Telephone Triage Nurse

The Telephone Triage Nurse, under the supervision of the Office Manager, is responsible for assessing problems over the phone and assisting in the delivery of health care and patient care management.

SKILLS NEEDED

Positive customer service skills and excellent communication skills

Proficiency in the use of a computer and EMR

Nursing knowledge of a wide variety of symptoms/complaints and disease processes

Knowledge and understanding of pharmacology and medications.

Ability to make rapid decisions.

Good nursing judgment and clinical decision-making

Ability to conduct brief, focused assessments.

Ability to collaborate.

Ability to multi-task and prioritize work.

Ability to LISTEN to patient concerns and to respond and speak in a manner that indicates concern and attention to patient/family.

Ability to provide patient with information and to use “teach-back” method to ensure that patient understands information or instructions.

Up-to-date knowledge of current or emerging active diseases and immunization guidelines

Adheres to HIPAA guidelines and communicates with patient’s families and health professionals in a manner that respects confidentiality and dignity.

DUTIES AND RESPONBILITIES

Answer incoming patient calls using clinical knowledge, judgment, and experience.

Use open-ended questions to obtain as much information as possible from the patient.

Make decision to give self-care advice based on Penta Health Telephone Triage Protocols, make an appointment for patient (urgent or routine), document call and send message to provider for guidance or instruct the patient to call 911 for emergency assistance.

Communicate professionally and efficiently with providers to enable timely follow up with patients regarding questions or concerns, lab or procedure results, medication changes etc.

Properly document ALL phone calls to ensure continuity of care

Competently use EMR to access patient records for review

Retrieve voicemails from the nurses line

Manage the designated triage inbox within the EMR

Process patient refill requests

Assist in TOC/ER follow up calls and schedule appropriate follow up appointments

Communicate responses from providers to patients and document patient’s response

Communicate test results to patients at provider’s request

Respond to medical emergencies in the office

Perform Nurse Visits (if this is part of your duties in the office) and properly document these

Preliminarily review labs and procedures for providers that are out of the office. Send messages regarding any significant abnormal findings to another provider in the office, making sure that they advise if findings can wait until usual provider is back in the office or if results need urgent attention

Communicate with other internal or external health care providers as needed, ie. Social Workers, Visiting Nurse, other physician/provider offices, Coroner’s office, etc.

PRIOR TRAINING, EDUCATION AND WORK EXPERIENCE:

Education

High School Diploma or equivalent

RN or LPN training and current licensure

Experience

Five years of medical experience in a physician’s office or equivalent combination of training and experience

Physical Abilities

Sit for extended periods of time

Have the hand-eye coordination and manual dexterity needed to operate a keyboard, copier, telephone calculator and other office equipment

Have normal range of hearing and eyesight to record, prepare and communicate appropriate reports; specific vision requirements: the ability to focus

NOTE: The physical demands described here are representative of those that must be met by an employee to successfully perform the essential functions of this job. Reasonable accommodations may be made to enable individuals with disabilities to perform the essential functions of the job.

EQUIPMENT / WORK AIDES USED BY POSITION:

Telephones, Copier, Computer

PERFORMANCE CRITERIA:

Clinical activities (overall impression)

Provider relations

Documentation (charting)

Internal communications

Customer relations skills

WORK ENVIRONMENT

The work of this position is an environmentally controlled office environment. The position requires the ability to work under pressure and with a diverse population, including staff, providers, clients, patients, insurance companies and other members of the public. The position may cause frequent exposure to communicable diseases, bodily fluids, toxic substances, medicinal preparations and other conditions common to a clinical environment.

THIS POSITION IS AN OSHA EXPOSURE CATEGORY I

Tasks that involve exposure to blood, body fluid, or tissues.

All procedures or other job-related tasks that involve an inherent potential mucous membrane or skin contact with blood, body fluids, or tissues, or a potential for spills or splashes of them, are Category I tasks.