Registered Nurse - Discharge Planner w/BONUS - 5218

We have a new opening for a Registered Nurse - Discharge Planner at Nellis AFB in North Las Vegas, NV.

Duties:  

• Provides discharge planning services to all individuals admitted to the medical treatment facility as inpatients, same day surgery, and emergency department patients.
• Triages discharge planning needs to permit DP to meet the most urgent, unusual needs. Develops template for repetitive DP processes/procedures to maximize efficient delivery of services when DP is overtasked.
• Accurately predict discharge/transfer needs to avert unnecessary delay in discharge, or extended Lengths of Stay (LOS) yet achieving a safe/timely discharge.
• Facilitates the smooth transition from an inpatient setting to the next appropriate level of care through effective professional coordination with the patient, the patient’s family/caregiver, and the multidisciplinary healthcare team. This coordination includes patients needing consideration for, but is not limited to, acute, chronic, multiple, complex, catastrophic, or life-threatening illnesses; patients having experienced combat stress, residuals of traumatic brain injury; persons experiencing community adjustment problems; addictions; psychiatric illnesses and other health problems.
• Collaborates with utilization management, case management, Medical Discharge Planning Social worker and other members of the healthcare team to achieve a timely, appropriate, safe discharge that meets the patient’s needs and is IAW local facility/ Department of Defense/War (DoD/W) as well as local and national discharge
• Assesses, plans, monitors, and evaluates patient care through discharge planning
• Applies Interqual (McKesson)/Milliman or other facility endorsed in- and out-patient evidence-based programs to monitor Length of Stay (LOS) as well as admission and discharge criteria.
• Actively participates in arranging transfers both into the Mike O’Callaghan Military Medical Center (MOMMC) and to other medical facilities either for care not available at the MOMMC or to a higher level of care. This includes assisting in obtaining authorizations from the primary insurer as well as identifying suitable transport mechanism (ambulance, helicopter, etc.).
• Surveys the continuum of care for quality of care concerns and reports them to supervisor, physician advisor, Chief Nurse Executive or other interested parties as
• Participates in committee meetings, working groups, process action teams and other groups as indicated/directed.
• Coordinates and contacts clinical units responsible for patient care prior to the discharge of the patient from the hospital to ensure that discharge planning requirements have been met, i.e., requirements for durable medical equipment (DME), such as walkers, wheelchairs, oxygen, referral to Case Management, Diabetes Educator, Social Work Service agencies, family counseling, Home Health Care (HHC) and Community Health
• Monitors trends in LOS to identify processes which extend LOS beyond community standards, to ensure facility is aware of trends and to repair processes, when possible, to expedite safe timely discharges.
• Coordinates with third party payers, as well as TRICARE Managed Care Support Contractor (MCSC), to provide requisite clinical information to accomplish authorization for post-discharge needs, within the plan’s benefit.
• Validates the beneficiary’s insurance plan/benefit allowance and when possible, ensures the insurance plan is considered by the provider when making referrals for DME/medications/inpatient transfers etc.
• Provides on-going education to patients, providers, and staff related to discharge planning/inpatient transfers.
• Ensures the facility staff provides instructions to patient/significant other and/or family members for post-discharge care, self-care/maintaining healthy lifestyles, appropriate use of medical services and other needs, as indicated.
• Designs services to meet educational needs of the targeted Emphasizes the preventive, curative, and restorative aspects of instructions.
• Educates patient/family on topics beyond the benefit, but appropriate for specific circumstances, such as nursing home placement, group home placement and the
• Teaches medical students, Residents, Hospital Attending Physicians, novice nurses and other health and allied health personnel about the considerations impacting the discharge planning/inpatient transfer processes.
• Participates in the orientation and training of newly assigned personnel, as
• Establishes and maintains good interpersonal relationships with co- workers, families, peers, and other health team members.
• Effectively communicate and collaborate with a diverse group of people for the purpose of informing the healthcare team of plans/actions, for teaching/education to benefit the patient/family and organization.
• Effectively uses appropriate communication format in addressing professional
• Perform accurate documentation, both written and electronic, of all activity in accordance with requirements.
• Contributes to professional environment using appropriate leadership
• May be required to work various shifts or augment clinical nursing support within the Medical Management Department during the absence of other team nurses due to illness, leave or deployment.
• Ensures a safe work environment, employee safe work habits and patient safety IAW regulatory agencies, infection control policies, and process improvement initiatives. Maintain productivity and perform with minimal supervisory direction

Schedule:

Monday - Friday between the hours of 7:00am and 5:00pm, 9 hour shift to include a 1 hour lunch break. Not to exceed 40 hours per week.

Shift Structure: Daily shifts will be assigned as 8, 10, or 12-hour durations to meet mission needs. All shifts include a minimum 30-minute uncompensated lunch break.

Schedule Management: The specific work schedule is determined by the Government supervisor.

 No Holidays/Possible Weekends/No Call

Minimum Qualifications:

Degree: Possess a Bachelors degree in Nursing from a college or university accredited by the National League for Nursing Accrediting Commission (NLNAC), or The Commission on Collegiate Nursing Education (CCNE).

Experience:

• Must have minimum of 5 years’ total nursing experience with the last 36 months working in a direct patient care hospital or acute care discharge planning
• Must have majority of experience in discharge planning for 24 recent consecutive
• Must have an extensive range of nursing care theories, principles, practices, and procedures, medical practice, TRICARE concepts, principles, and priorities, and extended clinical training and experience, or education, to analyze the full scope of problems associated with providing the best possible care to patients in the most economical manner, and to solve both administrative and professional health care problems.
• Must understand the concept of what constitutes “a safe discharge.” Must understand and be able to apply Interqual/Milliman as well as other evidence based guidelines addressing entitlements and LOD.
• Must have knowledge of relevant laws such as EMTALA (Emergency Medical Treatment and Active Labor Act) and COBRA (Consolidated Omnibus Budget Reconciliation Act), being able to step in to coach providers to avoid violations of national in- and out-patient emergency transfer standards.
• Must have extensive professional knowledge and skills of advanced concepts, principles, and practices to perform highly specialized nurse consultant assignments to manage the Discharge Planning Program, provide technical advice to the admissions office, medical clinics, and physicians in providing the best possible care to patients in the most economical manner, and to solve both administrative and professional health care problems.
• Must have extensive knowledge of physiological/psychological norms as well as deviations from normative functions.

Licensure: Current, full, active and unrestricted license as a Registered Nurse from any state.

Life Support Certification: Possess a current AHA OR ARC BLS and current Neonatal Resuscitation Program (NRP) Healthcare Provider certification.

Security: Must possess ability to pass a Government background check/security clearance.

We are an equal opportunity employer and a drug free workplace. All applicants selected for employment are required to submit to a background check and pre-employment drug test. 

Excellent Compensation & Exceptional Comprehensive Benefits:

• Paid Vacation, Paid Sick Time, Plus 11 Paid Federal Holidays

• Medical/Dental/Vision, STD/LTD/Life, Health Savings Account available, and more
• Annual CME Stipend and License/Certification Reimbursement
• Matching 401K

Base salary: $34.00 - $59.00/hr depending on experience

Sign-on Bonus: $2,000 paid with first paycheck!