CLINICAL SPECIALTY COORDINATOR, RN- OPERATING ROOM- THORACIC SPECIALTY

Job Summary 

Oversees daily work flow in a department or specialty service.  Oversight includes monitoring of human resources, equipment, supplies, volumes and quality.  Responsible for orientation of new employees, yearly competencies and ongoing training regarding the specialty or services. 

Essential Job Functions 

• Leads, motivates, initiates change and assumes responsibility for professional growth and development.
  • Models and exemplifies the Leadership Pledge in a consistent and proactive manner. Leads change in a complex care environment.
  • Assumes role of the Charge Nurse in his/her absence.
  • Aligns department with strategy map and continually works to implement drivers in support of Excela Health mission and vision and values.
  • Makes a recommendation for at least one process improvement initiative for department on an annual basis.
  • Participates in root cause analysis of reoccurring problems and takes appropriate action.
  • Holds oneself accountable for leadership development by 8 hours of EHA sponsored leadership education per year.
  • Assists manager in departmental activities, represents department on committees.
• Standards and Accountability, Service Orientation and Customer Service.
  • Maintains a safe working environment; assures staff comply with safety, environmental and infection control guidelines.
  • Assists manager to assure completion of mandatory annual education and competencies relative to job-specific criteria within department (staff licenses/registration).
  • Supports standards of attendance policy consistently (unscheduled absences, breaks or meal periods) to all department staff.
  • Participates in decision making with Manager to consistently apply corrective action standards.
  • Supports staff to comply with infection control and safety measures set forth by Excela Health.
  • Practices and encourages survey readiness in compliance with agency regulations and guidelines.
  • Demonstrates expectations of confidentiality by continually encouraging staff to keep private information confidential.
  • Performs in accordance with Excela Health's behavioral standards in support of the mission, vision, true north and values. Hold staff accountable for modeling the behavioral standards.
  • May and can conduct client service recovery issues within required time frame and to the satisfaction of the customer.
• Planning, Decision Making, Financial Management, Process Management, Prioritizing and Delegating
  • Involves staff in decision making and problem solving.
  • Considers global implementations of decisions made; involves all appropriate departments and individuals for optimal outcome.
  • Is knowledgeable of and works within the department budgets; looks for opportunities to reduce operating costs while balancing quality resources.
  • Identifies and recommends revenues enhancement opportunities.
  • Provides input in performance appraisals and hiring decisions. May conduct interviews with Manager and/or Leadership and utilizes the peer interview process.
  • Assists manager(s) to promptly investigate and resolve SORs and incident reports as necessary.
  • Acts on most urgent tasks; available resources and provides clear direction.
  • Recommends and may draft department policies and procedures.
• Communication
  • In collaboration with the manager (where applicable) provides input for performance goals of staff; coaches toward compliance and addresses variance.
  • Provides opportunities for staff to actively provide input into decision-making process. Seeks input before decision is made.
  • Assists Manager with communication and maintaining a department communication board for the purpose of displaying current information.
  • Will participate and lead daily meetings.
• Developing People and Managing Relationships
  • Participates in decision making with Managers to hire, transfer and promote employees.
  • Trains and develops other employees.
  • Updates stakeholders on project process; uses sound judgment.
  • Facilitates teamwork through coaching and mentoring of staff. Serves as a resource for other employees.
  • Builds trust through fostering empowerment and shared decision making within the appropriate level and scope of authority.
• Clinical Practice
  • Oversees the daily clinical practice activities to ensure that patient care is delivered in accordance with the PA Nurse Practice Act, hospital policies, procedures, and protocols, and other professional standards of care.
  • Regularly reviews a sampling of patient charts to evaluate staff compliance with the nursing process and for completeness, accuracy and timeliness of documentation.
  • Conducts daily patient rounds to assess the status of the patients and the quality of care delivered, where applicable.
  • Monitors patient care to ensure that it is planned and provided through an interdisciplinary effort.
  • Regularly accompanies and/or communicates with physicians to answer questions and resolve problems/issues related to medical treatment.
  • Assigns patient care according to staff competency.
  • Provides direct patient care as assigned.
  • Where applicable attends and/or facilitates appropriate committee’s and Task Forces.
• Coordination of Patient Care Activities
  • Develops an educational process for the provision and coordination of patient care activities that promote and maintain health, fosters self-care, and improves outcomes.
  • Assists in the coordination of the educational process to ensure that patients/families and staff receive education specific to their clinical areas and the patients/families served.
  • Ensures the process includes education about safely and the effective use of medication, pain and managing pain, available resources, how to obtain further care, and information about their responsibilities in their care.
  • Plans and implements patient/family teaching and monitors staff compliance with the interdisciplinary record of patient education, where applicable.
  • Provides and reviews written discharge instructions that demonstrate an inter-relationship between education, discharge planning and continuity of care, where applicable.
• Collaborative Relationships
  • Maintains a collaborative relationship with physicians and other health care providers to achieve desired patient outcomes and assure a continuous flow of patient care.
  • Communicates pertinent information for interdisciplinary patient care (conferences, shift reports and internal and external transfers are respective to the nursing areas) not applicable for Bariatric Surgery)).
  • Takes action to proactively identify and resolve patient needs.
• Patient Safety
  • Provides for patient safety in compliance with hospital and/or nursing department policies.
  • Utilizes two forms of patient identification before implementing any form of patient care.
  • Involves the patient and/or family in patient safety standards and processes.
  • Minimizes the use of patient restraints and, if patient's condition warrants, monitors per individual assessed need and documents per policy where applicable.
  • Assumes appropriate code team role during code situations or mock codes, or RRT's where applicable.
  • Responds effectively during emergency situations, including internal and external disasters.
• The Registered Nurse provides direct oversight of the GN, LPN, Technical Partner, ALS Technician, Nurse Extern and Unit Clerks. This oversight includes the Registered Nurse conducting the initial comprehensive assessment and interpreting the assessment to initiate the interprofessional plan of care. This oversight includes supervision of the delegation of duties that are within the scope and capability of the care team supervised. 

