Patient Flow Specialist (RN)

Patient Flow Specialist

At BJC HealthCare, our purpose is simple: to improve the health and well-being of the people and communities we serve. As a Patient Flow Specialist, you'll play a vital role in delivering on that mission by helping patients move safely and efficiently through their care journey while supporting exceptional patient experiences and operational excellence.

This unique, non-traditional nursing role combines clinical expertise, care coordination, and hospital operations across Barnes-Jewish St. Peters Hospital and Progress West Hospital. Working closely with physicians, nursing, case management, patient placement, pharmacy, and ancillary teams, you will help ensure patients receive the right care, in the right place, at the right time. From facilitating interdisciplinary rounds and coordinating discharge plans to removing barriers that delay patient progression, you'll have a direct impact on safe transitions of care, patient outcomes, and hospital capacity.

As a trusted partner across multiple departments, you'll support initiatives focused on reducing avoidable delays, improving patient flow, optimizing bed utilization, and enhancing the overall patient experience. This independent role is ideal for experienced nurses who enjoy problem-solving, relationship-building, and influencing care beyond the bedside while maintaining a healthy work-life balance.

Role Highlights

• Four 10-hour shifts (9:00 a.m.7:00 p.m.)
• No weekends or holidays
• Split schedule between Barnes-Jewish St. Peters Hospital and Progress West Hospital (approximately two days per week at each location)
• Blend of nursing, care coordination, throughput, and operational responsibilities
• Facilitate interdisciplinary rounds and discharge planning
• Partner closely with physicians, nursing leadership, case management, patient placement, and ancillary services
• High-visibility role with the opportunity to influence patient outcomes and hospital-wide operations
• Collaboration across multiple inpatient units

Why BJC HealthCare?

• Benefits eligibility beginning on Day 1, including medical, dental, and vision coverage
• PTO accrual starting on Day 1
• Tuition assistance and continuing education resources
• Parental leave and well-being programs designed to support every stage of life
• A culture that celebrates excellence through programs such as BJC Bravo and Connections Groups
• The opportunity to grow within one of the nation's leading integrated health care organizations while making a meaningful difference in the communities we serve

Successful Candidates Typically Have

• 25 years of inpatient RN experience, preferably in an acute care setting
• Experience as a Resource Nurse or in discharge planning/care coordination
• Strong communication, organization, collaboration, and critical-thinking skills
• The ability to manage multiple priorities and navigate complex situations independently
• A passion for improving the patient experience and driving successful transitions of care

This is an exceptional opportunity for nurses seeking a broader organizational impact, combining clinical expertise with care coordination and operational leadership to help patients move safely and efficiently through their healthcare journey.

Opened in 2007, Progress West Hospital is BJC HealthCare's newest hospital in St. Charles County, featuring modern private rooms. It offers 24-hour emergency services and has partnered with St. Louis Children's Hospital to provide world-class pediatric emergency care.

Progress West Hospital also provides surgical services, endoscopy services, a cardiac catheterization lab, medical/surgical inpatient services, diagnostic imaging, lab services, and the Advanced Wound Center, a specialty wound treatment facility with state-of-the-art equipment. Progress West Hospital recently completed an expansion of its Childbirth Center to include enhanced services for at-risk mothers and babies, with a newborn ICU that provides care for babies born as early as 32 weeks.

Progress West Hospital is a Certified Level II Stroke Center. The hospital's medical office building houses offices for specialists in primary care, cardiology, obstetrics, pediatrics, and orthopedics.

Nursing Resources supports administration and other leaders of the organization in ensuring the daily operations of the hospital run efficiently. This area, along with all departments within the hospital, supports the guiding principles of the hospital in providing care that is customized and reflects the patient's needs, values, and choices.

Employee assists in the placement of all admissions and transfers in accordance with established guidelines. Employee facilitates patient placement to appropriate service and HSO. Employee assigns patients to appropriate beds using facility patient placement guidelines.

• Uses critical thinking skills and clinical judgment in directing patients to the most appropriate level of care and unit assignment and ensures accurate and complete communication with all areas across the system.
• Uses available tracking systems to maintain ongoing surveillance of available staffed beds. Monitors progress with bed assignments and arrivals of patients to assigned units; monitors for timeliness of transfers and discharges.
• Alerts department leadership of delays with patient flow for individual patients and departments experiencing delays.
• Manages all patient placement and progression functions in a responsive manner responding to all callers with the aid of the electronic health record, approved clinical protocols, and established patient care protocols and healthcare information.
• Works with the BJC Capacity Management Center, internal hospital teams and key stakeholders on leading and facilitating efficient, timely placement of patients, including, but not limited to Patient Flow Specialist, Department Leaders, and House Supervisors.

Education

• Associate's Degree - Nursing

Experience

• <2 years

Supervisor Experience

• < 2 years

Licenses & Certifications

• RN or RRT

Education

• Bachelor's Degree - Nursing

Experience

• 2-5 years

Supervisor Experience

• 2-5 years

BJC Total Rewards

At BJC we're committed to providing you and your family with benefits and resources to help you manage your physical, emotional, social and financial well-being.

• Comprehensive medical, dental, vison, life insurance, and legal services available first day of the month after hire date
• Disability insurance* paid for by BJC
• Annual 4% BJC Automatic Retirement Contribution
• 401(k) plan with BJC match
• Tuition Assistance available on first day
• BJC Institute for Learning and Development
• Health Care and Dependent Care Flexible Spending Accounts
• Paid Time Off benefit combines vacation, sick days, holidays and personal time
• Adoption assistance

To learn more, go to our Benefits Summary.

*Not all benefits apply to all jobs

The above information on this description has been designed to indicate the general nature and level of work performed by employees in this position. It is not designed to contain or be interpreted as an exhaustive list of all responsibilities, duties and qualifications required of employees assigned to this job. Equal Opportunity Employer