Pediatric Triage Nurse

Job description

Job Summary

General Summary: Position is responsible for providing triage (sorting/prioritizing patients) telephone service to ensure prompt identification of patients with high-risk conditions.

Responsibilities and Duties

Essential Job Responsibilities:

• Talks directly to patients on the telephone and then directs them accordingly
• Performs short evaluation of the patient situation to estimate severity of illness and/or injury including learning about chief complaint and, as possible, obtaining vital sign and mental status information.
• Determines urgency of seeing the patient based on brief assessment and on familiarity with a patient’s condition and history. May use computerized medical information database, which uses algorithms that closely imitate physician logic and thought patterns, as guide. Confers with physician as needed.
• Routes those with high-risk chief complaints to appropriate care centers.
• Sets up appointment for patients who do not need to go to ER but need to see a physician or arranges for an appointment scheduler to make the appointment.
• Acts, when designated, in “Ask a Nurse” capacity, handling routine information requests from patients, e.g., “Do I need a flu shot every year? When are you giving these shots?”

Qualifications and Skills

Education: RN degree; On-the-job training in triage.

Experience: Minimum one year of experience as RN; one to two years of telephone triage experience, preferably in medical practice setting.

Other Requirements: Current Oregon RN license. Current CPR certificate.

Performance Requirements:

Knowledge:

• Knowledge of telephone-based clinical assessment techniques.
• Knowledge of medical practice telephone triage protocols.
• Knowledge of appropriate home health information for patients to follow until visit with physician, if they do not need an immediate ER visit.

Skills:

• Skill in using electronic medical records to check patient history.
• Skill in using computerized medical information database during evaluation as guide to appropriate decision.
• Skill in making triage decisions and responding quickly and calmly in emergency situations such as calling 911 and arranging for ambulance.

Abilities:

• Ability to communicate clearly and calmly with patient.
• Ability to elicit information needed to make brief evaluation.
• Ability to work closely with physicians and other clinicians as needed.

Job Types: Full-time, Part-time

Pay: From $40.00 per hour

Benefits:

• 401(k)
• Dental insurance
• Health insurance
• Paid time off
• Vision insurance

Medical Specialty:

• Pediatrics

Physical Setting:

• Clinic

Experience:

• Nursing: 1 year (Preferred)

License/Certification:

• BLS Certification (Preferred)
• RN (Preferred)

Work Location: In person

Salary : $40