Registered Nurse (RN) - Med Surg
UnitedHealth Group Inc
Austin, TX

Registered Nurse RN Field Base Supportive Care Austin Texas

Opportunities at WellMed, part of the Optum family of businesses. We believe all patients are entitled to the highest level of medical care. Here, you will join a team who shares your passion for helping people achieve better health. With opportunities for physicians, clinical staff and non-patient-facing roles, you can make a difference with us as you discover the meaning behind Caring. Connecting. Growing together. 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 * 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 You'll be rewarded and recognized for your performance in an environment that will challenge you and give you clear direction on what it takes to succeed in your role as well as provide development for other roles you may be interested in. Required Qualifications: * Registered Nurse with a current license to practice in the state of employment * 5+ years of experience in a physician's office, clinical, hospice or hospital setting * Experience related to advanced care planning and discussions with patients regarding end-of-life wishes * Experience interacting productively with individuals and with multidisciplinary teams * Experience conducting advanced care discussions with a patient and their family and properly document their wishes in the electronic medical record * Experience preforming procedures, to include, but not limited to: * Wound care and dressing changes * Phlebotomy * Injection (B12, vaccines) * Demonstrated experience of excellent nursing skills * Proficient knowledge of palliative care and end-of-life symptom management * Proficient computer skills, including Microsoft Word, Excel, Access and Outlook * Reliable transportation * 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: * Hospice and Palliative Care Nursing certification * 2+ years of hospice experience * Knowledge of palliative and hospice medicine * Bilingual (English / Spanish) language proficiency Physical & Mental Requirements: * 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 At UnitedHealth Group, our mission is to help people live healthier lives and make the health system work better for everyone. We believe everyone-of every race, gender, sexuality, age, location and income-deserves the opportunity to live their healthiest life. Today, however, there are still far too many barriers to good health which are disproportionately experienced by people of color, historically marginalized groups and those with lower incomes. We are committed to mitigating our impact on the environment and enabling and delivering equitable care that addresses health disparities and improves health outcomes - an enterprise priority reflected in our mission. 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. OptumCare is a drug-free workplace. Candidates are required to pass a drug test before beginning employment.