Under the direct supervision of the Pre-Op Nurse Manager, in conjunction with the Clinical Director, the Pre-Admission Nurse performs a verbal assessment with the patient prior to admission via a phone interview as well as collects the patient’s medical history from previous medical records and integrates information into facilities’ web-based patient medical portal. The nurse also works closely with the surgeons’ offices and anesthesia groups in coordinating the patient’s needs prior to surgery.

Education Minimum: Graduate of an accredited school of nursing

Required Work Experience: Minimum 1-2 years in Ambulatory Surgery Center or Pre-op or Pre-Admission Testing department.

Preferred Work Experience: at least 1 year of Telephonic assessment skills

Licenses & Certifications: State of Texas RN licensure, BLS certified

Required Skills, Knowledge, and Abilities:
Possess good communication skills and the ability to maintain interactive/interpersonal relationships. Possess a good working knowledge of nursing theory, practice, and legal aspects of nursing, and techniques, care and use of equipment used in an ambulatory surgery center setting. Interview/communication skills, nursing assessment skills, critical thinking/problem solving skills, and teaching/counseling skills. Possess strong computer skills and experience with health care applications, Microsoft and/or Windows applications, web-based EHR systems. Ability to work in a self-directed environment with little supervision. Excellent verbal and written communication skills. Telephone voice/speech pattern is articulate and has a pleasant tone. Professional demeanor. Ability to work as a member of a team. Ability to prioritize tasks

Job Duties and Responsibilities:
1. Practice appropriate telephone and patient triage skills, being aware of the need to balance quality care with efficient use of time and resources.
2. Perform verbal assessment with patient prior to admission – in person or via telephone, communicating information to appropriate team members.
3. Ensure pre-operative care requirements of patients are accomplished through use of the nursing process including assessment, planning, implementation and evaluation
4. Perform patient teaching/education as established by the department.
5. Assess pertinent information, plan, implement, and document interventions and evaluate results.
6. Maintain and promote patient’s safety by assessing physical and psychological needs.
7. Respond to telephone inquiries regarding expressed needs of the caller.
8. Perform outbound follow-up calls as requested.
9. Provide general health information.
11. Thoroughly document all call encounters utilizing manual and/or on-line information systems at the time of the call.
12. Alert anesthesia/surgeon of results of labs, physical assessment, or special needs of individual with medical problems – prior to date of surgery.
13. Use effective communication techniques which adhere to common standards of courtesy.
14. Answer inquiries in a timely and helpful manner.
15. Communicate NPO instructions to patients as prescribed.