What are the responsibilities and job description for the Discharge Registered Nurse - Rehab Center Valley position at Good Shepherd Rehabilitation?
- JOB SUMMARY
- The Discharge Registered Nurse (RN) plays a critical role in the transition of patients from inpatient care to home or other care settings within a rehabilitation hospital. This position is responsible for ensuring a smooth, effective, and safe discharge process, with a focus on the coordination of care, patient education, and collaboration with the multidisciplinary team. The ideal candidate will have a strong background in rehabilitation nursing, discharge planning, and patient advocacy.
- ESSENTIAL FUNCTIONS
DISCHARGE PLANNING AND COORDINATION
- Collaborate with physicians, case managers, therapists, and other healthcare professionals to ensure timely and appropriate discharge planning.
- Assess patients' readiness for discharge, considering physical, emotional, and social factors that may impact the transition.
- Coordinate and assist with the development of individualized discharge plans, including recommendations for home health care, follow-up appointments, medications, and durable medical equipment needs.
- ESTABLISHES A COMPASSIONATE ENVIRONMENT
- By providing emotional, psychological, and spiritual support to patients, friends, and families.
- PROMOTES PATIENT'S INDEPENDENCE
- By establishing patient care goals
- Explain discharge instructions, medication regimens, wound care, and any necessary lifestyle adjustments.
- Offer emotional support and address patient/family concerns regarding the discharge process.
- Educating patient, friends, and family to understand post-discharge care, medications, and self-care skills and rehabilitation goals achieved
- Answering questions by applying rehabilitation principles to patients served.
- By demonstrating competence in providing age specific care to pediatric patients, adult patients and geriatric patients.
- ASSURES QUALITY OF CARE
- By adhering to therapeutic standards
- Monitor patient outcomes related to discharge, including follow-up care and readmission rates, and contribute to quality improvement initiatives. Identify and address potential issues that could delay discharge, ensuring that patient safety and care quality are maintained.
- Making or recommending necessary adjustments.
- Following hospital and nursing division's philosophies and standards of care set by state board of nursing, State Nurse Practice Act, and other governing agency regulations.
- By participating in performance improvement activities involving discharge.
- RESOLVES PATIENT PROBLEMS AND NEEDS
- By utilizing multidisciplinary team strategies
- By utilizing established communication methods to ensure resolution of patient problems and needs for discharge.
- By communicating patient status and barriers to discharge to the interdisciplinary team.
- DOCUMENTS PATIENT CARE SERVICES
- Ensure that all discharge-related documentation is completed accurately and in compliance with hospital policies, regulatory standards, and insurance requirements.
Maintain updated patient records in accordance with HIPAA regulations.
- MAINTAINS PATIENT CONFIDENCE AND ORGANIZATIONAL CONFIDENTIALITY
- By keeping information confidential.
- MAINTAINS SAFE AND CLEAN WORKING ENVIRONMENT
- By complying with procedures, rules, and regulations
- calling for assistance from health care support personnel
- by maintaining a clean and safe unit environment
- keeping patient rooms, supply rooms and hallways free from clutter
- by complying with procedures, rules and regulations
- by adhering to infection control policies and procedures, medication administration and storage procedures and controlled substance regulations.
- By maintaining compliance with professional, regulatory and governmental standards of care.
- By demonstrating knowledge of responsibilities in an emergency situation.
- ENSURES OPERATION OF EQUIPMENT
- By following manufacturer's instructions
- troubleshooting malfunctions
- entering work orders for equipment repairs
- evaluating new equipment and techniques.
- DEMONSTRATES FINANCIAL ACCOUNTABILITY
- By checking stock to determine inventory level
- anticipating needed supplies
- using equipment/supplies as needed to accomplish job results
- By minimizing overtime by work prioritization and delegation
- recognizes and complies with RN’s role in reimbursement for patient care services.
- By identifying and providing input to Nurse Managers on work methods that reduce the cost and/or time required to deliver patient care.
- By maintaining awareness of unit budget.
- MAINTAINS PROFESSIONAL AND TECHNICAL KNOWLEDGE
- By identifying personal educational needs and opportunities
- attending educational workshops
- completing mandatory educational requirements
- reviewing professional publications
- establishing personal networks
- participating in professional organizations
- sharing new knowledge with teams
- attending unit meetings
- reading unit memos
- participating in committees, projects and PI activities.
- By maintaining responsibility for own professional development through active participation in in-services and/or continuing education programs.
- MAINTAINS A COOPERATIVE RELATIONSHIP AMONG HEALTH CARE TEAMS
- By communicating information
- responding to requests
- building rapport
- participating in team problem-solving methods
- by communicating patient care or team issues to the nurse manager or supervisor
- holding each team member accountable for patient and team outcomes
- participate in team meetings
- offering suggestions for improvement to the program director
- utilizing the chain of command to present issues or concerns
- demonstrate positive conflict resolution skills with all associates
- treat all associates with dignity and respect.
- CONTRIBUTES TO ORGANIZATIONAL TEAM EFFORT
- By arriving on duty as scheduled, maintaining attendance, punching in and out as per Good Shepherd policy and maintaining etime sheet.
- Serve as the primary point of contact for patients and families regarding discharge questions or concerns.
- Communicate effectively with the interdisciplinary team to ensure continuity of care post-discharge.
- Ensure seamless transition of care to outpatient services, home health providers, or long-term care facilities, as appropriate.
- By attending meetings as requested by organizational leaders.
- By positively representing the profession and organization at work and away from work.
- Promoting and participating in organizational goals.
- By mentoring channels of communication among nursing shifts, disciplines, departments, and external customers.
- By utilizing multidisciplinary team strategies, to assure resolution of patient problems and needs.
- QUALIFICATIONS
- To perform this job successfully, an individual must be able to perform each essential duty satisfactorily. The requirements listed below are representative of the knowledge, skill, and/or ability required. Reasonable accommodations may be made to enable individuals with disabilities to perform the essential functions.
- Education
- Associate's Degree in Nursing or Nursing Diploma required
- Bachelor's Degree in Nursing preferred
- Work Experience
- 2 Years rehabilitation experience Required.
- 2 years patient discharge experience.
- Licenses / Certifications
- Registered Nurse license required
- Basic Life Support / CPR, as a healthcare provider, per the American Heart Association required
- Certification in Rehabilitation Nursing Preferred Or acquired within the first year of this position.
Location: Good Shepherd Rehabilitation · Center Valley IP GSRH - Nursing - Rehab 2nd Floor
Schedule: Full Time (36 hrs/wk), Day Shift, 8:00am - 5:30pm