and implements prior to discharge of the patient.

Communication

• Prepares clinical notes and updates the primary physician when necessary and at least every sixty-two days.
• Communicates with the physician regarding the patient’s needs and reports and changes in the patient’s condition; obtains/receives physicians orders as required.
• Communicates with community health related persons to coordinate the care plan.

Additional Duties

• Participates in on-call duties as defined by the on-call policy.
• Ensures that arrangements for equipment and other necessary items and services are available.
• Instructs, supervises and evaluates home health aide care provided every fourteen days.

Qualifications

• Graduate of an accredited school of nursing. One to two years of recent acute care experience in an institutional setting.
• Current licensure in State, BLS hands-on CPR certification.
• Valid driver’s license and auto insurance.
• Associate degree with one year of home health care experience preferred.
• Management experience not required. Responsible for supervising home health aides.
• Excellent observation, verbal and written communication skills, problem solving skills, basic math skills; nursing skills per competency checklist.
• Prolonged or considerable walking or standing. Able to lift, position or transfer patients. Able to lift supplies and equipment. Considerable reaching, stooping, bending, kneeling or crouching. Visual acuity and hearing to perform required nursing skills.