Specialty Job Functions

• Demonstrates knowledge of department specific RN duties, as appropriate per department
  • Prepares, discharges, and Pre-ops patient at the appropriate time.
  • Identifies patient, appropriate procedure and site by following the policy for site identification.
  • Positions the patient correctly for each procedure preserving skin integrity.
  • Follows the principles of asepsis, reporting any breaks in aseptic technique and rectifying the situation.
  • Possesses the knowledge of proper instruments and equipment set up for each procedure, coordinating with physician preference.
  • Assists the proceduralist in performing the procedure.
  • Handles specimens appropriately, where applicable.
  • Performs OR counts accurately and takes appropriate action in response to incorrect counts where applicable.
  • Maintains the ability to adapt to the changing needs of the procedural team.
• Leads certain aspects of the Revenue Cycle through the department or services.
  • Manages doctor preference cards and collaborates with other Clinical Specialty Coordinators to standardize where appropriate.
  • Responsible for accurate and timely documentation during cases. Participates in the education and routine auditing.
  • Responsible timely and accurate request through INFOR in collaboration with Expediter.
  • Work with Perioperative Leadership and Expediters to establish new supplies within the department and /or specialty.
  • Assists to implement, educate, and participate in auditing changes in the documentation or INFOR process with Leadership and others as appropriate and/or or required.
• Manages Supplies and equipment.
  • Fosters and maintains relationships with vendors, the Expediters, and Supply Chain.
  • Collaborates with leadership on urgent or emergent equipment needs.
  • Manages the new product request process.
  • Participates in the Value Analysis Team as needed.
  • Works with IT and Revenue Cycle to implement changes to DPC’s.
• Actively participates in meetings that support their specialty and/or department including:
  • Routine Staff meetings.
  • Clinical Specialty Coordinator meetings.
  • Daily departmental meetings.
  • Coordinates education days with the assistance of the Nurse Educator.
  • Takes a lead in onboarding new employees. Works with leadership and the nurse educator in establishing routine meetings and discussion regarding the orientation process. 
  • Other meetings as appropriated and/or assigned
• Other related duties as assigned.

Required Qualifications 

• Graduate of an accredited Nursing Program required.

• One (1) to three (3) years of relevant experience within departmental settings either as a nurse or technician.
• Strong leadership ability, good organizational skills, independent and critical thinking skills, sound judgment, and knowledge of legal aspects and liability of nursing practice.
• Strong ability to communicate complex and/or controversial topics and concepts to a wide and diverse audience.

• Familiarity with auditing and tracking of stats.
• Ability to troubleshoot procedural equipment.

Preferred Qualifications

• National certification in area of specialty.
• Credits toward an undergraduate degree in health or management field.
• Three (3) years of relevant procedural nursing experiencing is preferred.

License, Certification & Clearances

• Current licensure to practice as a Registered Nurse in the State of Pennsylvania required.
• Current Basic Life Support (BLS) approved curriculum of the American Heart Association (CPR and AED) program required.

• Act 33 with renewal.
• Act 34 with renewal.
• Act 73 FBI Clearance with renewal.

Supervisory Responsibilities

• This position has no direct supervisory responsibilities but may serve as a coach and mentor for other positions in the department.

