RN, Patient Flow, Admissions & Discharge, 24hrs

Patient Flow, Admissions & Discharge Registered Nurse (RN)

When you join the growing BILH team, you're not just taking a job, you're making a difference in people's lives.

Under the general supervision of the ACNO of Inpatient Services & Staffing Office, The Patient Flow, Admissions & Discharge Registered Nurse (RN) is responsible for assessments and tasks associated with smooth patient care movement. The main function includes coordinating and completing patient admissions and discharges on designated patient care units as determined by the needs of the hospital. This role ensures a safe, efficient, and patient-centered transition into the inpatient setting by conducting comprehensive admission assessments, medication reconciliation, patient and family education, and other tasks related to supporting the patient and hospital unit workload. This role helps decrease the workload on bedside nurses, allowing them to focus more on direct patient care while supporting operational efficiency and patient flow. This aligns with the patient's movement and care coordination functions.

Job Description:

A. QUALIFICATIONS:

Required:

• Graduate of a state-approved and/or accredited RN program required. BSN strongly encouraged.
• Current Registered Nurse (RN) License in the State of Massachusetts
• Minimum of 1-2 years of clinical nursing experience.

Preferred:

• Experience in med/surg nursing, transitions of care and care coordination.
• The ability to provide high quality patient care while also understanding the importance of effective throughput to promote the delivery of safe care.

B. LICENSE, CERTIFICATION REQUIRED: Massachusetts Registered Nurse License.

C. LIFE SUPPORT CERTIFICATION REQUIRED: Basic Life Support (BLS) & Advanced Cardiac Life Support (ACLS) Certifications.

D. POPULATION SPECIFIC REQUIREMENTS:

Positions assigned to A3, B2 and B3 provide care for Adult and Geriatric patients.

Positions assigned to A1, C3 and Intensive Care Unit provide patient care to Adolescent, Adult, and Geriatric populations.

Positions assigned to A4 and IV Therapy provide patient care to all population groups.

E. OTHER JOB REQUIREMENTS:

Schedule requirements: Based on department needs.

Travel requirements: Based on department needs.

F. REPORTING RELATIONSHIPS:

• Reports in most cases to the Director/ACNO, Nurse Manager, Nurse Coordinator or Supervisor.
• Not responsible for supervising the work of others.

WE CARE COMMITMENT

When patients enter Winchester Hospital, they are entrusting us with a responsibility that is otherwise normally their own --the responsibility for their health, well-being, and often, their lives.

To honor that trust, all Winchester Hospital employees are expected to demonstrate the WE CARE behaviors of Winchester Hospital in every encounter with patients, coworkers, and the community. WE CARE is an acronym for the following:

Wellbeing - We provide a health-focused workplace and support a healthy work-life balance.

Empathy - We do our best to understand others' feelings, needs and perspectives.

Collaboration - We work together to achieve extraordinary results.

Accountability - We hold ourselves and each other to behaviors necessary to achieve our collective goals.

Respect - We value diversity and treat all members of our community with dignity and inclusiveness.

Equity - Everyone has the opportunity to attain their full potential in our workplace and through the care we provide.

All Winchester Hospital employees are expected to exemplify the WE CARE behaviors.

SECTION 3: COMPLIANCE COMMITMENT

Winchester Hospital maintains a Compliance Program to ensure that employees comply with all laws, regulations and Joint Commission and other licensure and accreditation standards that apply to our business. The Code of Business Conduct is a vital part of the Compliance Program. Employees must be familiar with the Compliance Program and Code of Business Conduct and must comply with their requirements, and the requirements of any other laws and regulations, policies and procedures affecting the performance of their job. If applicable, employees are expected to comply with standards of conduct outlined by the oversight organization(s) of their profession.

SECTION 4: JOB FUNCTIONS

Consistent with the WE CARE principles and inherent in a hospital environment, employees must be flexible in meeting patients' and the Hospital's needs. While the list below describes the primary functions of this job, all employees at Winchester Hospital need to recognize that an essential element of their job is the ability to respond to unanticipated and/or changing situations. This may result in assuming responsibilities or tasks, which are not on this list.

As part of the Patient Care Services team, this position:

• Exemplifies Winchester Hospital's values and WE CARE behaviors. Commits to making every encounter with our patients, patients' family, co-workers, physicians and other customers the best that it can be.

• Complies with all Winchester Hospital policies and the Code of Business Conduct. As required, maintains current license, life support certification, and tuberculosis testing. Takes responsibility for own safety as well as the safety of patients, patients' family, co-workers, physicians, and other customers.
• Assumes primary responsibility for the admission & discharge process on high-volume receiving units, ensuring timely and thorough patient onboarding.
• Reduces the workload of bedside nurses by managing admission & discharge related tasks, allowing direct care nurses to focus on ongoing patient care, clinical surveillance, and patient engagement.
• Supports efficient patient throughput by decreasing delays in admissions and improving bed utilization.
• Enhances the patient experience by providing focused attention during the admission process, ensuring patients and families receive consistent communication and education.
• Promotes operational efficiency and patient flow by streamlining care coordination activities associated with patient arrivals and transitions within the hospital.
• Contributes to improved staff satisfaction by alleviating admission-related workflow burdens during peak census and high-acuity periods.
• This role is integral to optimizing patient flow, maintaining safe staffing practices, and supporting the timely placement and care of patients across the organization.
• Completes comprehensive admission assessments and required documentation upon patient arrival.
• Performs medication reconciliation review discharge instructions
• Works closely with the interdisciplinary team; coordinating discharge planning with the nursing supervisor, providers, and bedside nurses.
• Provides patient and family education related to medications, follow-up appointments, and discharge instructions.
• Ensures discharge paperwork, prescriptions, and transportation plans are completed in a timely manner.
• Facilitates efficient admissions and discharges to improve bed availability, patient throughput by reducing transition related workload
• Collaborates with unit staff to support safe transitions of care.
• Utilizes the nursing process to provide patient care:

Assesses the patient using methods such as observation, interview, and review of clinical data. Develops individualized plan of care including discharge plan based on assessment and in conjunction with physician orders to achieve desired outcomes. Evaluates and changes care plan as appropriate. Implements plan of care. Directs licensed and unlicensed personnel to implement plan of care. Utilizes the results of evidence-based research to improve clinical outcomes.

• Administers medications and performs treatments as ordered.
• Participates in interdisciplinary patient care conferences. Communicates with other healthcare team members to resolve operational problems, patient satisfaction and clinical initiative.
• Completes competency for preceptor and/or charge nurse role at the discretion of nurse manager.
• Completes competencies for unit specific responsibilities.
• Participates in the following:

Mandatory training requirements as per unit/hospital policies Continuing education/in services to enhance knowledge Staff meetings Performance improvement initiatives Orientation of new staff, students and/or volunteers Participation in community activities is encouraged

SECTION 4: DEPARTMENT SPECIFIC JOB FUNCTIONS

The functions performed in the various nursing units may differ depending on the patient population. Registered Nurses are responsible to meet all applicable competencies.

SECTION 5: PHYSICAL AND MENTAL REQUIREMENTS/CONDITIONS

The employee needs to have the physical and mental abilities to perform the duties of this position using the WE CARE behaviors.

It is anticipated that the employee will have contact with blood, bodily fluids or other potentially infectious materials while performing their job duties.

It is anticipated that employee will have contact with potentially hazardous chemicals while performing their job duties.

The list below is intended to describe the physical and sensory ability requirements of the