The Requirements
The ideal RN candidate for this role will have sufficient background knowledge and experience in clinical decision-making for the patient population assigned to you in the home health agency to meet the needs of your patients.To meet the basic qualifications for this role you will have legal authorization to work permanently in the United States for any employer without requiring a visa transfer or visa sponsorship. Quick question for you - click here To be a good fit for the Registered Nurse opportunity, you also should have:
- A degree from a school of professional nursing approved by the Board of Registered Nursing (BRN) or accredited by the National League for Nursing Accrediting Commission (NLNAC).
- An active and unrestricted license as a Registered Nurse in the State of California approved by the Board of Registered Nursing (BRN). Quick question for you - click here
- A current BLS (Basic Life Support) for Healthcare Providers from an AHA accredited source.
- At least one (1) year of professional nursing experience in a clinical healthcare setting. Experience in an acute care setting (such as medical-surgical) is preferred, but we will also consider candidates from other healthcare backgrounds such as outpatient care, urgent care, ambulatory surgery, home health, skilled nursing, etc. Quick question for you - click here
- Public Health Nurse (PHN) license highly desirable, but not required.
- Sufficient computer skills to operate and complete documentation in a timely manner on an Electronic Medical Record system within the probation period.
- Sufficient knowledge of Medicare regulations to be knowledgeable and able to perform an OASIS assessment within three months.
- Sufficient knowledge of home health care operations, self-direction, the ability to work, visit patients and follow CVHCare procedures with minimal supervision.
- The ability to organize and prioritize workload independently and to case manage and coordinate care with other clinicians.
- The ability to communicate clinical observations to the physician and make clinical decisions and complete case management review and evaluation.
- The ability to build strong trust-based relationships and rapport with patients and families.
- A passion for excellent patient care.
- Solid interpersonal and communication skills, including:
- A confident and encouraging bedside manner.
- The ability to interact effectively with diverse patients and families.
- A proactive approach to collaborating with multidisciplinary care team members.
- The ability to communicate clinical observations to the physician.
- Strong self-motivation and the ability to organize and prioritize workload independently.
- Flexibility, adaptability and excellent problem-solving skills.
The Role
OverviewReporting to the Director of Patient Care Services /Director of Nursing, as a Registered Nurse with CVHCare, your will be responsible for providing ongoing support and knowledge through comprehensive assessment, planning, implementation and overall evaluation of individual patient needs. The overall goal of the RN is to enhance the quality of patient management and satisfaction, to promote continuity of care and cost effectiveness through the integrating and functions of case management, utilization management and discharge planning.
Day in the life
The typical workflow for our RNs actually occurs the day before, when your schedulers input patient information into the clinician’s inbox within the EMR software. From there, you will be responsible for calling each patient to schedule a time and date for your visit. This is where your time management skills will be critical. A routine load is around six patients per day. Home health is an autonomous practice, and you’ll have the opportunity to plan your day around your patients needs and schedules. Once you’ve completed your patient visits for the day, you’ll spend the rest of your time on documentation and follow-up calls. Most visits last an average of an hour or so, but that can vary depending on the complexities and acuity of the case.
The Specifics
Your key responsibilities will be to:
- Complete an initial assessment of patient and family to determine home care needs. Provide a complete physical assessment and history of current and previous illness(es). Provide the initial nursing assessment (initial evaluation visit) prior to the provision of care, provides the ongoing periodic assessment of the patient and initiates preventative and rehabilitative nursing procedures.
- Develop and initiate the plan of care, which establishes goals based on nursing diagnosis and incorporates therapeutic, preventive, and rehabilitative nursing actions. Include the patient and the family in the planning process. Make necessary revisions as patient status and needs change. Review patient’s clinical diagnosis, medications, procedures and clinical course.
- Promote effective and efficient utilization of clinical resources. Assign appropriate disciplines (PT, OT, SLP, MSW, RD, CHHA) based on needs.
- Review and evaluate each case, by reviewing the services provided by all disciplines through on-going case conferences, record review and contact with MD. Conduct concurrent medical record review using specific indicators and criteria as approved by Compliance, JCAHO, CMS, and other state agencies.
