Clinical Nurse (DOM Infectious Diseases)

Clinical Nurse

We are seeking a Clinical Nurse who will support the Outpatient Parenteral Antimicrobial Therapy (OPAT) Program across Johns Hopkins Hospital and Johns Hopkins Bayview Medical Center, including providing support and, on occasion, training to patients on antibiotic use and follow-up. The Clinical Nurse will assist OPAT team members with contacting nursing facilities, infusion pharmacies/suites, and hemodialysis centers to request weekly safety labs. They will also consult with treating providers and OPAT pharmacists as well as provide facilities and infusion pharmacies with treatment changes.

The Clinical Nurse will provide support and coordinate outpatient start of care by requesting benefits checks and discussing out-of-pocket costs with patients, arranging central line placement within and outside of JHHS when needed, providing home infusion and laboratory orders, and arranging skilled nursing services when not delegable to the infusion pharmacy of record.

The Clinical Nurse will provide crisis intervention by communicating critical lab values in a timely fashion that could result in significant toxicity and hospital readmissions for patients. They will independently assess laboratory results for abnormalities in a timely fashion; communicate abnormalities to ID medical providers and implement intervention plans when clinically warranted.

In addition to supporting the OPAT service, the position involves providing general support to the Infectious Disease and Internal Medicine clinics at our Rockland Physician Practice. This includes, but is not limited to: responding to patient messages and requests, including nurse triage calls; submitting prior authorization requests for prescriptions, imaging procedures, or other outpatient services; assisting with testing and treatment of sexually-transmitted illnesses, including the administration of intramuscular injections; ordering and overseeing the vaccine inventory; initiating Cabenuva therapy plans and liaising with JH partners to facilitate Cabenuva injections at various sites of administration; providing after-visit reminders/follow up calls to patients; providing back-up assistance with appointment scheduling; assessment, maintenance, and removal of central lines; assisting physicians in coordinating direct admissions to JHH.

Specific duties & responsibilities:

• Coordinate the clinical activities for and provide nursing case management services to patients seen at the Rockland Green Spring Infectious Disease outpatient clinic.
• Counsel, support, educate, and coordinate resources needed by patients and their family members during each stage of their disease.
• Coordinate clinical activities for patients with adherence problems related to medical appointment keeping and HIV therapy. Clinical activities include: triaging patient calls directed from office support staff, lab review, coordination of home care, and coordination with skilled nursing facilities and outpatient dialysis centers. Complete appropriate documentation of patient care interactions (nursing visits, patient education, telephone contacts, medication refills) in the electronic medical record.
• Conduct educational training sessions with patients to review medication knowledge, medication adherence, and other related issues as clinically/medically warranted.
• Provide nursing support to the assigned population of clinic patients and provide backup coverage to other clinical staff. Nursing begins with the first encounter with the patient and continues throughout the course of care.
• Independently assess daily laboratory reports for abnormalities; communicate abnormalities to medical providers and implement intervention plans when clinically warranted in collaboration with providers.
• Clinically assess the need for patient diagnostic testing prior to evaluation by a medical clinician.
• Triage calls from the Emergency Department, Infectious Disease Fellows, home infusion agencies, skilled nursing facilities, dialysis facilities, patients and caregivers, and other health care providers. Determines and implements follow-up plans for patients requiring medical treatment.
• Provide patients with one-on-one education on disease management and medication adherence. Develop tailored care plans for patients with the input of the provider and other adherence staff to address individual medication adherence issues.
• Assess acute patients as ordered by the provider. When needed, ensures access to phlebotomy, IV insertion, and related services to assist the provider or clinical support staff.
• Serve as a knowledgeable and available resource to clinical support staff on medical protocols, procedures, and safety initiatives. This position is responsible for maintaining an appropriate vaccine supply in the GSS practice.
• Monitor and collaborate with external agencies and community-based organizations to maintain continuity of care and prudent use of resources.
• Oversee case management activities of home care nurses and facilitate communication between family, home care nursing, physician, and patient.
• Liaise with clinic providers to determine orders for home care nursing of patients in the community. Communicate home care orders to appropriate home care agencies and coordinate care.
• Maintain current knowledge of all JHH, JHU, the OPAT Program, and Green Spring's policies and procedures related to the unit's operation and assume responsibility for appropriate application and compliance. Assist with implementing Infection Control procedures for Green Spring.
• Support quality assurance/quality control initiatives.
• Attend all relevant on- and off-site nursing meetings and provide a formal report when requested.
• Assist with conducting internal environmental rounds by collecting data for process improvement discussions.
• Successfully manage a fast-paced clinical environment with frequent interruptions in planned work.
• Regularly interfaces with patients and a multidisciplinary care team.

Minimum Qualifications

• The individual must be a registered nurse, licensed in the State of Maryland or the state where practicing.
• Current American Heart Association or American Red Cross CPR Certification.
• Must maintain current licensure and certification throughout the duration of employment.
• Completion of the JHH Credentialing process.
• Additional education may substitute for required experience, and additional related experience may substitute for required education beyond a high school diploma/graduation equivalent, to the extent permitted by the JHU equivalency formula.

Preferred Qualifications

• Bachelor's Degree in nursing or related discipline preferred.
• Strong interest in and/or knowledge of infectious diseases care, including HIV/AIDS, viral hepatitis, IV antibiotics, or General Infections preferred.
• Strong interpersonal, organizational, and managerial skills to interact with healthcare providers from many disciplines and diverse patient populations.
• Demonstrated clinical assessment skills with experience in taking independent action to care for patients who are ill while they await evaluation by the medical provider.

Classified Title: Clinical Nurse Role/Level/Range: ACRP/03/ME Starting Salary Range: $64,600 - $113,300 ($86,390 targeted; Commensurate w/exp.) Employee group: Full Time Schedule: M-F 8:30am-5pm FLSA Status: Exempt Location: JH at Greenspring Department name: DOM Infectious Diseases Personnel area: School of Medicine