Transport Team Intake Nurse

Job Summary

The Transport Intake Clinical Nurse coordinates/triages transport and referral requests, and participates in the efficient management of patient transfers. This includes working within numerous departmental data entry systems. Operates a variety of communication equipment, such as telephones and computer systems. Acts as a central communication source for all components of the Transport process, including notification of the transport team, coordinating the mode of transport and deciding appropriate team compositions. Practices at the level of a proficient clinical practitioner, while demonstrating effective multi-tasking, communication skills, and clinical practices.

Adheres to the organizational and nursing department mission, vision, and values. S/he practices in accordance with the ANA Code of Ethics; the ANA Standards of Clinical Nursing Practice; practice standards of applicable specialty nursing organizations; and CHOP developed standards of nursing practice. Practices within the defined scope of practice designated by the Nurse Practice Acts of Pennsylvania and/or New Jersey, depending on the assigned work site.

Job Responsibilities

Nursing Practice and Communication

• Follows Nursing Process to deliver safe care: assessment, planning, implementation and evaluation.
• Receives and triages incoming/outgoing requests, (obtains clinical information) and arranges for immediate transfers into/out of the hospital.
• Transfers/assists calls with designated/Medical Command Physicians.
• Responsible for obtaining an accepting physician/service for incoming transport.
• Works with bed management to assist with the coordination of bed assignments/admissions to the hospital.
• Notification of appropriate transferring and receiving clinical staff of impending and in progress transports.
• Notification of appropriate ambulance, helicopter or fixed-wing vendors of impending transfers/discharges.
• Updates referring hospitals with ETA of the team arrivals.
• Facilitates direct contact between Transport Team with referring and/or receiving hospital.
• Contacts out of hospital Transport Teams with the appropriate medical command physicians.
• Coordinates information between ambulance, aircraft (rotor, fixed, commercial), referring hospitals and CHOP personnel for quick and efficient patient transport according to departmental procedures.
• Provides direct contact for the referring staff for direct report process to receiving staff at CHOP.
• Obtains/enters patient demographics into computer based systems (Epic/CHOPworks) during initial call for transport process.
• Updates and fully completes departmental database for each transport request.
• Anticipates and synthesizes complex assessment data to best determine and influence total plan of care, including determining which pertinent data should be shared with the care team, and assists with tasks to be delegated.
• Collaborates with family, team members, and other caregivers to coordinate all facets of patient care, including planning with the multidisciplinary team.
• Manages care for complex patients, and anticipates needs, delegating care as necessary to other team members.
• Identifies patient response, communicates changes to physicians, family and other team members, and contributes to revised plan of care.
• Ensures that the documentation reflects outcomes and appropriate revisions of patient care provided, and utilizes current hospital standards, policies and procedures.
• Uses and exemplifies safety behaviors for error prevention, identifies safety concerns and communicates as appropriate.
• Effective verbal and nonverbal communication techniques and good listening skills are used to empathically communicate.

Job Responsibilities (Continued)

Collaboration

• Demonstrates effective teamwork as a member of the interdisciplinary care team, fostering and exemplifying a culture of respect. Recognizes/addresses situations where disrespectful collaboration may impact patient care and/or create non-collaborative relationships. Seeks resources as needed to resolve situations involving incivility and/or disrespect.
• Actively participates in interdisciplinary patient care rounds and/or meetings and makes recommendations to the plan of care that reflect nursing goals, interventions, and expected outcomes. Revises the plan of care according to the patient care decisions made on rounds.
• Incorporates evidence based practice into direct clinical care in collaboration with other members of the multidisciplinary team.
• Develops and implements effective partnerships with members of the ancillary staff; delegates tasks effectively to assure comprehensive nursing care is provided.
• Develops and sustains professional, well-boundaried, therapeutic relationships with patients and families in which all actions are in the best interest of the patient and family and there is no personal gain at the patient/families expense.

