Lead Nurse-Palliative Care

Location

Fairbanks, AK, US

Organization Name

Clinical Services/Nursing

Job Summary

Job Summary: The Lead RN – Palliative Care provides clinical leadership, program oversight, and operational management for an interdisciplinary palliative care program serving rural and remote village communities. This role is responsible for ensuring high-quality, patient-centered care delivery while maintaining compliance with grant requirements, regulatory standards, and organizational goals.The Lead RN oversees day-to-day program operations, supports staff development, leads quality improvement efforts, and ensures accurate data tracking and reporting. In addition, this position provides direct clinical support and coverage as needed to ensure continuity of care for patients with serious and life-limiting illnesses, including those receiving end-of-life care.This position is based in a regional hub with travel and telehealth responsibilities to support care delivery across village sites.

Adhere to the TCC Ch'eghwtsen' model of service and guiding principle which requires providing timely and effective service along with the ability to interact with others in a way that inspires trust and demonstrates respect, compassion and empathy.

Fulfill the mission of the Nursing Department:

Staff of the TCC Nursing Division strive to work at the highest level of our professions, utilizing evidence-based practice to deliver accessible holistic care to the individual, family, and community throughout the region. We promote the wellbeing of future generations by cultivating connections, honoring culture, and empowering patients to take control of their healthcare.

Essential Functions

Essential Functions: This list is ILLUSTRATIVE ONLY and is not a comprehensive listing of all functions and tasks performed by incumbent(s).

Representative Duties: Under the direct supervision of the Home Care Manager, the job incumbent will be assigned from the following representative duties:

Leadership and Development

1. Provides effective leadership, coaching, and direct supervision of staff in the delivery of services to our customer owners.

2. Provides leadership to staff in executing organizational goals and objectives.

3. Proactively engages in process improvement. Identifies needs, works with the managers to update and improve work processes and methods. Enlists staff input as the architects in process improvement.

4. Consults with other clinical departments appropriate to collaborate in operations and performance improvement activities.

5. Facilitates regular meetings with department staff.

6. Serves as a role model in demonstrating flexibility, positive response under stressful situations, fairness amongst staff, positive energy, appropriate delegation of tasks, be approachable, demonstrating accountability, and ensuring well-informed decisions.

7. May be designated to act on behalf of the Home Care Manager as needed.

Grant Management & Reporting

8. Ensure compliance with all grant requirements, including RHTP guidelines and reporting timelines.

9. Lead data collection, tracking, and reporting of program metrics, outcomes, and performance measures.

10. Collaborate with finance and administrative teams to monitor budget and allowable expenses.

11. Prepare and submit grant reports, progress updates, and required documentation.

12. Support program evaluation and continuous quality improvement initiatives.

Personnel Management

13. Recruits, trains, and supervises Registered Nurses and Licensed Practical Nurses. Interviews, hires, guides, orientation of new employees.

14. Promotes the professional growth and development of staff through identification of needs, encouraging education (formal and continuing) efforts, and evaluation of the same.

15. Responsible for completing regular performance evaluation for each staff member; conducts evaluations for new staff prior to completion of probationary period and as appropriate, utilizes the disciplinary process.

16. Provides coverage for direct reports and managers as needed in their absences.

Clinical

17. Provide direct patient care as needed to support program operations and ensure continuity of care.

18. Conduct comprehensive assessments and assist with symptom management and care planning.

19. Support goals-of-care discussions and advance care planning.

20. Provide clinical coverage for RN Case Manager and team members during absences or increased demand.

21. Participate in telehealth and in-person visits, including travel to village communities.

Operations

22. Participates in program development activities.

23. Participates in development, improvement, and deployment of new employee orientation materials.

24. Participate and document rounding on department staff.

25. Reinforce year-round accreditation standards and readiness.

26. Manage various day-to-day operational needs (e.g. employee travel requests, purchase request)

27. Attends/coordinates for appropriate meetings.

Quality and Compliance

28. Ensure that documentation meets current standards in collaboration with managers.

29. Ensures departments meet regulatory standards for Accreditation Association for Ambulatory Care (AAAHC) and/or Commission on Accreditation of Rehabilitation Facilities (CARF), including environment of care standards and infection control.

