Job Description

Triage Nurse

Why Work For Nebraska Methodist Health System?

At Nebraska Methodist Health System, we focus on providing exceptional care to the communities we serve and people we employ. We call it The Meaning of Care a culture that has and will continue to set us apart. It's helping families grow by making each delivery special, conveying a difficult diagnosis with a compassionate touch, going above and beyond for a patient's needs, or giving a high five when a patient beats a disease or conquers a personal health challenge. We offer competitive pay, excellent benefits and a great work environment where all employees are valued! Most importantly, our employees are part of a team that makes a real difference in the communities we live and work in.

Job Description

Location: Methodist Physicians Clinic - Jennie Edmundson Medical Plaza Address: 808 E Pierce St - Council Bluffs, IA Work Shift: Monday through Friday, 8AM - 5PM

The Triage Nurse will provide triage telephone service to enhance compliance with the patients plan of care and ensure prompt identification of patients with high-risk conditions. This will be accomplished by sorting and prioritizing patients through assessments, monitoring, recording and reporting changes in their condition. Triage nurses will be involved in every aspect of the patient's health. Precision and accuracy in maintaining detailed assessment and reports is important in relaying information to the doctors or to the patients. Will prepared, assist, and instruct patients for examinations and treatment and inform family members on health care education topics.

Responsibilities

1. Performs telephone triage to determine patient needs by recording and reporting patient condition to provider and advising patient based on provider instructions.

• Receives and returns patient calls within 90 minutes based on medical priority 95% of the time.
• Accurately records and reports patient's condition according to department policy 98% of the time.
• Strictly adheres to practice protocols.
• Consults patient's chart while talking to the patient.
• Returns phone messages according to protocol at least 98% of the time.
• Provides test results according to protocol at least 98% of the time.

2. At the direction of the provider provides patient and family education to ensure adequate knowledge/awareness and recommends appropriate community resources as needed.

• Educates/instructs patients according to providers direction 98% of the time.

3. Medical Home

• Documents all lab, procedures, and appointments on tracking forms.
• Completes tracking forms and follows up on missed appointments and procedures.
• Assists Health Coaches by working patient lists and scheduling appointments as directed.

4. Maintains work areas to ensure healthy environmental conditions by cleaning and organizing equipment and rooms.

• Maintains clean and organized work area according to department/provider protocol 99% of the time.

5. Handles prescription renewals/inquiries to facilitate patient care. Discusses questions with provider and relays information to pharmacy.

• Handles prescription refills according to department/provider protocols 99% of the time.
• Accurately completes pharmacy requests 100% of the time.

6. Provides appropriate care specific to the age of the patient to ensure understanding and comfort level of treatment as outlined in the "Age Specific Criteria".

7. Completes Nursing Assessments

• Uses nursing judgment to develop plan of care.
• Determines severity of patient illness and intervention to treat while prioritizing patient calls.
• Documents clear and concise notes describing phone call utilizing SBAR (situation, background, assessment, recommendation) format.
• Communicates between provider and patient appropriately.
• Conducts patient and family education; evaluates and documents in chart, the patient's understanding of all education.
• Coordinates continuation of care through referrals to specialists.

8. Prepares exam rooms and equipment to facilitate treatment and examination of patients by setting up instruments/equipment and stocking supplies.

• Prepares exam rooms and medical equipment according to provider protocol 95% of the time.

9. Prepares patient for provider exam by reviewing medical records, weighing patient, checking vital signs, performing medication reconciliation and obtaining information relevant to patient care.

• Prepares patient for exam by following provider protocol and company policies 95% of the time.

10. Assists providers to facilitate patient treatment by retrieving tests and medical records and obtaining lab work as directed.

• Obtains provider requested tests, records, and lab work 95% of the time.

11. Dispense medications at the direction of a provider to patients. Registered Nurse and Licensed Practical Nurse instruct patients and family members regarding education and treatment to ensure patients completely understand how to take the medication correctly.

12. Assists and/or performs phlebotomy with proper labeling and handling of specimens, accurately completes requisitions, and collects specimens according to standard procedures/protocols and performing and documenting quality control activities.

• Performs above procedure according to clinic policy and procedures 95% of the time.

13. Ensures accuracy of order entry and completes appropriate documentation without error at least 98% of the time.

Job Requirements

Education

• Graduate of an accredited school of nursing (RN) required.

Experience

• Minimum 1 year clinical experience required.

License/Certifications

• Current American Heart Association or American Red Cross Basic Life Support (BLS) strongly preferred at time of hire, required within 3 months of hire.
• Current valid Registered Nurse (RN) license, valid compact multistate license, or a temporary permit while awaiting licensure required.

Skills/Knowledge/Abilities

• Knowledge of medical terminology and procedures required.
• Knowledge of medicine including recognizing and diagnosed diseases, deformities, and other illnesses.
• Skill to effectively manage time and prioritize tasks.
• Skill to proficiently type information into the computer to capture or detail information quickly.
• Ability to provide caring patient care services when talking with patients and their family members.
• Ability to critically listen to questions from patients and information from providers to convey information effectively.
• Ability to anticipate, recognize, and resolve problems before they occur and avoid bigger problems in the future.
• Ability to problem solve during several daily activities which includes the ability to be flexible.
• Ability to learn and proficiently navigate through computer programs that contain patient information.
• Strong verbal communication skills for positive interaction with providers, staff and patients required.
• Able to follow written and verbal instructions/directions required.
• HIPAA understanding.

Physical Requirements

Weight Demands

• Medium Work - Exerting up to 50 pounds of force.

Physical Activity

• Occasionally Performed (1%-33%): Climbing, Crawling, Kneeling, Sitting
• Frequently Performed (34%-66%): Balancing, Carrying, Crouching, Distinguish colors, Keyboarding/typing, Lifting, Pulling/Pushing, Repetitive Motions, Stooping/bending, Twisting
• Constantly Performed (67%-100%): Grasping, Hearing, Reaching, Seeing/Visual, Speaking/talking, Standing (Floor Only), Walking (Floor Only), Sitting (Phone Only)

Job Hazards

• Not Related: Electrical Shock/Static, Radiation Non-Ionizing
• Rare (1%-33%): Radiation Alpha, Beta and Gamma
• Occasionally (34%-66%): Equipment/Machinery/Tools, Explosives (pressurized gas), Physical hazards (noise, temperature, lighting, wet floors, outdoors, sharps) (more than ordinary office environment)
• Frequent (67%-100%): Biological agents (primary air born and blood born viruses) (Jobs with Patient contact

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