Triage Nurse
GENERAL SUMMARY OF DUTIES: 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 RN will support providers in triaging all walk in patients.
Candidates should have a strong community health/public health orientation
MAJOR WORK ACTIVITIES:
- The Triage Nurse will be part of a care coordination team supporting general care processes alongside the providers.
- Triage Nurse manages nurse-directed patient telephone calls and from walk-in patients requesting health care services.
- Evaluates and assesses patient’s health care needs based on patient’s signs and symptoms utilizing established triage protocols and guidelines.
- Obtains appropriate input and direction from the provider as needed to determine best clinical course of action and recommendations for specific patient health care needs.
- Accurately documents symptoms/complaints, nursing assessment, advice provided and patient/caller response. Follows policies, procedures, and protocols to ensure consistency and departmental effectiveness as well as improve health care outcomes of patients/callers and their access to appropriate health care.
- Coordinate and schedule same-day and walk-in appointments on the provider schedules
- Utilize standing orders, triage protocols and algorithms appropriately.
- As needed, perform other nursing functions as assigned. Assist providers with special procedures as needed.
- Manage new prescription per protocol or as directed by provider.
- Provide patient education: e.g. chronic disease, preventive and family.
- Administers certain medications, injections, immunizations and family planning options as ordered by provider.
- Participates in Performance Improvement activities as assigned.
- Assures that pertinent medical information is forwarded to proper departments as needed for continuity of patient care.
- Documents in health record, triage assessment, plan, implementation, and evaluation, follow-up.
- Completes other duties as assigned by Nurse Manager or Practice Administrator.
PERFORMANCE REQUIREMENTS:
- Must have knowledge of disease processes, normal growth and development of all age groups.
- Must possess community health knowledge and theory.
- Must operate with culturally sensitivity with respect to working with persons and groups of diverse racial, ethnic, economic and social backgrounds
- General computer skills required. Experience with records systems.
SKILLS
- Nursing assessment skills with/without visual inspection utilizing basic nursing theory.
- Critical clinical thinking skills required.
- Excellent communication skills, i.e., listening, oral and written English skills while conversing with patients, families, health professionals and community agencies
ABILITIES
- Demonstrated clinical competence.
- Capacity to function independently within licensed scope of practice.
- Must have the ability to handle stressful emergency situations calmly and effectively.
MINIMUM QUALIFICATIONS:
- Must have a current NC unrestricted RN license
- Currently CPR certified
- Triage experience of at least 1 year.