Nurse Practitioner
Description JOB SUMMARY: The Nurse Practitioner (NP) would work in coordination with the Hospice Medical Director, providing advanced clinical care to hospice patients in accordance with Medicare Hospice Conditions of Participation. The NP is responsible for symptom management, Palliative Care, and supporting the terminally ill patient and family through the end-of-life process. The NP plays a key role in regulatory compliance, including Face-to-Face (F2F) encounters for hospice recertification, interdisciplinary collaboration, and ensuring accurate, timely documentation to support hospice eligibility and care.
The NP must demonstrate strong alignment with the hospice’s nonprofit, mission-driven values. Provide compassionate, culturally sensitive, and community-centered care. Build trust with patients, families, and community partners. Advocate for patient dignity, comfort, and equitable access to hospice services. ESSENTIAL FUNCTIONS AND RESPONSIBILITIES Reasonable accommodation may be made to enable individuals with disabilities to perform the essential functions .
Perform comprehensive assessments of hospice patients in home and residential settings. Assist with hospice admissions by evaluating clinical eligibility and initial med reviews. Act as the Attending Physician when chosen. Manage pain and complex symptoms (e.g., dyspnea, agitation, delirium, nausea). Develop and revise individualized plans of care in collaboration with the hospice physician. Order and prescribe medications, durable medical equipment (DME), and treatments per state scope of practice and hospice policies.
Respond to acute changes in condition, including urgent or same-day visits as needed. Approve medications in Scriptsure. Cover on call coverage for symptom management and approval of meds. Conduct Face-to-Face (F2F) encounters for patients entering their third benefit period (day 180) and beyond, in compliance with CMS requirements: Perform and document eligibility assessments supporting a prognosis of =6 months if the disease runs its normal course.
Provide clinical findings to assist the hospice physician in certification/recertification decisions. Ensure documentation supports: Terminal prognosis, Ongoing eligibility and Skilled need for hospice services. Identify when patients no longer meet hospice criteria and assist with discharge planning. Participate in QAPI and state surveys as needed. Assist in chart audits, clinical reviews, and compliance initiatives.
Actively participate in Interdisciplinary Group (IDG) meetings every 2 weeks on Wednesday. Collaborate with RN case managers, social workers, chaplains, aides, and volunteers. Provide clinical guidance to team members regarding symptom management and care priorities. Facilitate goals-of-care conversations, advance care planning, and code status discussions. Educate patients and families about disease progression and hospice philosophy.
Provide compassionate support during the end-of-life process, including active dying. Assist with transitions (e.g., hospital to hospice, home placement, imminent death). Requirements EDUCATION AND EXPERIENCE Current, unrestricted Nurse Practitioner license (state-specific). Board certification (FNP, ANP, AGNP, or equivalent). Active DEA license and prescriptive authority. Minimum 2 years of clinical experience; hospice, palliative care, geriatrics, or oncology strongly preferred.
Knowledge of: Medicare Hospice Benefit, CMS Conditions of Participation (CoPs), End-of-life disease trajectories and prognostication. REQUIRED COMPETENCIES Advanced symptom management and palliative care expertise Clinical autonomy with collaborative practice Strong hospice regulatory knowledge Exceptional communication in sensitive situations Ability to manage diverse responsibilities across care continuum Compassionate, mission-driven approach SKILLS AND ABILITIES Ability to work independently and without immediate supervision.
Excellent patient care skills. Strong knowledge of