The Charge Nurse is responsible for managing the daily operations of the nursing team, ensuring high-quality patient care and efficient workflow. This role involves handling escalated patient cases, providing guidance and support to the nursing staff, and maintaining timely communication with providers. The Charge Nurse also oversees triage processes, manages critical situations, and ensures adherence to protocols and quality standards.

Key Responsibilities:

• Manage Daily Nursing Operations: Lead and oversee the nursing team’s daily activities to ensure smooth operations and optimal patient care.
• Respond to Escalations: Address RN escalations from both inbound and outbound departments, providing guidance on complex patient issues, including high-acuity escalations, upset patients, difficult calls, and urgent communications.
• Second Opinion Triage Consults: Offer a second opinion for triage dispositions that require a charge nurse consult, ensuring accurate and appropriate patient care decisions.
• In-House Triages: Perform in-house triages as needed to provide backup and support to the nursing team.
• Handle Time-Sensitive and Urgent Communications: Ensure all time-sensitive notifications and urgent communications with providers and offices are managed promptly and accurately.
• Handle Difficult Calls: Manage all challenging calls on the triage team, including high-acuity cases, upset patients, and complex situations, ensuring they are resolved with care and professionalism.
• Specialty Provider Communication: Ensure specialty provider communications are sent to the correct PCP in a timely manner.
• Oversee Triage Documentation: Ensure accurate documentation of triages and follow-up with the Chronic Care Management (CCM) provider.
• Manage Triage Callback Sheet: Monitor and manage the Triage Callback Sheet to ensure timely follow-ups, response times for urgent cases, and proper prioritization of callbacks.
• Monitor Callback Timeliness: Ensure patients receive callbacks from a nurse within 24 hours of initial triage and that notifications are promptly responded to by the CCM practice.
• Lead 911 Chats: Respond to and lead critical 911 chats, ensuring rapid and effective communication with patients in emergencies.
• Coordinate Emergency Services: Assist with calling EMS and obtaining local dispatch information for emergencies.
• Review Nurse Urgent Reports: Regularly review the Nurse Urgent Report for missed triages or errors, ensuring patient safety and care continuity.
• Approve Third-Party Triages: Approve triages to be sent to third-party vendors (e.g., Triage Logic) as needed.
• Communicate Action Items: Relay items that require action to Client Services or the CCM Provider.
• Warm Transfer Approval: Approve urgent patient calls for warm transfer, prioritizing concerns to ensure appropriate escalation.
• Assign Coachings: Review and assign coaching to PCC staff based on the Nurse Escalation Protocol and respond to questions related to coaching and nurse escalations.
• Distribute Triage Assignments: Ensure even distribution of triage assignments among nurses, taking into account acuity levels (e.g., 911, warm transfer, psychiatric).
• Monitor Attendance and Breaks: Track team tardiness and absences, ensure all nurses receive scheduled breaks, and provide coverage during break times.
• Monitor Team Performance: Pull daily team metrics to ensure all team members are on track and maintaining pace.
• Train and Onboard New Hires: Lead the training and onboarding of new nursing staff, ensuring they are equipped with the knowledge and skills to perform their roles effectively.
• Audit Triage Calls: Conduct regular audits of triage calls (approximately 1 to 2 calls per RN, per week) to ensure quality and adherence to Schmitt-Thompson protocols.