30. Monitors quality and compliance initiatives.

31. Assists to collect data for TCC Quality.

32. Receive incident reports submitted in organizations' event management system. Report to the manager on a routine basis.

33. Reviews policies on an annual basis.

Customer Service

34. Monitors and plans customer service initiatives.

Financial

35. Provides input to leadership to formulate budget requests to achieve program objectives.

Other Responsibilities:

1. Performs other job-related duties as assigned.

Minimum Qualifications

Minimum Qualifications: Incumbents may meet minimum qualifications for this position with the following combinations of education, training, and experience.

1. Alaska Native or American Indian Preferred.

2. Current and active RN license in the State of Alaska.

3. Associate's degree in nursing with nine (9) years of clinical experience or seven (7) years with certification in nursing leadership; or bachelor's degree in nursing with seven (7) years of experience or five (5) years with certification. Master’s degree preferred.

4. Certification in Hospice and Palliative Care preferred.

5. Experience in ambulatory care or public health preferred.

6. Experience in leadership, supervision, or teaching staff preferred.

7. Current Basic Life Support (BLS) certification from the American Heart Association or equivalent.

8. Must be able to maintain strict confidentiality.

9. Proficiency in office procedures, record keeping, written and verbal communication, and task & time management gained through education and training or through prior work experience.

10. Must be able to maintain strict confidentiality.

11. Must pass background check pursuant to Federal Indian Child Protection and family Violence Prevention Act Requirement and State of Alaska background check.

Knowledge, Skills and Abilities:

1. Expert in nursing care techniques, including but not limited to patient assessment and vital sign measurements, administering medications and injections, assisting with patient exams and treatments, providing patient education.

2. Demonstrate the ability to assist in the collection and assessment of patient data to help develop and evaluate care plans.

3. Thorough knowledge of standard safety protocols, infection control, and patient safety measures.

4. Strong written and verbal communication skills for interacting with patients, families, and healthcare teams.

5. Excellent critical thinking and problem-solving skills for quick decision making in clinical situations.

6. High level of attention to detail, ensuring accurate documentation and monitoring of patient status.

7. Proficient in using healthcare technology, such as electronic health records and monitoring equipment.

8. Leadership and management capabilities, with the ability to mentor and support staff in a team-based setting.

9. Knowledge of Performance Improvement principles, quality assurance initiates, and continuous improvement methodologies.

10. Strong interpersonal and conflict-resolution skills to promote a positive, respectful and collaborative environment.

11. Must be dependable, prompt, motivated, and able to work under minimum supervision.

12. Strong affinity for team-based work and collaborative problem solving.

13. Proficiency with PC based office productivity software (Microsoft Office, Outlook, etc.).

14. Ability to operate standard office equipment.

15. Ability to maintain patient and organizational confidentiality, interact effectively with patients and fellow staff, and communicate clearly.

Supervision: This position has supervisory responsibility.

Supervision

Physical demands: Work requires walking, standing, and occasional lifting, bending, and pushing to assist patients, moving equipment, and issue supplies. Sedentary activities consist of sitting at a desk, typing, and computer operation. Knowledge of proper body mechanics and office ergonomics is required. Ability to lift and carry up to 20 pounds routinely and a maximum of 50 pounds occasionally. Must be able to assist patients with safe transfers using appropriate body mechanics and/or equipment, including but not limited to from their vehicle to a wheelchair at TCC entrances. Incumbents must be able to work efficiently in a busy and sometimes stressful environment. Shared office space in a clinical setting.

Work environment: Work is performed in a clinic or home setting, treating patients with a wide variety of medical problems. The employee may be exposed to communicable disease during performance of duties. Job incumbents may travel to remote locations by vehicle, small plane, boat, or alternate means of transportation. Some degree of risk is also present in working with substance use affected individuals and emotionally disturbed patients. There is a risk of exposure to toxic chemical agents and other medications.

Summation

Summary: The most important skills necessary to succeed in this position are excellent communication and problem-solving skills and dedication to ensuring the highest quality of service for medical staff and patients.This job is not an employee agreement or contract. Management has the exclusive right to alter this job at any time without notice.