Job Summary:
Primary focus is to monitor and respond to patient deterioration utilizing the Early Warning System. Oversees hospital administrative daily operations. Ensures accessible, appropriate, patient-focused, and cost-effective services. Collaborates with administrative and medical teams to ensure timely, quality care, and safe hospital operations. Develops, implements, and monitors policies and procedures to support organizational goals and business objectives. Evaluates process to improve systems across continuum. Identifies and implements strategies to reduce costs and improve quality of care/services. Serves as role model.
Essential Responsibilities:
- Implements rounding identified in the Early Warning System (EWS) workflows. Participates in assessment, planning and treatment of patients as identified during EWS rounds. Responds to RRTs and Code Blues. Takes an active leadership role in these events. May perform patient care to the extent necessary to maintain clinical expertise, competency, and licensing necessary to fulfill job responsibilities and to direct provision of care on a unit.
- Coordinates and conducts in-services / simulations/mock codes. Collaborates with educators/clinical coordinators to meet identified needs of staff. Models high standards of professional practice (ANA Scope & Standard), owns their professional development.
- Communicates goals, objectives, accountabilities, priorities, and authority parameters to assigned staff. Ensures staff completes mandatory education and clinical competencies as per policy. Provides nursing consultation to unit staff, peers, and other hospital personnel. Provides management coverage for nursing department.
- Acts as on-site administrative representative for Hospital Administration outside of customary business hours. Communicates with and reports to Administrator On-Call issues affecting hospital operations. Provides direction and support to ancillary services after hours to ensure quality service and a safe environment for patients and staff.
- Provides direction for Hospital Operations team and is responsible to Hospital Administration for daily operations of hospital. Responds to all patient and facility emergencies. Serves as Incident Commander and Operations Manager in the Emergency Operations Center during facility and community emergency situations. Observes and/or facilitates direct response to assure resolution and documentation of processes.
- Identifies risk management issues and potential and actual significant events. Initiates proper procedures. Communicates with other departments or unit managers for follow up or additional actions. Maintains oversight of hospital capacity and capability for services at all times. In consultations with Administrator on-Call, institutes and discontinues diversionary status of hospital services, based on immediately available capacity and capability of hospital services as defined. Triggers diverts for hospital (e.g., units/ER).
- Communicates pertinent information at shift reports, to Unit Managers, to the Administrator on-call, and to other departmental leaders as appropriate. Triages and prioritizes patients for admission. Assigns admissions in accordance with patient needs. Ensures quality patient care according to professional practice guidelines and established staffing policies and procedures.
- Accepts all transferred patients on behalf of hospital considering immediate and anticipated hospital capacity, staffing and service capability. Coordinates with Hospital Operations team the transfer of patients from local and out-of-area facilities to meet patient care needs. Facilitates and coordinates emergent care and/or provision for safety needs. Authorizes mobilization and/or activation of personnel across continuum, as necessary, to facilitate hospital operations, patient care and/or ensure a safe environment.
- Coordinates patient care through sustained interaction with physicians and health care team. Advocates for patients and families. Serves as Administrative Representative for resolution and documentation of customer service issues. Communicates to appropriate staff for further action. Communicates with unit charge nurse and monitor patient care. Assesses complex patient care solutions (e.g., sitters/specials, class IVs).
- Maintains and applies knowledge of current regulatory standards (e.g., EMTALA, CMS, TJC) and unit specific criteria for appropriate admission, placement, and transfer of patients. Reviews, follows, and interprets standards, policies and procedures and assist in development. Demonstrate fiscal responsibility for operational budget by timely triage, prioritization, and repatriation of patient to provide quality patient care with efficient utilization of material and human resources.
- Orients staff (e.g., charge nurses, coordinators, care managers) to facility operations. Monitors and adjusts nursing shift staffing to meet patient needs in conjunction with unit manager or unit charge nurse. Adjust as necessary for changes in census and/or patient acuity to maintain quality and professional care standards and operational budget guidelines. Communicates exceptions to management responsible for department.
- Interprets and enforces departmental specific policies and procedures. Collaborates with physician/hospital leadership and others. Provides hospitalization and appropriate medical care for Health Plan membership of the region in a financially responsible manner.
- Maintains knowledge and skills for safe patient care. Completes all mandatory in-service and certification. Maintains current awareness of new legislation, regulations, and technical changes as may be applicable to practice. Attends and participates in department and unit meetings. Actively support and participates in team projects.
- May perform patient care to the extent necessary to maintain clinical expertise, competency, and licensing necessary to fulfill job responsibilities and to direct provision of care on the unit. Provides direct patient care on as need basis. Provides services that are within scope of license and in compliance with all legal, regulatory, and policy requirements relevant to clinical role performed.
- Incorporates the KP Nursing vision, Model and Values throughout their Nursing Practice.
