Surgical Care Specialist (Part-time)

This position is responsible for coordinating the care and services specific to the surgical specialty patient populations needing across the continuum of care for both inpatient and outpatient services; scheduling and coordination of cases and assuming a key role with the multi-disciplinary team to achieve optimal clinical, financial and resource outcomes. Skilled in the surgical specialty specific patient/family education. Acts as liaison for referring providers and patients. Responsible for applying evidence-based nursing practice to the care of patients.

Essential Job Functions

• Supports and models behaviors consistent with Billings Clinic's mission, vision, values, code of business conduct and service expectations. Meets all mandatory organizational and departmental requirements. Maintains competency in all organizational, departmental and outside agency standards as it relates to the environment, employee, patient safety or job performance.
• Conducts comprehensive nursing assessments utilizing critical thinking and advanced nursing practices to triage and assess patient's health status and identify potential for procedural complications and/or implications.
• Reconciles medication history, monitors vitals, reviews and interprets a variety of diagnostic tests (i.e., EKG, O2 oximetry, radiology exams, etc.) and laboratory results accurately to identify any potential contraindications or implications.
• Coordinates the daily care of surgical specialty hospital inpatients and outpatients in conjunction with the physician and midlevel provider. Collects, reviews, and analyzes information for evaluating patient care outcomes. Consideration is given to the appropriateness of care based on the age of the patient. Follows department specific protocols.
• Facilitates and ensures that comprehensive, multi-disciplinary collaboration of care occurs with the patient, family, physicians and other health care providers. Coordinates the plan with the patient, family, multi-disciplinary team, external health care providers, and insurers.
• Coordinates pre- and post-procedural communications with the patient and family and provides education regarding pre- and post-operative patient care instructions. Obtains needed outside records.
• Assesses, coordinates, and facilitates patient's progression throughout the continuum of care. Works with the physician and multi-disciplinary team to establish agreed upon care plans for discharge or transfer to the appropriate care setting. This includes monitoring the patient's acuity according to severity of illness and intensity of service.
• Educates patients and family members regarding procedures throughout the continuum of care.
• Coordinates the development, implementation and evaluation of patient focused outcomes through clinical pathways and/or plans of care. Performs ongoing evaluation of the Clinical Pathway and/or Plan or Care; analyzes variances and implements strategies to resolve them. Utilizes performance improvement principles to assess and improve quality.
• Performs specific nursing functions required to carry out the above job functions, such as communicating verbal or approved protocol orders, writing progress notes, making rounds to visit patients, patient teaching and triaging calls from patients and family members. May assist with diagnostic procedures, and in monitoring patients during clinic procedures.
• Assists in successful implementation of programs to improve coding and reimbursement for specialty specific services. Will assist in identifying referring physicians and assuring to the extent possible that strong relationships are developed and preserved. Communicates with payors to facilitate the process of obtaining reimbursement authorizations for procedures, inpatient and outpatient. Follows established procedures in regard to denial of benefits.
• Assists the physicians in addressing hospital related issues, serves as a liaison and representative for the surgical specialty in resolving problems, and participates on committees as appropriate.
• Collaborates with other health care providers in developing, implementing and evaluating educational materials for patients and their families.
• Facilitates referral provider communication system through the relaying of pertinent information regarding patients to their referring provider during hospitalization in concurrence with the attending surgeon.
• Performs other duties as assigned or needed to meet the needs of the department/organization. Assist clinic operations through diagnostic testing.
• Responsible for obtaining and reporting quality data specific to the specialty.
• Facilitates and coordinates the lung cancer screening program to ensure appropriate guidelines.
• Performs all other duties as assigned or as needed to meet the needs of the department/organization.

Minimum Qualifications

Education

• Two (2) Year / Associate's Degree from an accredited school of Nursing
• Four (4) Year / Bachelor's Degree/BSN required for candidates with fewer than 5 years of Registered Nursing experience - Preferred

Experience

• Two (2) years of clinical practice experience with at least one year in the surgical specialty
• Five (5) years of service line experience preferred
• One (1) year Critical Care experience preferred; service line specific

Certifications and Licenses

• Healthcare Provider CPR Certification required - At hire
• ACLS certification - At hire/Preferred; service line specific
• Current Montana license as a Registered Nurse - At hire