Triage Nurse RN - Family Practice

At Nebraska Methodist Health System, we focus on providing exceptional care to the communities we serve and people we employ. We call it The Meaning of Care – a culture that sets us apart by helping families grow, conveying difficult diagnoses with compassion, and supporting patients through health challenges. We offer competitive pay, excellent benefits, and a great work environment where all employees are valued and make a real difference in the communities we live and work in.

About the role

The Triage Nurse will provide triage telephone service to enhance compliance with patient plans of care and ensure prompt identification of patients with high-risk conditions. This involves sorting and prioritizing patients through assessments, monitoring, recording, and reporting changes in their condition. Triage nurses are involved in every aspect of patient health, maintaining precision and accuracy in detailed assessments and reports to relay information to doctors or patients. They prepare, assist, and instruct patients for examinations and treatment, and inform family members on health care education topics.

Responsibilities

• Performs telephone triage to determine patient needs by recording and reporting patient condition to provider and advising patient based on provider instructions.
• Receives and returns patient calls within 90 minutes based on medical priority 95% of the time.
• Accurately records and reports patient's condition according to department policy 98% of the time.
• Strictly adheres to practice protocols and consults patient's chart while talking to the patient.
• Returns phone messages according to protocol at least 98% of the time.
• Provides test results according to protocol at least 98% of the time.
• Provides patient and family education at the direction of the provider to ensure adequate knowledge/awareness and recommends appropriate community resources as needed.
• Educates/instructs patients according to providers' direction 98% of the time.
• Documents all lab, procedures, and appointments on tracking forms.
• Completes tracking forms and follows up on missed appointments and procedures.
• Assists Health Coaches by working patient lists and scheduling appointments as directed.
• Maintains clean and organized work area according to department/provider protocol 99% of the time.
• Handles prescription renewals/inquiries to facilitate patient care by discussing questions with provider and relaying information to pharmacy.
• Handles prescription refills according to department/provider protocols 99% of the time.
• Accurately completes pharmacy requests 100% of the time.
• Provides appropriate care specific to the age of the patient to ensure understanding and comfort level of treatment.
• Completes nursing assessments using nursing judgment to develop a plan of care.
• Determines severity of patient illness and intervention to treat while prioritizing patient calls.
• Documents clear and concise notes describing phone call utilizing SBAR (situation, background, assessment, recommendation) format.
• Communicates between provider and patient appropriately.
• Conducts patient and family education; evaluates and documents in the chart the patient's understanding of all education.
• Coordinates continuation of care through referrals to specialists.
• Prepares exam rooms and equipment to facilitate treatment and examination of patients by setting up instruments/equipment and stocking supplies.
• Prepares exam rooms and medical equipment according to provider protocol 95% of the time.
• Prepares patient for provider exam by reviewing medical records, weighing patient, checking vital signs, performing medication reconciliation, and obtaining information relevant to patient care.
• Prepares patient for exam by following provider protocol and company policies 95% of the time.
• Assists providers to facilitate patient treatment by retrieving tests and medical records and obtaining lab work as directed.
• Obtains provider-requested tests, records, and lab work 95% of the time.
• Dispenses medications at the direction of a provider to patients, instructing patients and family members regarding education and treatment.
• Assists and/or performs phlebotomy with proper labeling and handling of specimens, accurately completes requisitions, and collects specimens according to standard procedures/protocols.
• Performs above procedures according to clinic policy and procedures 95% of the time.
• Ensures accuracy of order entry and completes appropriate documentation without error at least 98% of the time.

Requirements

• Graduate of an accredited school of nursing (RN) required.
• Minimum 1 year of clinical experience required.
• Current valid Registered Nurse (RN) license, valid compact multistate license, or a temporary permit while awaiting licensure required.
• Current American Heart Association or American Red Cross Basic Life Support (BLS) strongly preferred at time of hire, required within 3 months of hire.
• American Heart Association Advanced Cardiac Life Support (ACLS) preferred.

Skills

• Knowledge of medical terminology and procedures required.
• Knowledge of medicine including recognizing and diagnosing diseases, deformities, and other illnesses.
• Skill to effectively manage time and prioritize tasks.
• Skill to proficiently type information into the computer to capture or detail information quickly.
• Ability to provide caring patient care services when talking with patients and their family members.
• Ability to critically listen to questions from patients and information from providers to convey information effectively.
• Ability to anticipate, recognize, and resolve problems before they occur.
• Ability to problem solve during several daily activities, including the ability to be flexible.
• Ability to learn and proficiently navigate through computer programs that contain patient information.
• Strong verbal communication skills for positive interaction with providers, staff, and patients required.
• Able to follow written and verbal instructions/directions required.
• Understanding of HIPAA regulations.

Schedule

Monday through Friday, hours between 8am - 5pm.

Benefits

We offer competitive pay and excellent benefits.

Physical Requirements

Weight Demands: Medium Work - Exerting up to 50 pounds of force.

Physical Activity Occasionally Performed (1%-33%):

• Climbing
• Crawling
• Kneeling
• Sitting

Frequently Performed (34%-66%):

• Balancing
• Carrying
• Crouching
• Distinguish colors
• Keyboarding/typing
• Lifting
• Pulling/Pushing
• Repetitive Motions
• Stooping/bending
• Twisting

Constantly Performed (67%-100%):

• Grasping
• Hearing
• Reaching
• Seeing/Visual
• Speaking/talking
• Standing (Floor Only)
• Walking (Floor Only)
• Sitting (Phone Only)

Job Hazards

Not Related:

• Electrical Shock/Static
• Radiation Non-Ionizing (Ultraviolet, visible light, infrared, and microwaves that cause injuries to tissue or thermal or photochemical means)

Rare (1%-33%):

• Radiation Alpha, Beta, and Gamma (particles such as X-ray, CAT Scan, Gamma Knife, etc)

Occasionally (34%-66%):

• Equipment/Machinery/Tools
• Explosives (pressurized gas)
• Physical hazards (noise, temperature, lighting, wet floors, outdoors, sharps) (more than ordinary office environment)

Frequent (67%-100%):

• Biological agents (primary airborne and bloodborne viruses) (Jobs with Patient contact)
• Blood or Body Fluid (BBF)
• Chemical agents (Toxic, Corrosive, Flammable, Latex)
• Mechanical moving parts/vibrations