- Provide guidance to clinicians to promote more effective delivery of quality home care services and is available at all times during operating hours to assist clinicians over the phone, as appropriate.
- Communicate with physicians at regular intervals throughout episode and develops an effective working relationship.
- Coordinate and follow-up on equipment ordered and other necessary patient supplies.
- Serve as a patient advocate. Enhance a collaborative relationship to maximize the patient’s and family’s ability to make informed decisions.
Why CVHCare
'Own' your caseloadIn contrast to most clinical settings, you will enjoy significant one-on-one time with your patients. This will allow you to observe and assess each patient holistically, including hazards in the home environment, available support networks and other factors that will shape your care plan. Our patient census is growing rapidly, so you'll enjoy a fast-paced environment where you can showcase your clinical nursing skills.
Setting you up for success
At CVHCare, our leaders take pride in being open and responsive to employee input. For example:
- We created an operational support team for clinicians to reduce documentation, like pre-populating the medication reconciliation, Plan of Care formulation, coding, tracking down DME orders, getting MD signatures, chart auditing, lab follow-up, etc.
- We brought in an IT team to develop a proprietary EMR system that will facilitate documentation. It is in the pilot stages but should be in production soon.
- You'll work with a dedicated scheduler, who will get to know your preferences and be a great daily resource.
You'll have a good deal of leeway in scheduling your hours and even days, as long as you accommodate patient needs. You can choose to work Monday through Friday, or work one weekend day and have a weekday free. In general you'll work standard hours, but you also could take a two-hour break between morning and afternoon patients, making up those two hours in the early evening.
Supportive leadership
Your supervisors are happy to take calls or meet with you to answer care questions, brainstorm ideas or help clear up confusion. Our executives take turns in a 24-hour on-call rotation to make themselves available to you at any time. We'll provide the tools you need, including a smartphone, laptop/tablet, visit bag, clinical equipment and field devices.
Professional development
You'll enjoy paid orientation, which includes extensive classroom and hands-on training, and incorporates a simulation skills lab and 1:1 field training with seasoned peers and clinical management. Our dedicated Clinical Training Department offers ongoing learning, and we pay for continuing education and training. If you have the ambition, and once you've proven yourself in this role, you might set your sights on moving up to a clinical trainer, agency manager or division lead role.
Great culture
We are committed to fostering a culture of trust and honesty, recognizing that it helps motivate all of us to provide high quality care. We regularly survey employees regarding job satisfaction, supervisor performance and feedback regarding the workplace. We also recognize and reward top performers.
Full spectrum care
You'll work with clinicians in a variety of specialties, including skilled nursing, physical therapy, occupational therapy, medical social work and registered dietitians. Our patient population is largely geriatric, but may include people of all ages.
Excellent benefits
Full and part time employees (those who work at least 32 hours per week) can enroll in benefits after 30 days. Health and dental insurance are 100% covered for employees. You'll start accruing PTO on day one, with two weeks offered during the first year. You also can enroll in the 401(k) plan after 90 days.
Keys to Success
If you are new to home health care, we think you will find it very rewarding. At the same time, it is different from working in a clinical setting. Working in the field means you'll need to be resourceful and self-sufficient in solving problems and achieving goals. Time management skills will be absolutely key to your success as you plan your day and take all of the various factors and variables into play--such as drive time, traffic, picking up equipment, researching patient history, and so much more. You'll leverage your critical thinking skills, time management and sound judgment to get everything done within an 8-hour work day. Flexibility and adaptability are also essential; for example, the schedule you start with in the morning may change during the course of the day.We have created a strong support infrastructure, so you won't feel like you are on an island. Just the same, you should be proactive about communicating with patients, families, physicians, other clinicians, your supervisor, your scheduler and other stakeholders. We have tools to help you do so, but it will be up to you to put them to good use. You should be comfortable incorporating technology into your work routine, and it's important to note that documentation is a very significant component to this role.
Those who excel at CVH are passionate about patient care, and about making a difference in the lives of patients and their families. In addition, they are:
- Motivated to go above and beyond, and enjoy taking on challenges.
- Honest and forthright while also being respectful and collaborative.
- Highly engaged in the CVHCare mission and vision.