Triage Nurse (LPN or RN) - PEDS

The nurse is primarily responsible for triaging patients for timely and appropriate care, ensuring prompt identification of patients with high risk conditions. Nurse receives patient calls or calls patient for lab test results with instructions, medication refills, physician instructions, patient education and care coordination.

Essential duties and responsibilities include but are not limited to:

• Talking directly with patients assessing history, and chief complaint, factoring in underlying health status.
• Performs short evaluation of the patient situation to estimate severity of illness and/or injury and, as possible obtain vital sign and mental status information, to determine where and how quickly a patient should be seen. Confers with physician as needed. Schedule appointments as needed.
• Sends those with high risk chief complaints such as chest pain, abdominal pain, or severe headaches to ER immediately or arranges ambulance.
• Triage walk-in patients
• Home care advice may be given if an appointment is not deemed necessary, including instructions if, when, and where to seek care.
• Responds to patient questions, requests for advice, results of tests, and requests for refills per protocol.
• Coordinates care to patients, providing follow up and communication per provider request.
• Speaking with home care, laboratory, radiology, pharmacy, and other medical and nursing personnel for the purpose of furthering patient care.
• Relaying clinical information to and from the providers from patients, or personnel described in above item.
• Partners with Office manager and Medical team to anticipate clinical needs or resolve clinical issues.
• Function as clinical support person and assisting Medical Assistants when needed to ensure smooth flow of the clinical day.
• Function as clinical support person and assisting Medical Assistants when needed to ensure smooth flow of the clinical day.
• Able to provide phlebotomy, administration of immunizations, psychotropic injectables, and lab tests as needed.
• Complete telephone and clinical care documentation in EMR.
• Manages lab and test results
• Complete medication refill requests
• Provide primary nursing to clinic assigned to, but must be willing and able to staff at other RHG clinics as needed and to support the RHG health team.

Successful candidate must demonstrate the Rural Health Group Core Competencies, which include:

1. Good Judgment
2. Communication/Customer Service/Teamwork
3. Passion
4. Honesty
5. Responsibility
6. Job-Specific Skill Set

Education, Licensure & Experience:

• Licensed Practical Nurse or Registered Nurse
• Current NC licensure is required - unrestricted
• Minimum five years of experience as nurse, in outpatient, community/health, critical care or emergency care
• Preferred, one to two years of telephone triage experience, preferably in a medical setting
• Phone nurse training or experience is a plus, but not required

Performance requirements:

• Ability to relate with warmth and effectiveness to the patients and the health care team
• Professional and accurate written and oral communication skills
• Excellent assessment skills
• Excellent organizational skill and accuracy in work, proficient computer skills
• Ability to work independently as well as within a multidisciplinary team
• Knowledge of telephone based clinical assessment techniques.
• The nurse must be able to define problems, collect data, establish facts and draw valid conclusions.
• Knowledge of appropriate home health information for patients to follow until visit with physician, if they do not need an immediate ER visit.
• Skill in making triage decisions and responding quickly and calmly in emergency situations

EOE. Federal and State Criminal Background Checks and Drug Screen required for all positions. Influenza vaccine is also a condition of employment.

E-Verify Notice: After accepting employment, new hires are required to complete an I-9 form and present documentation of their identity and eligibility to work in the United States.