Job Responsibilities (Continued)

Professional Development

• Models appearance and behaviors that promote a positive image of professional nursing.
• Expands clinical judgment and critical thinking skills with increased experience.
• Demonstrates mastery of the principles of Family Centered Care, including dignity and respect, information sharing, participation, and collaboration.
• Demonstrates understanding of patient/family satisfaction and incorporates into care delivery. Has a working knowledge of patient/family satisfaction results (NRC Picker) at the unit and organizational level. Participates and/or leads in initiatives to improve satisfaction scores.
• Practices within a shared decision making environment. Familiar with and participates in Shared Governance council activities at the unit and/or department level. Progresses to leading council activities at the unit and/or department levels.
• Familiar with Magnet designation and the Magnet Model of transformational leadership, structural empowerment, exemplary professional practice, new knowledge and innovations, and empirical outcomes. Participates in ongoing designation activities such as serving as a unit based Magnet champion.
• Demonstrates fiscal stewardship:
  • Manages own time to accomplish direct/indirect care in a cost-effective manner.
  • Conserves unit and organizational resources; assures supplies are not wasted or misused.
  • Does not incur incidental overtime.
  • Understands the implications of the cost of staffing decisions.
  • Identifies observed opportunities for cost savings.
• Well informed about the Professional Advancement Program (PEAK) and considers the opportunity to participate.
• Demonstrates healthcare informatics competency to manage patient care, outcome data, and current and emerging healthcare technology.
• Understands nursing sensitive outcomes and knows how to navigate the nursing scorecard. Participates and/or leads improvement initiatives to improve outcomes.
• Identifies own learning needs and actively assures learning needs are met.
  • Seeks out opportunities to meet needs and attends all required programs.
  • Maintains CEU’s for nursing licensure.
  • Maintains compliance with mandatory education and annual nursing competencies.
• Recognizes individual preferences regarding an environment of constant change and understands change management. Develops effective methods to cope with and incorporate learnings from a fast-paced, ever changing environment.
• Understands the principles and methodology of quality improvement; progresses to participating in and/or leading QI initiatives at the unit or organizational level.
• Understands and contributes to the science of nursing:
  • Develops a sense of inquiry.
  • Reads articles pertinent to the patient population.
  • Performs literature reviews.
  • Develops clinical questions and advances understanding and application of evidence based practice.
  • Understands the nursing research process and utilizes resources to participate in research projects.
• Participates in activities that contribute to improving the health of the community.
  

Required Licenses, Certifications, Registrations

Required Education and Experience

Required Education: Active enrollment in a BSN program.

Required Experience: One (1) year of previous nursing experience.

Preferred Education, Experience & Cert/Lic

Preferred Experience:

• 2 years of Pediatric Critical Care or ED experience.
• Membership in a professional nursing organization.
• Charge nurse experience of at least 6 months.
  

Preferred Licenses/certificates/registrations: ACLS, PALS, NRP

Additional Technical Requirements

Computer Competency

• Basic use of a computer (mouse, keyboard, printer, USB ports).
• Basic use of Microsoft Office (Word processing, spreadsheets, presentations and Skype).
• Web browsing, intranet search, document access.
• Use of shared network file space.
• Basic use of patient facing technology. (e.g. IV pumps, point of care devices, CR monitors).
• Navigation and use of clinical communication systems.

Information Literacy

• Determines the nature and extent of clinical information needed and uses the appropriate technology to access it.
• Accesses needed information effectively and efficiently.
• Evaluates information and its sources critically and appropriately incorporates it into clinical practice.
• Evaluates outcomes of the use of information.

Information Management Literacy

• Navigation of the electronic health record system.
• Ability to locate and review specific patient data in various clinical information systems.
• Effectively uses clinical decision support tools.

• Understands policies and procedures, confidentiality, security, and privacy regulations regarding the use of clinical information systems.
• Ability to collect clinical data using quality improvement tools.