The objective of the access center is to provide all outlying regional healthcare providers with easy access to the many physicians, specialties, and services. This position within the Transfer Center is responsible for the clinical review, triage, prioritization, and coordination of inter-hospital transfers to hospital. The RN in the transfer center will review clinical information to assist the sending physician and facility with obtaining the appropriate physician or specialty. Demonstrates knowledge of disease process, normal vs abnormal clinical findings, and usual and customary healthcare treatment. From the clinical information, the RN will determine level of care and a plan of care will be initiated. The RN will also review interqual criteria to ensure that all admits and transfers are appropriate and determine the status of each admission. This position will be directly responsible for initiating several critical clinical protocols, for example, Code STEMI and Code Stroke. The RN will coordinate all activities for these protocols including communication with physicians, appropriate interventional teams, and transportation, whether ground or air. This position will work within day to day operations of Bed Control at the Hospital. This position will serve as an information resource and liaison between physician requests for admission and/or transfers, nursing departments, and other hospitals requesting transfers in. This position will make bed reservations, assignment of beds for patients and coordinate with the nursing floor and housekeeping to maintain adequate patient throughput. This position will be the primary access point for physicians to direct admit to facility. After obtaining the clinical information and orders from the physician, the RN will assess the appropriateness of the admit and determine what status the patient should be by using interqual. The RN will manage all transfer related issues and collaborate with the Clinical and associate vice president regarding daily clinical leadership for the unit. Possesses exceptional customer service skills and fosters positive physician relationships. Serves as a staff role model by providing leadership that encourages teambuilding, communication, positive attitudes and change. Supports the practice of nursing by modeling best nursing practice and adherence to ANA standards of care. Makes decisions based on current evidenced-based nursing practice and adheres to regulations set by regulatory agencies. Works interdependently to achieve optimal patient outcomes. Assures that unit based operational efficiency is framed in performance improvement standards that drive quality improvement activities. Supports and encourages the shared governance environment within the unit and hospital. Participates in Human Resource activities: Interviewing, recruiting, coaching, counseling, and mentoring staff. Supports the clinical director in reaching financial operational goals by daily monitoring of staffing to using the staffing matrix. Assures assignments and workflow are based on staff skill level. Identifies opportunities to establish cost savings initiatives related to supplies and equipment utilization. Knowledgeable and able to perform all clinical procedures involving the specialty and acts as a resource to staff in high census or emergency situations to insure patient safety.
Nursing process which includes: Assessment: collect comprehensive data pertinent to the health care consumer's health or the situation, Diagnosis: analyze the assessment data to determine the nursing diagnoses or patient issues, Outcomes identification: identify expected outcomes for a plan individualized to the health care consumer or the situation, Planning: develop a plan that prescribes strategies and alternatives to attain expected outcomes, Implementation: implement the identified plan by coordinating care delivery
Employ strategies to promote health and a safe practice environment, Evaluation: evaluate progress toward attainment of outcomes
Education: maintain knowledge and competencies that reflect best nursing practice
Complete all mandatory competencies
Evidence-based practice and research: integrate evidence and research findings into practice (e.g.. policy, procedure)
Quality: contribute to quality nursing practice and improvements in nurse sensitive outcomes
Communication: communicate effectively in all areas of practice (meetings, in-services)
Leadership: exhibit effective role-modeling
Provide technical expertise and mentoring to support the care team
Collaboration: work with health care consumer, family and others (e.g. interdisciplinary, councils, committees)
Coordinate care, procedures and treatments
Resource utilization: use resources to plan and provide nursing services that are safe, effective and financially responsible
Environmental health: practice in an environmentally safe and healthy manner
Proficiency and productivity: adjust to varying workloads, set priorities, organize work and work area, complete assignments
Supports and reaches established annual unit goals
Demonstrates effective leadership skills: accountability/ownership, professionalism, interpersonal skills, effective communication, customer service, problem solving, planning, adaptability, and human resource management
Establishes clinical effectiveness and demonstrates the ability to efficiently oversee daily unit activities
Maintains own skills and competencies to provide care to the transfer patients/admitted patients
In collaboration with staff, develop unit based customer service action plans
Collaborate with clinical director in the interview and hiring process to identify appropriate candidates for RN positions
Meets regularly with new staff to identify learning needs and opportunities to improve competence in the department
Assures that performance evaluations are completed on time with manageable objectives mutually agreed upon for the next annual year
Develop and create staffing schedules that are fair, consistent, and timely
Assure education for employees regarding transfer updates or changes within the transfer process
Provide verbal counseling and feedback to staff
Utilize the management chain of command for progressive disciplinary issues
Maintain detailed accounts of all staff counseling encounters that may be needed by the clinical director for progressive disciplinary action
Demonstrate and ensure that staff adheres to The Joint Commission, Medicare, OSHA and Safe Medical Device Act, policy and procedures, and Performance Improvement Standards
Develop policy and procedure guidelines to provide optimal care; monitor safety and infection control activities
Assist the clinical director to meet budgetary expense goals through close monitoring of staff flexing up and down, appropriate use of overtime
Collaborate with clinical director to identify and develop new programs and opportunities for growth of transfers
CHRISTUS HEALTH is an international Catholic, faith-based, not-for-profit health system comprised of almost more than 600 services and facilities, including more than 60 hospitals and long-term care facilities, 350 clinics and outpatient centers, and dozens of other health ministries and ventures. CHRISTUS operates in 6 U.S. states, Colombia, Chile and 6 states in Mexico. To support our health care ministry, CHRISTUS Health employs approximately 45,000 Associates and has more than 15,000 physicians on medical staffs who provide care and support for patients. CHRISTUS Health is listed among the top ten largest Catholic health systems in the United States.