Registered Nurse - Float

Why Join Us? We are looking for talented and highly-motivated individuals who demonstrate a natural desire to support the meaningful work of community oncologists and the patients we serve.

Provides patient-centric, safe, high-quality care throughout all stages of the patient care journey. Helps patients manage and live with diagnosis, retaining autonomy and independence by using the most appropriate disease, symptom, and psychosocial management techniques. Primary focus is supporting the provider side of operations working closely with physicians and APPs to ensure effective and efficient flow of visits at the clinic. Ensures pre-visit planning including scheduling and chart prep are completed. Monitors patient’s response to treatment and works with health care teams (centralized and on-site), patient, and family to adjust plan of care as needed. Identifies actual and potential problematic situations and actively intervenes to achieve a satisfactory resolution, as much as possible, while patient physically present.

Essential Functions:

• Works with providers and operations leaders to optimize overall visit schedules taking into consideration preferred workflows including but not limited to decoupling of visits, clinic start and end times, visit type (new, return, post hospitalization), treatment type, resources available, patient special needs (i.e., translator)
• Works with providers and operations leaders to monitor provider schedules for accuracy of on service dates.  Monitors frequency of overbooking and works with provider to minimize overbooking as much as possible
• Works with providers to decouple visits as much as possible taking into consideration special patient needs such as traveling long distances, transportation challenges.
• Acts as the resource for patient services staff for patient schedule changes/ questions, moves treatment plan dates or adjusts other needed orders within scope of practice.
• Collaborates with provider, infusion staff and manager to ensure schedule is balanced.
• Collects and reviews clinical and diagnostic data prior to, during or after each patient encounter to assist providers and team members. This is done via completion of chart prep activities, receiving of and triaging critical and non-critical lab results or other diagnostic tests, identifying need for prescription refills, educating patients on lab results processes (use of patient portal), visit schedules, etc.
• Monitors visit list/schedules/flow and assists as needed to keep provider clinics on time
• Provides RN oversight/acts as a resource for Medical Assistant. Intermittently audits documentation to ensure data is up to date and accurate
• Clarifies/answers questions pertaining to patient histories, review of systems, and medication reconciliation as needed if issue identified during the rooming process. Completes or oversees (second signs for MA) nursing evaluations
• Assists providers with patient transition of care needs such as facilitating paperwork, transmitting orders or notes, completing patient hand-offs for satellite appointments, direct admits, blood transfusions, etc.
• Acts as a liaison between on-site or remote staff and providers regarding patient and caregiver needs /requests
• Acts as a liaison between patients and providers to convey clearly and accurately essential medical communications
• Acts as a resource for RCM teams for updates needed for diagnosis codes, or other required information to complete patient prior authorizations or post services billing. Ideally, catches and corrects any misinformation during chart prep prior to services being rendered.
• Assists patient and family in navigating the clinic. Assesses need for and assists with referrals to other resources. Closes the loop for referrals, testing, etc. and documents in the EMR.
• Works collaboratively with external agencies and Tennessee Oncology centralized teams such as Patient Financial Services/Telephone Triage/Care Coordination to assist with calls/communications from patients and their caregivers, hospital staff, home care agencies, etc. Utilizes critical assessment skills to assess and evaluate patient concerns/needs, uses approved symptom management algorithms. Avoids duplication of efforts
• Provides comprehensive education adjusted to the learning needs/level of the patient and family. Provides relevant educational materials. Documents teaching and patient/caregiver’s learning response in the EMR.
• Provides emotional support to patients and caregivers demonstrating empathy and compassion while maintaining professional boundaries
• Assists with completion of patient requested paperwork such as FMLA, short & long-term disability, return to work
• Performs direct care of patient  such as
  • Vital sign measurements
  • Lab draws/specimen collection
  • Assists with provider performed procedures
  • Starts peripheral IVs, manages central venous access devices including accessing de-accessing, flushing, dressing/cap changes, etc.
  • Dressing changes and or wound care
  • Administers chemotherapy and other standard of care or research drugs after training and competency validation if needed. May take an assignment or assist in the infusion area as an RN on occasion to ensure familiarity with processes and workflows
  •  Manages prescription requests, refill extensions, prior authorizations, clinic Rxs per TO policy & procedures
• Documents care and services performed.  Adheres to policies, procedures, standards for care provided

·         Assists with management of clinic inventory and supplies if needed.

·         Generates, reviews, and acts on assigned daily clinical/operations reports

• Works collaboratively with research staff
• Participates in patient care/operations meetings, assigned committees, QOPI or other accreditation preparation, and quality improvement activities as assigned.
• Demonstrates continued professional growth as evidenced by participation in professional activities, maintaining relevant professional organizations memberships or obtaining/ maintaining specialty certification.
• Completes, on time, required /assigned training, continuing education, and competency validations necessary to perform job expectations /responsibilities accurately & successfully
• Consistently demonstrates positive and professional behaviors to others. Actions support a healthy, inclusive work environment
• Performs other duties, within realm of competency, as assigned.

Qualifications

KNOWLEDGE, SKILLS & ABILITIES:

• Knowledge of nursing principles and practices.
• Knowledge of oncology practices and treatments, current developments in cancer diagnosis and therapy
• Knowledge of research practices
• Ability to administer antineoplastic and other treatment therapies.
• Ability to empathize with patients and families and deal with grief and challenging patient interactions.
• Ability to collaborate with health care team to make personalized treatment plan for each cancer patient
• Ability to cope with death and dying.
• Ability to form and maintain trusting relationships
• Ability to multi-task and work in a fast paced and changing environment
• undefinedEDUCATION & TRAINING:Graduate of an accredited/approved school of nursing.Valid license to practice professional nursing in the State of TennesseeundefinedEXPERIENCE:One year nursing experience required.Two years oncology nursing experience preferred.Experience in an outpatient facility preferredundefinedCERTIFICATION:Current AHA or ARC certification in Basic Life Support (BLS) or required within 3 months of hireONS Chemotherapy/Immunotherapy card required within 6 months of hire.ONCC certification preferredPHYSICAL REQUIREMENTS:·         Travels to other TN Oncology clinics and or care settings as needed      OSHA Risk Category 1undefinedPhysical Activity RequiredAmount of timeNoneLess than 1/3
  (Occasionally)1/3 to 2/3
  (Frequently)More than 2/3
  (Regularly)Standing  XWalking  XSitting X Fingering or manual dexterity   XRepetitive finger motion   XLifting or exerting force X  Up to 50 pounds  X Reaching or stretching X  Climbing or balancingX  Crouching or stoopingX  Speaking   XHearing (with correction)   XSeeing (with correction)   X