Clinical Nurse (Ambulatory Care)

PLEASE NOTE - This position may require temporarily relocation to other TONHC Fa cilities: Sells Hospital, Santa Rosa Health Center, San Simon Health Center, and San Xavier Health Center.

Position Summary:


The incumbent provides comprehensive nursing care and patient services in a clinic or ambulatory care setting and assists physicians and patients.

Scope of Work:

This position is within the Tohono O'odham Nation Health Care, including Sells Hospital, San Xavier Health Center, Santa Rosa Health Center, and San Simon Health Center. The position involves providing direct care to patients in hospitals and clinics. The employee is assigned to the outpatient unit and works under the Supervisory Clinical Nurse's general supervision.

Essential Duties and Responsibilities: (Depending on the area of assignment, an incumbent may not be required to perform some of the duties listed below):

• Assist the primary provider in gathering patient information for the initial health history of new patients.
• Conduct follow-up phone calls on behalf of the care team provider.
• Contact patient to discuss test results, complete referrals, changes in medications or care plan, and follow-up on self-management goals.
• Serves as primary contact/clinical liaison between referral hospitals, pharmacies, treatment facilities, and patients/families to ensure effective and appropriate treatment per established care plan.
• Triage patients on the team's panel call or walk in and assist or direct them as appropriate. Ensures the needs of the patient are met in a safe and timely manner with the available resources.
• Facilitates, schedules, and participates in various patient care coordination activities to provide patient and family personal and health care needs promptly; proactively identify alternative resources as needed.
• Maintains and updates the team's patient panels. Identifies, creates, & maintains panels of high-risk sub-populations for care management.
• Collects and reports clinical measures for a panel of patients.
• Leads a multi-disciplinary health care team in performance improvement efforts.
• Provide emergency care as needed to patients.
• Assesses and provides appropriate support in health promotion and disease prevention and treatment to patients with common chronic illnesses such as diabetes, hypertension, and tuberculosis.
• Initiates and follows up on patient needs for continuing care or related health services.
• Provide patient and family counseling, including telephone triage and counseling with proper documentation.
• Conduct nurse visits per standing orders and current orders in the patient's record.
• Checks stock of drugs, wound care supplies, linens, medical supplies, and other patient-related supplies necessary for day-to-day operations; advises appropriate staff of need.
• Works closely with other members of the health care team in developing patient care visit plans.
• Maintains patient records by completing thorough and accurate documentation of all patient encounters.
• Administers medications as prescribed by the primary physician or provider in compliance with policies.
• Lead/coordinate pre-visit planning for scheduled patients.
• Assists in the clinical area by performing treatments and procedures.
• Participates in Quality Improvement teams and other committees as assigned.
• Acts in the absence of the supervisor.
• Performs other job duties as assigned.

Knowledge, Skills, and Abilities:

• Knowledge of the Tohono O'odham culture, customs, and traditions.
• Knowledge of HIPAA-related rules and regulations.
• Knowledge of a full range of established nursing concepts, principles, and practices to perform professional assignments of moderate difficulty.
• Knowledge of the pharmacology of various drugs to include desired action, dosage, use, and potential adverse side effects.
• Ability to interpret illness to the patient, explain purpose and outcomes of therapies, and provide instruction in proper self-care techniques such as customer care, medication administration, insulin injection techniques.
• Knowledge and skill are necessary to conduct staff and patient/family education classes and participate in the hospital-wide in-service education program.
• Knowledge of and ability to apply professional nursing principles, procedures, and techniques to outpatients with a wide variety of conditions.
• Skill in providing care and in reacting promptly to emergencies.
• Ability to provide individual and family counseling, guidance, and health instruction to help patients (and their families) understand how to prevent disease and maintain good health.
• Skill required to develop Patient Visit Plans to meet patients' individual needs with consideration of physical, emotional, social, and cultural factors throughout the life span continuum.
• Knowledge of professional nursing principles and procedures as applied in an outpatient setting.
• Skill in the use of medical equipment utilized in the area of assignment.
• Ability to be compassionate and have good communication skills.
• Ability to carry out instructions furnished in verbal or written format.
• Ability to communicate efficiently and effectively verbally and in writing.
• Ability to exercise independent judgment.
• Ability to maintain privileged, confidential information.
• Ability to establish and maintain positive and effective working relationships with other employees and the general public.
• Ability to work independently and meet strict timelines.
• Computer skills are essential to utilize and document in the Electronic Health Record.

Minimum Qualifications:

• Degree from a professional nursing program approved by the legally designated State-accrediting agency when the applicant completed the program.

Licenses, Certifications, Special Requirements:

• One (1) year of experience in ambulatory care or clinic setting is preferred but not required.
• Must have an active, current, and unrestricted license as a professional nurse in a State, District of Columbia, the Commonwealth of Puerto Rico, or a territory of the United States.
• Must have current certification in Cardio Pulmonary Resuscitation (CPR), Automated External Defibrillator (AED).
• Must have a current immunization statement to include proof of a non-reactive tuberculosis skin test within the last year, proof of immunity for hepatitis B (Documentation of immunization does not prove immunity, only a titer with a positive result is proof), within three months of hire.
• Upon recommendation for hire, a criminal background and a National FBI fingerprint check are required to determine suitability for employment, including a 39-month driving record.
• May require possessing and maintaining a valid driver's license (no DUIs or major traffic citations within the last three years).
• If required, must meet the Tohono O'odham Nation tribal employer's insurance requirements to receive a driver's permit to operate program vehicles.
• Based on the department's needs, incumbents may be required to demonstrate fluency in both the Tohono O'odham language and English as a condition of employment.