What are the responsibilities and job description for the Triage Nurse position at Gastroenterology Associates of the Piedmont?
Description
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Independent, physician-owned GI practice searching for a Registered Nurse (RN) or Licensed Practical Nurse (LPN) who is responsible for providing triage telephone service to ensure prompt identification of patients with high-risk conditions. The nurse in the triage department is a clinically trained medical professional that will sort, prioritize, and assess patients to evaluate their symptoms. They are responsible for documenting the patient’s chief complaints in the electronic medical record, relaying patient advice, ordering specific tests based on standard orders that are in place, and/or schedule appointments based on urgency level. Their primary goal is to care for all patients and to streamline the delivery of care so that patients can be treated in a timely fashion.
Requirements
- Talks directly to patients on the telephone.
- Performs short evaluation of the patient situation to estimate severity of illness and/or injury including learning about chief complaint and, as possible, obtaining vital signs and mental status information.
- Determines urgency of seeing the patient based on brief assessment and on familiarity with a patient’s condition and medical history. Confers with physician as needed.
- Sets up appointment for patients who do not need to go to ER but need to see a physician or arranges for an appointment scheduler to make the appointment.
- Handles routine information requests from patients.
Performance Requirements:
- Knowledge of telephone-based clinical assessment techniques.
- Knowledge of medical practice telephone triage protocols.
- Skill in using electronic medical records to check patient history.
- Skill in using computerized medical information database during evaluation as guide to appropriate decision.
- Skill in making triage decisions and responding quickly and calmly in emergency situations such as calling 911 and arranging for ambulance.
- Ability to communicate clearly and calmly with patient.
- Ability to elicit information needed to make brief evaluation.
- Ability to work closely with physicians and other clinicians as needed.
Education: NC licensed RN or LPN.
Experience: Minimum three years of experience as RN or LPN; one to two years of telephone triage experience, in medical practice setting preferred. Strong computer skills and experience with electronic health record required. Epic experience preferred. Bilingual skills a plus.
Physical Requirements: Must possess the physical and mental abilities to perform the tasks normally associated with a Triage Telephone Nurse that is mostly a sedentary job. Hand/arm injury possible from repetitive movements. Requires hearing to normal range. Stress generated from high volume of calls and emergencies.
