Nurse Coordinator Ambulatory Services CN II

Nurse Role at SJMC

This role is considered the minimum role for all nurses at SJMC who have greater than 12 months experience. This nurse will be competent in the skills/knowledge required and fully participate in unit governance. Independently provides and coordinates care provided to patients within a clinical specialty. Serves as a fully effective and participative member of the multidisciplinary patient care services team. Demonstrates and models the full range of nursing professional practice in both care provided and in participation in development of strategies to improve patient outcomes, satisfaction with service and cost effectiveness at the unit level. Is accountable to patients and families for the processes and outcomes of care during an episode of care. Is accountable to peers for the advancement of group practice on the unit, and to the nurse manager for the totality of work performance.

The following statements are intended to describe the general nature and level of work being performed by people assigned to this classification. They are not to be construed as an exhaustive list of all job duties performed by personnel so classified.

Clinical Practice/Care Delivery

• Competent in care of practice setting specific patient population; independently practices with solid knowledge and clinical skills; engaged in advancing own practice.
• Collaborates with interdisciplinary team to plan and coordinate care addressing patient/family needs.
• Provides direct and indirect care in area of specialization to patients and families, and objectively and systematically evaluates the quality and appropriateness of care delivery.
• Serves a clinical resource to others.
• Serves as an effective Primary Coordinating Nurse; collaborates and coordinates with physicians and all disciplines involved in the patient's care to assure timely progress toward the best clinical outcome in the most cost effective manner.
• Provides symptom management strategies to a defined patient population in collaboration with physician.
• Utilizes and integrates evidence into practice.
• Triages patient telephone inquiries and provides consultations as needed.
• Provides extensive patient education regarding disease process, treatment plan, and symptom management. Expertise in specialty area enables nurse coordinator to triage and assess patients in order to provide optimum level of care. Assists patients and families through disease process and along the care continuum.
• Ensures development and implementation of effective discharge plans and concurrently and retrospectively reviews patients for medical appropriateness and risk management issues.
• Assists patients with authorizing and pre-certification of insurance coverage for tests as ordered as part of the treatment plan.

Practice focus Areas:

• Active participant in Clinical Practice governance activities.
• Develops patient education materials and overall process for practice setting-based patient education.
• Assists in the development of clinical practice protocols and standards.

Professional Development

• Responsible for maintaining competencies required for the patient care setting; focus on advancing own professional development.
• Attends educational offerings and in-services independently.
• Serves as preceptor, coach, mentor to new nurses, students.
• Contributes to ancillary personnel skills and development.
• Fosters educational development of self and staff and promotes the development of a multi disciplinary patient care philosophy at SJMC.

Practice focus Areas:

• Active participant in Professional Development governance activities.
• Contributes to practice setting-based education and learning activities (2/year that could be posters, storyboards, presentation, in-service, group project).
• Assists with developing/evaluating practice setting-based orientation program.
• Serves as Super-user or assists in competency validation.
• Provides health-related contributions through community services, such as health fairs.

Service Quality/Safety

• Models customer service behaviors; supports "Best Practices" for customer service; learning service recovery skills.
• Participates in some or all elements of research.
• Manages/coordinates activities designed to improve performance in assigned programs. Participates in practice setting based PI efforts; assists in development of action plans and supports implementation.
• Participates in implementation efforts addressing NSQI. Reports the status of progress and recommends/implements appropriate measures for Performance Improvement (PI).
• Actively endorses evidence based practice; participates in practice setting based research.

Practice focus Areas:

• Active participant in clinic based Process Improvement activities.
• Collects patient/family satisfaction data; assists with tracking and developing action plans for improvement.
• Participates in collection of data related to outcomes, e.g. hand offs, medication safety, etc
• Participates in practice setting-based research activities and/or research council or team.
• Assists with TJC readiness.

Unit Operations

• Serves to problem solve; focusing on operational issues that may impede patient outcomes in a timely manner.
• Participates in teambuilding efforts on the practice setting; supports and models teamwork.
• Fully participates in nursing governance.
• Accountable for compliance with regulatory requirements and holds others accountable.
• Participates and supports the AACN guidelines for Healthy Work Environment (communication, collaboration, effective decision making, recognition, leadership, staffing).

Practice focus Areas:

• Participates in practice setting-based Reward and Recognition activities.
• Leads efforts that support practice setting operations such as equipment maintenance, scheduling, etc.
• Orients nurses to governance structure and councils.
• Contributes to development of ambulatory-based peer review processes; actively participates in individual peer review feedback.
• Identifies areas impacting practice setting operations and assists in developing/implementing action plans.
• Participates as member of a team focusing on elements within the Healthy Work Environment.

Work Experience

Education & Experience

• Licensure as a Registered Nurse in the state of Maryland, or eligible to practice due to Compact state agreements outlined through the MD Board of Nursing, is required. Up-to-date status on all mandatory training and classes.
• Bachelor's degree required. BSN required for hires after July 1, 2008 A. Nurses on UMMS payroll by 7/1/08 must have a Bachelor's degree or active enrollment with graduation within 5 years of promotion. Bachelor's degree can be in any field through June 2012. External candidates must have BSN.
• 1 year previous experience in an ambulatory surgical practice. Surgical Oncology experience.
• Current CPR certification required.
• Maintenance of 10 contact hours of education every two years or 5 per year.
• Member of a professional organization.
• Recent applicable clinical experience in a comparable setting.

University of Maryland Medical Center