Travel Hospice Registered Nurse (Home & Inpatient)
Colchester, VT
GHR Healthcare - PH Division
3x12 hrs

Hospice RN Travel Opportunity - Home Health & Hospice

Location & Setting

• Hospice care provided in both inpatient (21 beds at respite house) and home/SNF/ALF settings (approx. 80 patients).
• Patient population primarily adults, occasionally pediatrics in home setting.
• Terminally ill patients with prognosis of 6 months or less.
• Hospice/end-of-life care focused on complex symptom management and education.

Experience & Certification Requirements

• Minimum 3-5 years clinical experience required.
• Minimum 3 years clinical experience specifically in hospice/community hospice.
• AHA BLS certification required.
• Excellent typing skills needed due to narrative-heavy electronic medical record (EMR).

Orientation & Training

• 2-3 days of orientation.
• Online facility-specific onboarding prior to arrival.
• Training includes use of Net Smart documentation system (Oasis not required for hospice).

Patient Care & Unit Details

• Nurse-patient ratio:

  • Home setting: caseloads of 12-14 patients.
  • Inpatient respite house day shift: 5-7 patients.
  • Overnight shift: up to 11 patients.
• CNA/PCT support available (4 staff per shift).
• Advanced Practice Provider (NP) available full-time on unit.
• No floating required; rotation between home hospice and inpatient respite house.
• No charge nurse responsibilities.
• Call coverage rarely needed but may be required occasionally.
• Holiday coverage if needed.

Shift & Scheduling

• Typical shifts:

  • Inpatient respite house: 7-7:30 (12-hour shifts).
  • Home hospice: 8 AM - 4:30 PM, Monday-Friday.
• Rotation includes 1 weekend shift at inpatient respite house and home hospice during the week.
• Intended workdays: Thursday through Sunday.
• No self-scheduling; schedule set by facility.
• No block schedules allowed.
• Bi-weekly orientations on Mondays.

Clinical Skills & Procedures

• Strong comprehensive assessment skills for end-of-life care planning.
• Symptom assessment and management requiring high-level critical thinking.
• Comfort with goals of care discussions with patients, families, and team.
• Medication management and administration via multiple routes: IV, subcutaneous, oral, sublingual, rectal, etc.
• Unit-specific procedures include:

  • Pain management and continuous infusion initiation.
  • Subcutaneous site insertion and maintenance.
  • Central line care (PORT/IVAD, PICC).
  • Palliative sedation.
  • Tracheostomy care.
  • Rectal tube management.
  • Wound care, ostomy, and drain management.
  • Venipuncture for labs/specimens.

Equipment & Support

• Use of specialized equipment such as CADD pumps, feeding pumps, suction units, BiPAP/CPAP, nebulizers, IV pumps, glucose and INR monitors.
• Respiratory and anesthesia support not available 24/7.
• No ventilator management required.

Dress Code & Professional Appearance

• Business casual or non-hospital scrubs in non-institutional colors.
• Closed-toe, supportive shoes required.
• Limited jewelry; no nail polish.
• Hair and beard must be neat and tidy.

Additional Notes

• Strict protocols for patient/family communication using facility app.
• Travelers assigned to geographic areas; weekend rotations may require travel within service area.
• Reliable personal transportation strongly recommended; public transportation not accessible.
• Vehicles should have all-season or snow tires from November through April.
• No time off allowed in March; limited/no time off in April.
• COVID and flu vaccination declinations accepted with proper documentation.

Contract Length

• Approximately 20 weeks.

This opportunity is ideal for experienced hospice RNs comfortable with complex symptom management, end-of-life care, and working in both home and inpatient hospice settings.