Sexual Health Nurse Coordinator

Job Summary

The Sexual Health Nurse Coordinator provides patient-centered nursing care in the specific setting of addressing sexual health testing, treatment, and prevention needs. This role is integral to collection of patient history and testing/samples necessary for patient care, advising patients on implementing guideline-based care, and appropriate billing to insurance or contracts/grants. In conjunction with another Sexual Health Nurse Coordinator , this position is uniquely responsible for staffing and operating the daytime Sexual Health Clinic (SHC) service. This position will conduct patient visits for testing, treatment, prevention, and linkage to care, and will operate with a very high degree of flexibility and autonomy guided by written policy and standing orders, and with clinical oversight by an on-site licensed independent practitioner. This role will work primarily with adolescent and adult populations and will also assist patients with navigation to primary care and/or chronic care services as needed.

This position will report primarily to the Sexual Health Services Program Manager for all SHC-related functions, but separately to the Director of Nursing for annual competencies, trainings, and other as needed.

Major Duties And Responsibilities

Analytical and Critical Thinking

• In accordance with Chase Brexton policies and standing orders and as a primary point of care for most sexual health concerns addressed within the Sexual Health Clinic, this role utilizes assessment skills to evaluate patient needs and formulate a plan of care, as part of the multi-disciplinary care team.
• Revises outcomes and interventions based on results and patient feedback, collaborating with both the patient and other members of the care team.
• Facilitates individual or group education and testing visits with patients to address sexual health concerns, and provides information on prevention, treatment, and follow-up as appropriate.
• Identifies opportunities to introduce and implement STI/HIV/pregnancy prevention measures in accordance with Chase Brexton policies and procedures.
• Takes ownership of patient care needs and follows through on care provision to close communication loops and address needs within our organizational service abilities.
• Identifies patients at risk for poor outcomes and those who may require more intensive services; provides additional outreach and frequent follow up (by phone and in-person) to this population.
• Provides sexual health case management, including critical diagnosis care coordination, transition care management, high risk clinical tracking, complex medication management and system utilization to appropriate patients.
• Performs phlebotomy during patient visits to collect bloodwork for testing.
• Ability to escalate care as appropriate for additional physical assessment, lab result interpretation, medication needs, linkage to more complex or recurring care service lines, and to facilitate rapid intervention in times of crisis or urgent complexity (reported sexual assault, new HIV diagnosis, Department of Health or legal intervention, etc.)
  
  

Teamwork

• Collaborates with multi-disciplinary team to address both physical and psychological aspects of health to provide care for the whole patient.
• As applicable, collaborates with provider, pharmacy, social work, or other staff during patient visits for education on health promotion, disease prevention, and/or management of disease.
• Coordination and team attendance with other SHC staff or SWOD team members for on-site and/or off-site testing and sexual health education events.
  
  

Patient Focus

• Provide STI, HIV, and reproductive testing to SHC patients in compliance with Chase Brexton policies and standing orders, and offer, provide, or coordinate treatment or prevention methods as applicable.
• Coordinate SHC services for patients by ensuring room availability, adequate supplies and appropriate lab processing, follow-up on results, and appropriate.
• May provide individual or group-based health education and coaching around HIV/STI and reproductive health and prevention.
• Access appropriate resources inside and outside the organization to meet patient needs.
• Demonstrates awareness of cultural, ethnic, gender, sexual orientation and racial differences and their potential to impact patient outcomes.
  
  

Communication

• Required: outstanding communication skills with staff, patients, and community members. Must be able to effectively communicate with patients using both medically appropriate and patient-understood terminology.
• Provide culturally, linguistically, and age-appropriate HIV, STI, and reproductive health education, prevention, counseling, testing, and referrals in accordance with applicable Chase Brexton policies regarding STI/HIV testing and treatment.
• Distribute linguistically and culturally appropriate educational literature/information.
• Utilizes interpreter services for patient communication as necessary.
• Attends nursing department staff meetings and participates in committee meetings as assigned.
• Represents Chase Brexton at internal and external workgroups and community gatherings and shares information appropriately.
• Provide appropriate SBAR report to licensed independent providers or external entities as needed for triage or additional patient assessment beyond RN scope of practice.
  
  

Checking, Examining, and Recording

• Documents both incoming and outgoing calls as they occur and communicates effectively with other team members to provide continuity of care to the patient.
• Documents telecommunications that reflect care specific to the actual or potential health needs of the caller/patient.
• Collects health status data relevant to the patient’s present problem in a continuous, systematic, and complete manner.
• Completes review of systems and physical assessment and correlates with patient’s health history to prepare patient for further examination or treatment as appropriate.
  
  

Integrity

• Maintains confidentiality in all situations, and demonstrates mindfulness of professional role even while not acting in a professional capacity or at work.
• Adheres to organizational policies and standing orders regarding STI/HIV/reproductive testing, treatment, and linkage to other internal and external services.
• In collaboration with other staff, reviews policies and guidelines to ensure standards of care are consistently delivered within the SHC setting and meet the needs of community members.
• Monitors, evaluates, and updates data needed regarding SHC reporting to various partner agencies to ensure continuous quality improvement.
  
  

Professionalism

• Consistently displays professionalism in dealing with customers, staff, and clinicians.
• Represents Chase Brexton at community events and with community stakeholders at both internal and external meetings regarding the Sexual Health Clinic.
  
  

Skills And Abilities

• Correspondence is always professional, accurate and delivered in a timely manner.
• Experience with documentation in an Electronic Medical Record
• Ability to work with computers in word processing, and database applications preferred.
• CPR certified by scheduled start date.
• Must be flexible and adapt to a fast-paced and constantly changing environment.
• Self-motivated and driven, able to prioritize competing responsibilities and work in a largely autonomous setting.
• Phlebotomy experience required or independent external training obtained prior to start date.
  
  

Education And/Or Experience

• Required: Graduate from an Accredited School of Nursing; Current Maryland Nursing License
• Preferred: 3 years of nursing in an ambulatory, acute care, or public health setting
• Preferred: Bilingual English and Spanish
• Familiarity with sexual health, sexually transmitted infections, HIV prevention, and trauma-informed care practices.
• Significant related experience with priority populations served may substitute for some of the above requirements.
• BSN or advanced degree preferred
  
  

Working Conditions/Physical Demands

• Work is typically performed in a hybrid office environment, primarily at MVC but also at any CBHC site, but may also require field work in a variety of community settings (outdoors, corporate or small business partner sites/venues, mobile testing units, etc.)
• Must have a valid driver’s license and transportation.
• Ability to commute between clinic site (MVC) and community testing and/or partner sites.
• Be able to lift 30-50lbs for events.
• Evening shifts (10a-7p) may be required
  
  

Additional note: This role requires a high degree of critical thinking and autonomy but is not allowed to clinically practice independently above or beyond the scope of organizational policy and standing orders governing operation of the Sexual Health Clinic. Independently practicing outside of clinic policy, RN scope, or legal authority may result in immediate termination and referral to MD Board of Nursing.