Registered Nurse - Patient Flow Coordinator

About the role

The RN Patient Flow Coordinator is located at John Cochran Medical Center in the VA Saint Louis Health Care System.

Responsibilities

• Facilitates the transfer process by working with the interdisciplinary team to establish appropriateness of admission and provider coverage based on review of medical information
• Affords assistance with travel arrangements as needed and facilitates nursing report
• Facilitates bed control - placing patients on the most appropriate unit using established bed control monitor devices - i.e. - Bed Management System (BMS) - Emergency Department Integrated System (EDIS) - Capacity Management
• Collaborates with the interdisciplinary team to validate and/or collect initial patient information such as Veteran benefit eligibility - insurance status - Veteran travel eligibility - and bed availability at the VAMC
• Coordinates care with multiple providers across all levels and sites of care - assuring services interface within the VA and community programs to provide continuity of care to patients
• Participates in interdisciplinary care rounds and/or conferences to review treatment goals - optimize resource utilization - and recommend alternate levels of care when acute care is not required or recommended
• Processes admission requests from providers - clinics - and other VA or community hospitals
• Edifies internal and external customers on the VAMC admission/transfer process
• Maintains awareness of census and bed availability on all patient care units - and resolves bed utilization issues
• Works with Environmental Management Services (EMS) to prioritize the need for rooms to be cleaned
• Acts as a resource across departments/services to provide help and training as needed to both clinical and non-clinical staff
• Participates on interdisciplinary committees/teams/task forces focused on the facilitation of patient flow and organizational performance
• Collaborates in the development - implementation - evaluation - and revision of policies - procedures - and/or guidelines to ensure the delivery of safe - efficient - and effective evidence-based care
• Documents broad and complex outcomes at the program or service level - that can be demonstrated at any organizational level within a facility

Requirements

• This position requires potentially long periods of continued walking - standing - and sitting
• The incumbent may be exposed to infected patients and contaminated materials and may be required to don protective clothing
• The incumbent may occasionally be exposed to patients who are combative secondary to delirium - dementia - or psychiatric disorders
• The incumbent must be a mature - flexible - sensible individual capable of working effectively in stressful situations - able to shift priorities based on patient needs
• Must comply with any Employee Health requirements as a condition of employment

Qualifications

• Basic Requirements: English Language Proficiency - Graduate of a school of professional nursing approved by the appropriate accrediting agency and accredited by one of the following accrediting bodies at the time the program was completed by the applicant: The Accreditation Commission for Education in Nursing (ACEN) or The Commission on Collegiate Nursing Education (CCNE)
• Exception: Candidates who otherwise meet the basic education requirements - but do not possess the required licensure - may be appointed at the entry step of the grade and level applicable to the completed nursing education as a GNT on a 120-day temporary appointment while actively pursuing licensure (may be extended up to two years on a case-by-case-basis.)
• Note: Grandfathering Provision - All persons currently employed in VHA in 0610 series and performing the duties as described in the qualification standard on the effective date of the standard (1/29/2024) are considered to have met all qualification requirements for the grade held including positive education and licensure/certification
• Grade Determinations: The following Scope - Education and Dimension criteria must be met in determining the grade assignment of candidates - and if appropriate - the level within a grade

Skills

• BSN / MSN preferred
• Previous Utilization Management / Patient Flow / Nursing Supervisor / Case Manager experience
• Previous Med Surg / Step Down / ICU / ED experience

Benefits

• VA Nurse Total Rewards Pay: Competitive salary - regular salary increases - potential for performance awards
• Paid Time Off: 50 days of paid time off per year (26 days of annual leave - 13 days of sick leave - 11 paid Federal holidays per year)
• Retirement: Traditional federal pension (5 years vesting) and federal 401K with up to 5% in contributions by VA
• Insurance: Federal health/vision/dental/term life/long-term care (many federal insurance programs can be carried into retirement)

Pay

Competitive salary - regular salary increases - potential for performance awards

Schedule

Full Time - Mon-Fri - Start and end times will be between the hours of 6:00 a.m- 10:30 p.m. - The exact schedule will be determined based on operational need and is subject to change based on the needs of the healthcare system