Registered Nurse (RN) Care Coordinator FT Days (Weekday)
Wellstar Health System
Summary
The Care Coordinator RN (CC RN) is responsible for assessing transitional care needs, coordinating care across the continuum, and engaging with patient and family to assure care needs are met. The CC RN plans effectively to meet the patient's needs, manage the length of stay and promote efficient utilization of resources. Overall, the role integrates and coordinates care facilitation, care progression and transitional care planning functions.
Job description
Specific functions within this role include:
- Psychosocial and functional status assessment, transitional care planning, clinical care progression, facilitate patient/family care conferences, participate in interdisciplinary rounds, and patient/family education
- Collaborates effectively with the utilization review nurse, patient's physicians and the interdisciplinary care team to provide a comprehensive assessment of the patient's medical care needs, psychosocial needs, any social determinants of health needs, goals/outcome attainment and continued care needs
- Assures that the patient is progressing towards their discharge goal and assists to alleviate barriers
- Seeks consultation from appropriate disciplines/departments as required to proactively identify and resolve delays to expedite care and facilitate discharge.
- May have other duties assigned
Core Responsibilities and Essential Functions
Assessment: Based on preliminary screening of patients, initiates assessment of patient's chronic disease management needs and psychosocial risk factors and availability of resources to assist upon discharge. Partners with the PAS, financial counselor and/or UM nurse to assess insurance and coverage requirements for all payers to ensure adherence to those requirements. Collaborates with the patient and family, along with the physician(s) and other members of the care team to fully establish and support both the patient's care progression and discharge plans. Meets with physicians and care team routinely to collaborate on timely and efficient patient management.
Care Progression: Collaborates with physicians and care team to facilitate communication regarding patient's care progression to ensure timely and efficient delivery of care. Proactively identifies delays/obstacles in diagnostic or treatments within the plan of care which can lead to discharge delays. Identifies and discusses with physician the medical necessity for inpatient testing that may be more appropriate in the outpatient setting. Actively works to resolve barriers to discharge and engages/escalates barriers to discharge to the appropriate leader for efficient resolution.
Disposition Planning: Manages all aspects of discharge planning for assigned patients. Implements discharge planning timely and provides resources in an efficient manner. Meets with patient/family to assess needs and develop an individualized discharge plan in collaboration with physicians. Identifies and documents barriers for timely disposition. Ensures/maintains discharge plan consensus with patient/family, physicians, care teams and payers. Responds to referrals for patient's post-acute needs from physicians and the care team. Participates in Interdisciplinary Rounds with the patient's care team to confirm estimated date of discharge and make recommendations for best level of care transition at discharge. Initiates/facilitates post-acute referrals through departmental processes for timely transition to the next level of care. Refer appropriate cases for social work intervention based on departmental protocol. Allows for any cultural or religious beliefs in providing service and continuity of care.
Documentation: Initial clinical/psychosocial assessment completed and documented in medical record. Ensure all records are up-to-date and documentation is clear and concise. Ensure timely and accurate documentation in progress notes of interactions with patient/family, physicians, care team, and community partners as it pertains to the patient's discharge plan. Accounts for and indicates all services arranged/delivered in electronic medical record. Track avoidable days and report trends that lead to undesired outcomes.
Professional Development and Initiative: Completes all initial and ongoing professional competency assessment, required mandatory education, population specific education. Supports department-based goals which contribute to the success of the organization. Serves as a preceptor and/or mentor for student interns (if appropriate).
Requirements
- Minimum 1 year nursing experience in the acute care setting
- Associate's degree in Nursing or Diploma (Nurse) required
- Bachelor's degree in Nursing preferred
- RN - Registered Nurse (Single State) license required upon hire
- RN-COMPACT - Multi-state Compact license required upon hire
- BLS - Basic Life Support certification required upon hire
- Excellent written and verbal communication skills
- Strong assessment, interview, organizational and problem-solving skills
- Knowledge regarding local, state and federal regulations
- Knowledge of community and state-wide resources and programs
- Ability to work collaboratively with physicians, care team, and patient/family
Benefits
- Sign on bonus
- Relocation assistance
Company overview
Wellstar Health System is one of Georgia's largest and most comprehensive integrated healthcare systems, founded in 1993 and headquartered in Marietta, Georgia. As a non-profit health system, Wellstar operates with a mission to enhance the health and well-being of every person it serves through its PeopleCare approach. The system employs approximately 29,469 to 33,000 team members across multiple hospitals, health parks, medical offices, outpatient centers, pediatric centers, nursing facilities, and hospice and home care services. Wellstar is nationally recognized for operating Georgia's largest integrated trauma network and features the second-largest Emergency Department in the United States. The organization provides more than $1 billion annually in charity care and community programs, demonstrating its commitment to community health. Wellstar has earned numerous accolades including recognition on Fortune's 100 Best Companies to Work For, Best Workplaces in Health Care, and PEOPLE Companies that Care lists. The system embraces innovation through its venture firm Catalyst by Wellstar, which nurtures early-stage healthcare companies, and maintains academic partnerships with institutions like the Medical College of Georgia for caregiver training. With specialties spanning cardiovascular care, oncology, women's health, pediatrics, musculoskeletal services, and numerous other medical disciplines, Wellstar delivers comprehensive healthcare across all stages of life.