Position Type/Expected Hours of Work

• Incumbent will be scheduled based on operational need (rotate shifts, standby, on-call, etc.).
• Travel may be expected locally between System locations.

Equal Employment Opportunity 

Independence Health and its affiliated companies are Equal Opportunity Employers. It is their policy to prohibit discrimination of any type and to afford equal employment opportunities to employees and applicants without regard to race, color, religion, sex, sexual orientation, national origin, age, marital status, disability, veteran status, or genetic information, or any other classification protected by law. Independence Health and its affiliated companies will comply with all applicable laws and regulations.

Disclaimer 

This job description is not designed to contain a comprehensive listing of all activities, duties or responsibilities that are required of the employee. Moreover, duties, responsibilities and activities may change or new ones may be assigned at any time with or without notice.

Work Environment:

Effective March 2020 or during pandemic: goggles, face shield and mask are required according to CDC guidelines

When lift requirement is in excess of 50#, lift assistance (2 person) and/or transfer device is required. Essential – Absolute Necessity. Marginal – Minimal Necessity. Constantly – 5.5 to 8 hours or more or 200 reps/shift. Frequently – 2.5 to 5.5 hours or more or 32-200 reps/shift. Occasionally – 0.25 to 2.5 hours or 2-32 reps/shift. Rarely – Less than 0.25 hours or less than 2 reps/shift.	Physical Condition	Essential	Marginal	Constantly	Frequently	Occasionally	Rarely	Never
	Extreme Heat							x
	Extreme Cold							x
	Heights							x
	Confined Spaces							x
	Extreme Noise(>85dB)							x
	Mechanical Hazards							x
	Use of Vibrating Tools							x
	Operates Vehicle (Company)							x
	Operates Heavy Equipment							x
	Use of Lifting/Transfer Devices	x				x
	Rotates All Shifts	x		x
	8 Hours Shifts	x			x
	10-12 Hours Shifts	x			x
	On-Call	x					x
	Overtime(+8/hrs/shift; 40/hrs/wk)	x				x
	Travel Between Sites							x
	Direct Patient Care	x			x
	Respirator Protective Equipment	x				x
	Eye Protection	x				x
	Head Protection (hard hat)							x
	Hearing Protection							x
	Hand Protection	x			x
	Feet, Toe Protection							x
	Body Protection	x				x
	Latex Exposure		x		x
	Solvent Exposure							x
	Paint (direct use) Exposure							x
	Dust (sanding) Exposure							x
	Ethylene Oxide Exposure							x
	Cytotoxic (Chemo) Exposure		Chemo Units		Chemo Units			X all other
	Blood/Body Fluid Exposure	x				x
	Chemicals (direct use) Exposure	x				x
	Mist Exposure							x
	Wax Stripper (direct use)							x
	Non-Ionizing Radiation Exposure							x
	Ionizing Radiation Exposure							x
	Laser Exposure							x

Physical Demands

When lift requirement is in excess of 50#, lift assistance (2 person) and/or transfer device is required. Essential – Absolute Necessity. Marginal – Minimal Necessity. Constantly – 5.5 to 8 hours or more or 200 reps/shift. Frequently – 2.5 to 5.5 hours or more or 32-200 reps/shift. Occasionally – 0.25 to 2.5 hours or 2-32 reps/shift. Rarely – Less than 0.25 hours or less than 2 reps/shift.	Physical Condition	Essential	Marginal	Constantly	Frequently	Occasionally	Rarely	Never
	Bending (Stooping)	x			x
	Sitting	x				x
	Walking	x			x
	Climbing Stairs		x				x
	Climbing Ladders							x
	Standing	x			x
	Kneeling		x				x
	Squatting (Crouching)	x				x
	Twisting/Turning	x				x
	Keyboard/Computer Operation	x			x
	Gross Grasp	x				x
	Fine Finger Manipulation	x			x
	Hand/Arm Coordination	x				x
	Pushing/Pulling(lbs. of force)	x			10#	50#
	Carry	x				25#
	Transfer/Push/Pull Patients	x			x
	Seeing Near w/Acuity	x		x
	Feeling (Sensation)	x			x
	Color Vision	x				x
	Hearing Clearly	x		x
	Pulling/Pushing Objects Overhead	x					x
	Reaching Above Shoulder Level	x				x
	Reaching Forward	x			x
	Lifting Floor to Knuckle	x					10#
	Lifting Seat Pan to Knuckle	x				50#
	Lifting Knuckle to Shoulder	x					20#
	Lifting Shoulder to Overhead	x					10#

When lift requirement is in excess of 50#, lift assistance (2 person) and/or transfer device is required.