CLINICAL NURSE COORDINATOR - EMERGENCY DEPARTMENT

About the Role

The Clinical Nurse Coordinator (CNC) serves as a front-line care provider, coordinator, and leader for the healthcare team. Within the nursing paradigm, the CNC applies the nursing process at the point of care through strategic assessment, diagnosis, intervention, and evaluation of the unit to guide systematic, quality, and safety improvements. A critical component of the role is improving effective interdisciplinary communication and coordination. The CNC helps patients and families navigate the complex healthcare system, advocates for both patients and families, as well as healthcare providers, and is accountable for improving care delivery within a unique healthcare setting. The core focus centers on maximizing safe, quality, evidence-based care within complex systems.

Responsibilities

• Leads, motivates, initiates change, and assumes responsibility for professional growth and development.
• Models and exemplifies the Leadership Pledge in a consistent and proactive manner.
• Leads change in a complex care environment and assumes the role of the Manager in their absence.
• Aligns department with strategy map and implements drivers supporting the Independence Health System mission, vision, and values.
• Recommends at least one process improvement initiative annually and participates in root cause analysis of recurring problems.
• Holds oneself accountable for leadership development through 8 hours of EHA-sponsored leadership education per year.
• Assists the manager in departmental activities and represents the department on committees.
• Assists in ensuring staff complete PPDs, mandatory annual education, and competencies on time.
• Maintains a safe working environment and ensures staff comply with safety, environmental, and infection control guidelines.
• Supports standards of attendance policy and participates in decision-making for corrective actions.
• Encourages and ensures staff compliance with infection control and safety measures.
• Practices and promotes survey readiness in compliance with agency regulations.
• Demonstrates and encourages confidentiality among staff.
• Performs in accordance with behavioral standards supporting the mission, vision, and values of Independence Health System.
• Conducts client service recovery within required time frames.
• Involves staff in decision-making and problem-solving, considering global implementations of decisions.
• Works within department budgets and identifies opportunities to reduce operating costs and enhance revenues.
• Provides input in performance appraisals, hiring decisions, and may conduct interviews.
• Investigates and resolves SORs and incident reports promptly.
• Acts on urgent tasks, allocates resources, and provides clear direction.
• Recommends and may draft department policies and procedures.
• Provides input for performance goals of staff and coaches toward compliance.
• Seeks staff input before making decisions and maintains a department communication board.
• Participates and leads daily meetings in Interventional Radiology (where applicable).
• Participates in hiring, transferring, and promoting employees, and trains and develops staff.
• Updates stakeholders on project processes and facilitates teamwork through coaching and mentoring.
• Builds trust through empowerment and shared decision-making.
• Oversees daily clinical practice activities to ensure compliance with the PA Nurse Practice Act, hospital policies, and professional standards.
• Reviews patient charts to evaluate staff compliance with the nursing process and documentation standards.
• Conducts daily patient rounds to assess patient status and quality of care (not applicable in Bariatric).
• Monitors patient care to ensure interdisciplinary effort and communicates with physicians on rounds.
• Assigns patient care according to staff competency and provides direct patient care as assigned.
• Facilitates and maintains Task Force initiatives (where applicable for Bariatric).
• Develops educational processes for patient care activities that promote health, self-care, and improved outcomes.
• Coordinates education for patients, families, and staff specific to clinical areas.
• Ensures education includes safety, effective medication use, pain management, and available resources.
• Plans and implements patient/family teaching and monitors staff compliance with interdisciplinary records.
• Provides and reviews written discharge instructions demonstrating continuity of care.
• Maintains collaborative relationships with physicians and healthcare providers to achieve desired patient outcomes.
• Communicates pertinent interdisciplinary patient care information (not applicable for Bariatric Surgery).
• Proactively identifies and resolves patient needs.
• Ensures patient safety in compliance with hospital and nursing department policies.
• Uses two forms of patient identification before implementing care.
• Involves patients and families in safety standards and processes.
• Minimizes patient restraint use and monitors per assessed need (not applicable for Bariatric Surgery).
• Assumes appropriate code team role during emergencies, mock codes, or RRTs (not applicable for Bariatric Surgery).
• Responds effectively during emergency situations, including internal and external disasters.
• Provides direct oversight of GN, LPN, Technical Partner, ALS Technician, Nurse Extern, and Unit Clerks, including conducting initial comprehensive assessments and supervising delegation of duties.
• Performs other related duties as assigned.
• Functions in compliance with specialty standards, practice guidelines, and protocols for the assigned unit.

Requirements

• Graduate of an accredited Nursing Program.
• Minimum of one (1) year of relevant nursing experience.
• Strong leadership ability, organizational skills, independent and critical thinking, and sound judgment.
• Knowledge of legal aspects and liability of nursing practice.
• Strong ability to communicate complex topics to diverse audiences.

Preferred Qualifications

• National Certification in area of specialty.
• Charge Nurse experience.

Licenses, Certifications & Clearances

• Current licensure to practice as a Registered Nurse in the State of Pennsylvania.
• Current Basic Life Support (BLS) approved by the American Heart Association (CPR and AED).
• Act 33, Act 34, and Act 73 FBI Clearances.
• Current ACLS or completion within one (1) year of hire/transfer into department.
• Current PALS or completion within one (1) year of hire/transfer into department.
• Current NIH Stroke Scale or completion within six (6) months of hire/transfer into department.

Work Environment

• Effective March 2020 or during a pandemic: goggles, face shield, and mask are required according to CDC guidelines.
• Lift assistance (2-person) and/or transfer device required for lifts exceeding 50 lbs.
• Position may require rotating shifts, standby, on-call, and local travel between System locations.

Physical Demands

The role involves the following physical conditions:

• Constantly: Use of lifting/transfer devices, direct patient care.
• Frequently: Rotates all shifts, 8-hour shifts.
• Occasionally: On-call, overtime, travel between sites, hand protection.
• Rarely: 10-12 hour shifts.
• Exposure: Latex, solvents.

Physical Condition Essential Marginal Extreme Heat Never Extreme Cold Never Heights Never Confined Spaces Never Extreme Noise (>85dB) Never Mechanical Hazards Never Use of Vibrating Tools Never Operates Vehicle (Company) Never Operates Heavy Equipment Never Respirator Protective Equipment Never Eye Protection Constantly Head Protection (hard hat) Never Hearing Protection Never Body Protection Never