Patient Flow Coordinator Senior - rotating

The Patient Flow Coordinator Senior provides leadership oversight and acts as a resource to the One Call Center staff and to the organization in achieving safe and timely patient throughput.

The Patient Flow Coordinator Senior facilitates patient flow, coordinates activities and communication for the VCU Health System in relation to patient movement both into, from, and throughout VCUMC, VCU Tappahannock, VCU Community Memorial and from ambulatory centers. This position monitors compliance of the policies and procedures governing patient placement and capacity management for all three VCU affiliate hospitals, EMTALA regulations, and pre-registration procedures. This position utilizes principles from high reliability organizations for positive outcomes.


The Patient Flow Coordinator Senior (PFCS) assists Management in mentoring, educating and supporting co-workers and hospital operation leaders in support of these activities. The PFCS acts as a resource in decision making processes, assists Management with quality assurance, process improvement and other department projects necessary to department's function, supports Management in quality audits to identify opportunities for improvement, support Management in coaching and mentoring staff, and attends training, in-services, and team meetings as required.


The PFCS consistently supports and anticipates the patient flow coordinators and the psych admissions representatives in critically thinking through problems/potential helping them to resolve issues in a timely manner and is cross trained to all duties within the department. The PFCS escalates concerns and communicates appropriately with Management as outlined in departmental policies/procedures.

Essential Job functions:

Provides operational support in coordinating patient flow throughout each VCU affiliated hospital based upon the clinical status of the patient, including patient triage, bed placement, and various transfer functions, in a timely and orderly manner to provide optimal level of care for all VCU affiliated hospital patients.

Serves as a clinical resource for complex and difficult patient care situations as well as an administrative resource for complex bed assignments to the Patient flow coordinators, transfer agents, and psych intake representatives.

Works with physicians, Nurse Managers, Hospital leaders, Clinical Coordinators, charge nurses, EVS, patient transportation, the Bed Management Specialist, and epidemiology to identify proactive strategies to address patient flow barriers.

Supports the Patient Flow Coordinators, transfer agents, and Psych Admission Representatives in coordinating and triaging appropriate acceptance for all transfer referrals into VCUMC and facilitating bed placement by collaborating with Bed Management.

Supports the Patient Flow Coordinators, transfer agents, and Psych Admission Representatives in coordinating and triaging outbound transfer referrals from all VCUHS affiliated hospitals including coordination of acceptance and transportation in partnership with the Lifecom.

Supports in the management of psych intake referrals in partnership with the Psychiatric Admission Representatives.

Supports all in- and outbound calls supported by Patient Flow Coordinators and transfer agents.

Supports the Patient Flow Coordinators, transfer agents, and Psych Admission Representatives multi-function tasks for patient flow processes, transfers and transports to ensure continuity of care for VCUHS and the communities served.

Supports the Patient Flow Coordinators in collaborating with admission physicians for all affiliate VCU hospitals in identifying an appropriate level of care for the patient based on admission criteria, understanding age-specific requirements and unit-based nursing competencies, when assessing the recommending bed placement.

Provides operational support of the Patient Flow Coordinators and Psych Admission Representatives in pre-registration activities.

Utilizes established criteria and clinical practice guidelines and collaboration with hospital leaders to support the Patient Flow Coordinators, transfer agents, and Psych Admission Representatives in monitoring the delivery of healthcare services and facilitating concurrent intervention when variances in bed management are identified.

Additional position requirements such as shift rotations, weekends, environment, etc.:

• This position works thirty-six (36) hours per week to include all shift rotations, to include some weekend & holiday hours, in the form of three (3) twelve (12) hour shifts.
• Individual shift rotation and schedules are established by the department's Assistant Nurse Manager and Nurse Manager
• Schedules, including shift rotation requirements and hours of work, may be adjusted to meet department needs.

Patient Population:

Demonstrates the knowledge and skills necessary to provide equitable care appropriate to the age of the patients served on their assigned unit.

Demonstrates knowledge and related competencies of the principles of growth and development of the life span and possesses the ability to assess data reflective of the patient's status and interprets the appropriate information needed to identify each patient's requirements relative to their age, specific needs and to provide the equitable care needed as described in departmental policies and procedures.

Neonates (0-4 weeks), Infant (1-12 months), Pediatrics (1-12 years), Adolescents (13-17 years), Adolescents (13-17 years), Adults (18-64 years), Geriatrics (65 years and older)

Employment Qualifications:

Required Education:
Baccalaureate Degree in Nursing from an accredited School of Nursing.

If no Baccalaureate Degree in Nursing, then a Master's Degree in Nursing or related field is required.

Preferred Education:
Master's Degree in Nursing or related field

Licensure/Certification Required:

Current RN licensure in Virginia or eligible compact

BLS certification

Licensure/Certification Preferred: N/A

Minimum Qualifications:

Required Qualifications:


Five (5) years clinical experience in an acute care setting.

Minimum of two (2) years leadership experience to include, but not limited to, precepting, charge nurse experience, leading projects/initiatives

Other Knowledge, Skills and Abilities Required:

Employee must complete 15 contact hours of Continuing Nursing Education during this evaluation cycle. Failure to achieve the required number of contact hours will result in the employee being ineligible to receive an overall performance rating above "Fully Meets".

Cultural Responsiveness:
Demonstrates a commitment to diversity, equity, and inclusion through continuous development, modeling inclusive behaviors, and proactively managing bias.

Other Knowledge, Skills and Abilities Preferred:

Academic healthcare experience

Clinical triage experience

ICU, Operating Room/PACU, or ED experience

Working Conditions:

Periods of high stress and fluctuating workloads may occur.

General office environment.

May have periods of constant interruptions

Physical Requirements:

Physical Demands: Lifting/ Carrying (0-50 lbs)

Work Position: Sitting, Walking, Standing

Additional Physical Requirements/ Hazards:

Physical Requirements:


Manual dexterity (eye/hand coordination); Perform shift work; Hear alarms/telephone/tape recorder; Repetitive arm/hand movements; Finger dexterity

Mental/Sensory - Emotional:

Mental/Sensory: Strong Recall, Reasoning, Problem solving, Hearing, Speak clearly, Write legibly, Reading, Logical Thinking

Emotional: Fast-paced environment, Able to handle multiple priorities, Frequent and intense customer interactions, Noisy environment, Able to adapt to frequent change

EEO Employer/Disabled/Protected Veteran