Triage Nurse

Hospice Triage

4 days a week 10 hr days

Responsible for telephone assessment, problem solving, and direction of the interdisciplinary team as needed to address patient/family needs related to the hospice terminal diagnosis.

Patient Care:

• Assesses patient/family needs, evaluating symptoms and interventions via telephone.
• Executes a therapeutic regime of treatments and medications as prescribed by the attending physician or Agency Medical Director, through the use of nursing judgment.
• Utilizes nursing judgment to provide symptom management related to the patient's terminal diagnosis through family teaching.
• Provides supervision of LPN and CNAs in accordance with Agency policy and regulatory requirements.
• Prioritizes and directs interventions for crisis situations appropriately through the use of the interdisciplinary team.
• Assists Inpatient Unit patient care team as assigned duties permit.

Care Coordination:

• Coordinates direct patient care through the effective, timely communication with scheduled and on-call nursing staff.
• Confers and plans patient related interventions with the interdisciplinary team. .
• Coordinates patient care with the family via telephone, utilizing effective teaching and communication skills.
• Coordinates daily schedules for nurses and CNAs under the direction of the Patient Care Coordinator.

Documentation:

• Accurately records and reports pertinent facts regarding patient.
• Communicates appropriate information to the interdisciplinary team.
• Provide continuity of care between agency team members by ensuring verbal and written communication is clear, concise, and timely.

Scheduling:

• Schedules daily nurse and CNA visits in a timely manner.
• Ensures each staff member has an appropriate number of scheduled visits based on Agency standards.
• Schedules PRN nurses and CNAs as needed based on patient census and availability of regular staff.
• Schedules contracted staff as directed.
• Ensures that workload is distributed as fairly and evenly as possible.

• Resolves last minute changes in scheduling of staff due to unscheduled employee absences or changes in patient’s condition.
• Anticipates potential scheduling issues, i.e., increase in patient census, weather issues, and responds proactively to ensure coverage.
• Keeps supervisor current with changes to the schedule and is timely with communicating concerns regarding staffing issues.
• Follows up on missed CNA visits.
• Committed to Agency resolution against fraud and abuse.

• Knowledgeable in hospice philosophy and state and federal rules and regulations.
• Arrives to work and meetings on time and ready to work.
• Respects confidentiality of patients/families and other Agency employees.
• Attends nurses’ meetings/conferences for professional growth as required.
• Attends and completes yearly nursing skills validations.
• Sees change as an opportunity and maintains a level of flexibility, which allows for adaptation to new ways of performing.
• Follows directions and policies that allow for an organizational commitment to working under time pressures without sacrificing quality.
• Performs other duties that may be assigned.

JOB REQUIREMENTS:

• Possesses the ability to perform the following tasks for varying periods of time: standing, walking, sitting, lifting objects up to 75 lbs., pushing/pulling objects up to 200 lbs., climbing stairs, stooping, kneeling, twisting, bending, reaching overhead and in front of body, simultaneous use of both hands, wrists, and fingers.

• Possesses the ability to perform the following tasks for varying periods of time: speak in conversational tones utilizing the English/American Language, hear conversations as well as bodily function sounds with various medical or non-medical devices, observe patients via touch sensitivity that is strong enough to palpate various areas on the human body and allow an accurate reporting of a pulse, see with vision acuity: near, 20 inches or less, and far, 20 inches or more, with or without corrective devices such as glasses or contacts, have a depth perception of three dimensions, and a sharpness of vision/focus with adequate peripheral vision to allow an acute awareness of surroundings.

• Possesses the ability to work in a variety of environmental conditions that include, but are not limited to

      the following: adverse weather conditions, dust, fumes, tobacco smoke, noise, closed-in spaces or                                      

      rooms and locations with poor or improper lighting and glare.

• May be required to work in shifts that may be steady or rotating.

QUALIFICATIONS:

• Maintains current RN licensure for Indiana and CPR certification.
• Strong background in medical/surgical nursing. Previous hospice experience preferred.
• Ability to prioritize and organize tasks.
• Excellent communication skills required.