"Phone Triage"

This position provides direct nursing care and support to the patients of SIU Center for Family Medicine- Decatur, Illinois. The majority of time is spent in the Care Coordination Team where patient assistance is given via the telephone. This position will assist with the triage process, test result entry, prescription refill requests, scheduling appointments, and assist in the clinic if necessary. This position must work closely with faculty, residents, staff and patients to ensure an efficient care coordination operation. This position will assist the Nurse Administrator in leading and directing the other staff members answering incoming calls.

1. Phone Triage Responsibilities (85%)

• Screens telephone calls from patients and evaluates the need for the patient to see or speak with the physician or to other members of the health care team.
• Handles patient telephone calls for triage and medical advice for the clinic, assessing needs and urgency of needs and implementing a proper plan of action under physician protocols/direction and/or nursing body of knowledge.
• Makes judgment decisions regarding the necessity of same-day visits and coordinates the addition of these visits into the doctor, nurse practitioner or nurse schedules. Utilizes GE Business to schedule appointments.
• Handles prescription refills or other non-urgent telephone calls and updates/documents actions in the medical record.
• Provides health care information to patient/families for treatment of acute and/or episodic minor illness according to protocols.
• Provides diagnostic results to patients after physician review.
• Utilizes the Electronic Health Record to document all calls and advice to patients and to enhance communication with providers regarding patient care.

2. Nursing Responsibilities (10%)

• Assists residents and faculty in direct patient care.
• Assist nursing staff and providers by: Recording vital signs, assisting with exams, documenting care, preparing equipment, performing tests, treatment and screenings, assists with minor surgery, sterilizes instruments, administers medication ordered by physicians, and collects specimens.
• Enter testing results, review of desktop for providers while on approved time off, and provide RX refill requests.
• Provides nursing care to patients requiring nursing judgment and specialized nursing skills.
• Responsible for keeping paperwork up to date for assigned faculty and residents, i.e., labs, x-rays, and consultation results.
• Assists with the coordination of referrals with hospitals and participating specialists, instituting correct preparations for accurate continuum of care.
• Coordinates patient and family education prior to diagnostic and/or therapeutic procedures.
• Administers and records prescribed medications and immunizations by IM, subq. Intradermal, and by mouth; refill prescriptions under physician order and following policy as needed.

3. Teaching/Training (5%)

• Provides training and coordination of duties to the Care Coordination Team as necessary.
• Evaluates residents according to established criteria.
• Teaches residents to function efficiently in the ambulatory setting, including appropriate use of multidisciplinary team approach to care and community resources.
• Assists all providers with time management.

1) Possession of a valid license as a Licensed Practical Nurse issued by the Illinois Department of Financial and Professional Regulation, Division of Professional Regulation; AND

2) 6 months of nursing experience in a health care facility (such as a hospital, nursing home, medical clinic, prison, mental health facility, or closely related facilities)

SIU School of Medicine was established in 1970 with a mission to educate physicians for central and southern Illinois. We are a medical school with four areas of excellence: medical education, patient care, research and community service. SIU School of Medicine provides education to undergraduate medical students, medical and surgical residents, fellows, and physician assistant students. Our clinical practice, SIU Medicine, includes a team of more than 250 health care professionals including university physicians and faculty members who are collectively dedicated to providing excellent medical care, advancement of care through research, and training the next generation of physicians. As the premier provider of health care services, SIU Medicine offers both primary care and specialized treatment services including preventative and diagnostic. SIU works in partnership with hospitals and clinics throughout central and southern Illinois to meet the health care needs of our communities.