Quality Assurance Nurse

Hours: Monday to Friday - 8am to 5pm

Summary & Objective

The Quality Assurance Nurse is responsible for quality assurance calls to patients and families, documenting response (s) to calls, and for immediate service recovery on issues encountered by responses. 

Essential Functions

• Assess physical, psychological, social and spiritual needs of the patient and family within 24 hours of admission.
• Assess and evaluates the patient for physical home care needs, medications and nursing care needs timely.
• Develops and implements an individualized plan of care including creating measurable patient-centered goals in collaboration with the physician and the patient, that consistently is updated and reviewed to reflect assessment findings to ensure quality patient home care.     
• Reviews and updates plan of care including interventions, medication profile, visit frequency to meet the patient’s changing needs. 
• Assess and reports to physician changes of patient condition, needs and facilitates documentation to meet program’s eligibility for services timely.
• Documents physicians’ orders when received to provide accurate information and ensure safe delivery of services.
• Identifies discharge planning needs as part of the care plan development and implements prior to discharge of the patient.
• Supervises, teaches and evaluates care provided by other care providers to ensure compliance to the plan of care.
• Educates and instructs the patient and their families as required. 
• Documents assessments, interventions and all changes thoroughly at the point of service in the electronic health record and synchronizes this documentation for each patient according to Catholic Hospice standards Communicates handoffs, timely to ensure communication is relayed appropriately for continuation of quality care.
• Effectively plans, organizes, sets priorities and completes assignments within established time frames.
• Administers medications and treatments prescribed by the attending physician and/or hospice physician. 
• Attends and participates in Interdisciplinary Team Meetings as required.
• Participates in hospice activities such as Memorial Services, Community Education, etc., as requested by the Team Manager.
• Able to identify and provide ongoing assessment of the physical, psychological, social and spiritual needs of the patient and family and act accordingly or initiate appropriate intervention or referral.

*Reasonable accommodations may be made to enable individuals with disabilities to perform the essential functions of the position.

Other Duties

• Assists in other activities and departments when requested to ensure complete and thorough patient care for all Catholic Hospice patients.
• Participates in Continuous Quality Improvement activities to support the quality of services.
• Precepts new staff to support professional relationships with newly hired team members as required.
• Completes accurate and appropriate documentation of patient/family services within 24 hours of visit and maintains accuracy of electronic medical record including accuracy of medication profile.
• Coordinates care to the patient and family within the Interdisciplinary team and availability of all resources.
• Collaborates with Nursing Home staff by initiating the written plan of care, maintaining professional management of hospice care and attending care plan meetings. 
• Actively participates in quality assurance and performance improvement projects as directed by Clinical Team. 
• Serves as case manager and advocate to the patient and family while collaborating with attending physicians, insurance case managers, skilled nursing facility staff, assisted living facility staff as well as all health-related practitioners.
• Evaluates services provided by the Hospice Aide every two weeks with periodic on-site supervisory visits if needed.
• Demonstrates knowledge of hospice levels of care, Medicare and Medicaid Hospice Benefits by providing appropriate documentation when the need arises.
• Provides on-going assessments of physical, psychological, social and spiritual needs of the patient and family and initiates appropriate intervention or referral.
• Actively participate in the care planning process, updating care plans according to the needs of the patient in the IPU.
• Provides education to a diverse group of caregivers audibly and in writing, on how to properly care for patient/family care.
• Participates in the team responsibility of providing patient care twenty-four hours a day, seven days a week.
• Consistently able to work calmly and maintain effectiveness in situations of high stress. 
• Maintaining the ability to extend hospitality and patience while assisting patients, families, physicians and peers under stressful circumstances.
• Attend home deaths as required and communicating with physician, funeral home, and team (if applicable)
• Provide accurate and appropriate documentation and submit daily. 
• Ability to lift and move patients according to accepted nursing standards of body mechanics.
• Provide orientation on a regular basis to new employees. 
• Ensure effective communication with Interdisciplinary Teams.
• Participate with on-call rotations.
• Ability to interact with the public and other employees in a positive manner and promote a cooperative working environment.
• Coordinate several projects at the same time with competing timelines. 
• Ability to coordinate several projects at the same time with competing demands and tight time lines.
• Demonstrate adherence to Catholic Hospice, Inc. policies and procedures and pertinent State and Federal Rules and Regulations.
• Ability to travel to any location throughout South Florida as needed and expand territory as business needs dictate.
• Maintain your required licenses, certifications and mandatory skill updates.
• Comply with all policies, local, state and federal laws and regulations.
• Provide other duties of healthcare team member.
• Perform other duties as assigned.

Supervisory Responsibility

• May serve as an interim department leader depending on need

Physical Requirements

• Must be able to lift and/or move up to 50 pounds and push/pull up to 250+ pounds, walk, climb stair or ladders, stand on feet for extended periods of time, etc.

Disclaimer

The job description is not designed to cover or contain a comprehensive listing of activities duties or responsibilities that are required of the employee. Other duties, responsibilities and activities may change or be assigned at any time.

EEOC Statement

CHS provides equal employment opportunities to all employees and applicants for employment and prohibits discrimination and harassment of any type without regard to race, color, religion, age, sex, national origin, disability status, genetics, protected veteran status, sexual orientation, gender identity or expression, or any other characteristic protected by federal, state or local laws.

This policy applies to all terms and conditions of employment, including recruiting, hiring, placement, promotion, termination, layoff, recall, transfer, leaves of absence, compensation and training.