Triage Nurse

Join a dynamic healthcare team with a passion to serving the community! Heart City Health is dedicated to provide the best care to the community.

SUMMARY

Under general supervision of the Nursing Manager, the Triage Nurse performs care coordination and professional nursing functions to assess the severity of the patient’s health concerns using protocols and algorithms in a manner that provides patient dispositions to emergency care, clinic provider appointments, and triage nurse clinic services within the scope of the licensed practice. The Triage Nurse will support providers in assessing all walk-in patients by providing medical advice and consultation as necessary and may schedule appointments as a patient's condition requires.  Candidates should have a strong community health/public health orientation.

DUTIES

1.  Evaluates and assess patients' health care needs based on patients' signs and symptoms utilizing established triage protocols and guidelines. 
2. Obtains appropriate input and direction from the provider to determine the best clinical course of action and recommendations for specific patient health care needs. 
3. Accurately documents symptoms/complaints, nursing assessment, the advice provided, and patient/caller response. Follows policies, procedures, and protocols to ensure consistency and departmental effectiveness and improve health care outcomes of patients/callers and their access to appropriate health care. 
4. Coordinate and schedule same-day and walk-in appointments on the provider schedules 
5. Monitor patient flow in the clinic; ensure that patients receive all recommended services promptly. 
6. As needed, perform other nursing functions as assigned. For example, assist providers with special procedures as needed. 
7. Provide patient education: e.g., chronic disease, preventive, and family. 
8. Administers certain medications, injections, immunizations, and family planning options as ordered by the provider. 
9. Participates in Performance Improvement activities as assigned. 
10. Assures that pertinent medical information is forwarded to proper departments as needed for continuity of patient care. 
11. Documents in electronic health record (EHR), triage assessment, plan, implementation, and evaluation, follow-up.     

KNOWLEDGE, SKILLS AND ABILITIES

1. Excellent communication skills; active listening as well as written and oral comprehension/communication skills; Bilingual (Spanish/English) language skills helpful
2. Excellent customer service skills; actively seeks ways to assist internal and external customers within the scope of assigned duties
3. Good computer skills; Outlook, Windows, Microsoft Office applications; EMR exposure required
4. Good time management skills; self evaluates the use of time and understands how others may be affected
5. Cultural diversity awareness and skills; respects all people regardless of race, nationality or social standing
6. Ability to work independently (self motivating) and as a team member
7. Knowledge and understanding of medical needs; ability to make sound professional judgments
8. Ability to build and maintain effective working relationships with co-workers, providers, managers, patients and vendors
9. Problem sensitivity skills; empathetic/understanding
10. Deductive reasoning and problem-solving skills
11. Organized and detail oriented

EDUCATION, EXPERIENCE AND LICENSURE

1. Current and valid R.N. license OR L.P.N. license required
2. 2 to 3 years clinical experience in a medical office; phone triage experience preferred

PHYSICAL DEMANDS

1. May sit for long periods of time
2. Must be able to see and hear within normal range with or without correction device(s)
3. Dexterity and hand to eye coordination as normally associated with operating office equipment, computers and telephones