Director of Hospice Admissions /Lead Nurse (RN) Loma ...

Director of Admissions/ Lead Nurse (RN)About the OrganizationWe are a growth-stage hospice organization operating through joint ventures with leading hospital systems. Our mission is patient-first-delivering compassionate, high-quality end-of-life care that supports patients and families during critical moments of need.Our culture is defined by clinical excellence, operational discipline, emotional intelligence, and accountability. As we continue to expand across hospital-partnered markets, the Director of Hospice Admissions/ Lead Nurse (RN) plays a pivotal leadership role at the front door of hospice-ensuring consistent, high-performing admissions operations while serving as a trusted clinical leader to hospital partners, patients, families, and the admissions team.Position OverviewThe Director of Hospice Admissions/ Lead Nurse (RN) is a senior clinical admissions role responsible for overseeing day-to-day admissions performance, coaching and developing Admissions Nurses, and ensuring strong referral-to-admission conversion, speed-to-admission, and clinical quality outcomes.This role functions as a player-coach, maintaining a partial admissions caseload while leading workflows, providing real-time clinical guidance, and serving as the escalation point for complex eligibility cases, family dynamics, and hospital partner concerns.The Admissions Lead Nurse owns admissions outcomes within their assigned market or joint venture and works closely with Intake, Clinical Operations, and Nursing Leadership to continuously improve admissions performance and experience. Full time $120k-150k/year Full Benefits Key ResponsibilitiesAdmissions Leadership & Daily Operations Provide day-to-day leadership and oversight of Admissions Nurses Serve as the primary clinical escalation resource for complex hospice eligibility, family dynamics, and admission barriers Ensure consistent execution of admissions workflows, SOPs, and best practices Support staffing coordination, coverage planning, and workload balancing to meet referral demandReferral-to-Admission Performance Ownership Own referral-to-admission conversion, speed-to-admission, and admission quality outcomes Monitor real-time referral pipelines and proactively intervene to prevent delays, leakage, or avoidable non-admits Partner with Intake and Operations to optimize referral routing, scheduling, and handoffs Identify trends in deferrals, non-admits, and delays and lead corrective action plansPlayer-Coach Clinical Execution Maintain a partial admissions caseload and complete hospice admissions as needed Model best-in-class hospice eligibility assessments, patient and family education, and documentation standards Lead by example in professionalism, urgency, and compassionate communication Support same-day and high-acuity admissions when requiredCoaching, Training & Development Coach Admissions Nurses through case reviews, shadowing, real-time feedback, and skills development Support onboarding and training of new Admissions Nurses Partner with Nursing Leadership on performance management, remediation, and development planning Reinforce high standards for clinical rigor and documentation qualityHospital & Referral Partner Engagement Serve as a senior clinical point of contact for hospital case managers, social workers, physicians, and nursing leaders Address escalated partner concerns related to admissions decisions, responsiveness, or patient experience Provide clear, timely communication regarding admission outcomes Strengthen referral relationships through credibility, consistency, and follow-throughDocumentation, Compliance & Quality Oversight Ensure all admissions documentation meets Medicare, state, and organizational compliance standards Conduct chart reviews and provide structured feedback Partner with Quality and Compliance teams to address audit findings or risk areas Maintain high standards for eligibility documentation, consents, and physician ordersContinuous Improvement & Collaboration Partner with Intake, Clinical Operations, and Leadership to improve workflows and systems Participate in performance reviews, root cause analyses, and improvement initiatives Provide frontline insight into process gaps, training needs, and system enhancements Support change management during growth initiatives, new partnerships, or workflow updatesPerformance Outcomes & Key MetricsGrowth & Access (40%) Referral-to-admission conversion meets or exceeds organizational benchmarks Strong speed-to-admission performance (same-day or within defined service levels) Reduction in avoidable non-admits and referral leakage Admissions capacity aligned with census growth targetsClinical Quality & Compliance (30%) Accurate hospice eligibility determinations across the admissions team Audit and chart review compliance ? 99% Zero material documentation deficiencies related to admissionsPatient, Family & Partner Experience (20%) High patient and family satisfaction during the admissions process Positive hospital and referral partner feedback Effective handling of escalations and complex casesCulture & Team Leadership (10%) Strong coaching, accountability, and team engagement Demonstrated emotional intelligence, urgency, and ownership Active contribution to training and continuous improvement initiativesRequired Qualifications Active, unrestricted Registered Nurse (RN) license in the applicable state Minimum of 5 years of hospice, palliative care, or closely related clinical experience Prior hospice admissions experience required Demonstrated ability to lead, coach, and influence clinical peers Strong knowledge of hospice eligibility criteria and Medicare hospice regulations Exceptional communication, clinical judgment, and problem-solving skills Proficiency with EMRs and admissions/intake systems Valid driver's license and reliable transportationPreferred Qualifications Prior experience in an Admissions Lead, Admissions Manager, or Charge Nurse-type role CHPN (Certified Hospice & Palliative Nurse) or willingness to obtain Experience working in hospital-based or joint venture hospice models Experience supporting high-volume or hospital-based referral environmentsCultural ExpectationsAdmissions Lead Nurses are expected to: Take full ownership of admissions outcomes Lead with urgency, empathy, and professionalism Coach others while maintaining high performance standards Communicate clearly and decisively with internal and external stakeholders Serve as a visible clinical leader who reinforces the organization's mission and valuesHow to ApplyIf you're ready to take the next step in your career with a team that values their employees, click Apply Now!#LDTA

Created: 2026-04-19