Registered Nurse, RN, Palliative Care, Healthcare, WellMed - San Antonio, TX - Full-time / Part-time

There's an energy and excitement here, a shared mission to improve the lives of others as well as our own. Nursing here isn't for everybody. Instead of seeing a handful of patients each day, your work may affect millions for years to come. Ready for a new path? Start doing your life's best work.(sm) 
 
Full-Time Field Base Position: This position requires 100% travel in the San Antonio, TX area
 


The Palliative Care RN/Case Manager coordinates care and provides initial ongoing nursing assessment of the patient and family needs and coordination of the patient’s plan of care with interdisciplinary team members and the palliative care attending physician.
 
Primary Responsibilities:

Conducts medical home visits on established Bridges in Complex Care patients performing a hands-on exam at each visit
Conducts urgent / acute visits on established Bridges in Complex Care patients with the goal of keeping the patient out of the hospital in order to receive the best medical care at home
Provides ongoing assessments of the impact of life-limiting chronic illness on the patient’s physical, functional, psychosocial and environmental needs
Assess for caregiver burnout, and provide community resources when appropriate
Implement the individualized plan of care and recommend revisions to the plan as necessary
Ability to perform procedures, to include, but not limited to: Wound care and dressing changes, Phlebotomy, Injection (B12, vaccines)
Ability to conduct an advanced care discussion with a patient and their family and properly document their wishes in the electronic medical record
Consults and educates the patient/family and other caregivers regarding the disease process, pain and symptom management, end of life care and processes for dealing with issues of ethical concern
Initiates appropriate preventive and rehabilitative nursing procedures when appropriate
Ensure continual assessment of patient and family needs from admission to Bridges in Complex Care throughout the course of care
Provides ongoing evaluation of the patient and family / caregiver response to care, and recommends alteration of the plan when necessary
Attends the interdisciplinary meeting and is a crucial and vocal member of the team
Solves problems by gathering and / or reviewing facts and selecting the best solution from identified alternatives; Decision making is usually based on prior practice or policy, with some interpretation
Applies individual reasoning to the solution of a problem devising or modifying processes and writing procedures
Conducts telephonic nursing follow up and case management when necessary
Serves as a resource or consultant for LVN
Attends educational offerings to keep abreast of palliative care and complies with licensing requirements
Establishes a trusting relationship with identified patients, caregivers, clinic staff members and physicians
Collaborates with the providers to recommend policies, procedures and standards which affect the care of the Bridges in Complex Care Patient
Exhibits professionalism and is courteous with all patients, physicians and co-workers
Informs the provider of patient’s needs and outcomes of interventions as per standards
Determines the scope and frequency of services needed based on acuity and patient/family needs
Coordinates all patient / family services and prioritization of needs with the members of the interdisciplinary team
Documents in the electronic health record progress toward established goals as per standards
Uses the case management approach and refers to other services as needed
Maintains a patient case load, daily visits and point of care documentation levels as per standards
Participates with the on-call rotation schedule and weekends as assigned
Performs all other related nursing duties as assigned

Required Qualifications:


Registered Nurse with a current license to practice in the state of employment
2+ years experience in a physician’s office, clinical, hospice or hospital setting
Reliable transportation
Demonstrated experience of excellent nursing skills
Proficient knowledge of palliative care and end-of-life symptom management
Experience related to advanced care planning and discussions with patients regarding end-of-life wishes
Excellent verbal and written skills
Ability to interact productively with individuals and with multidisciplinary teams
Proficient computer skills, including Microsoft Word, Excel, Access and Outlook
Excellent organizational and prioritization skills 

This position requires Tuberculosis screening as well as proof of immunity to Measles, Mumps, Rubella, Varicella, Tetanus, Diphtheria, and Pertussis through lab confirmation of immunity, documented evidence of vaccination, or a doctor’s diagnosis of disease
Preferred Qualifications:

2+ years of hospice experience
Hospice and Palliative Care Nursing certification
Knowledge of palliative and hospice medicine
Bilingual (English/Spanish) language proficiency
Physical Requirements:


Ability to lift up to 100 pounds

Ability to sit for extended periods of time

Ability to use fine motor skills to operate office equipment and/or machinery

Ability to receive and comprehend instructions verbally and/or in writing

Ability to use logical reasoning for simple and complex problem solving
Careers with WellMed. Our focus is simple. We're innovators in preventative health care, striving to change the face of health care for seniors. We're impacting 90,000+ lives, primarily Medicare eligible seniors in Texas and Florida, through primary and multi-specialty clinics, and contracted medical management services. We've joined Optum, part of the UnitedHealth Group family of companies, and our mission is to help the sick become well and to help patients understand and control their health in a lifelong effort at wellness. Our providers and staff are selected for their dedication and focus on preventative, proactive care. For you, that means one incredible team and a singular opportunity to do your life's best work.(sm)
 
Diversity creates a healthier atmosphere: UnitedHealth Group is an Equal Employment Opportunity/Affirmative Action employer and all qualified applicants will receive consideration for employment without regard to race, color, religion, sex, age, national origin, protected veteran status, disability status, sexual orientation, gender identity or expression, marital status, genetic information, or any other characteristic protected by law.
 
UnitedHealth Group is a drug-free workplace. Candidates are required to pass a drug test before beginning employment.  
 
Job Keywords: Palliative Care, Case Manager, RN, Registered Nurse, healthcare, WellMed, San Antonio, TX, Texas