Evening Clinical Coordinator - Behavioral Science Unit - Arnot Health

Brief Description

MAIN FUNCTION:

Coordinates and manages in collaboration with the Behavioral Sciences Unit (BSU) Nursing Director all nursing care activities on evening shift based on the philosophy of the Arnot Health, St. Joseph’s Hospital using initiative and independent judgment to provide the best available services to patients. As Evening Clinical Coordinator, in the absence of the Nursing Director, is accountable for all patient care activities, department operation, and staff function. The Clinical Coordinator is responsible for assisting with education, BSU in-service programs, coordination of orientation and training of new employees. Also, supports the Nursing Director in carrying out unit goals, and is the primary representative of the Nursing Director. The Evening Clinical Coordinator informs the Nursing Director of activities in the department, including customer service and quality improvement issues, as well as additional educational opportunities and support off shift. The Evening Clinical Coordinator is a Nursing Leader who serves as a resource for problem solving, provides clinical expertise, facilitates staff mentoring and coaching, and facilitates patient flow during the evening shift. The Evening Clinical Coordinator manages restraints and occurrences during the shift ensuring appropriate documentation, facilitates professional collaboration with all staff and providers, assists in clinical problem-solving and prioritizing emergent situations. The Evening Clinical Coordinator role models excellent communication by keeping Managers and Directors informed of any occurrences during off shifts, seeks assistance appropriately from Director, Nursing Supervisor, and/or Administrator on Call. The Evening Clinical Coordinator will provide additional clinical support to staff when needed, facilitate admissions and discharges on the shift, along with taking admissions and patient assignments when necessary.

Nature And Scope

The Evening Clinical Coordinator reports to the Nursing Director of the BSU and assumes responsibility for the management of nursing, clerical, and assistant personnel, equipment, supplies, and BSU environment. The Evening Clinical Coordinator is responsible for scheduling, monitoring sick time, discipline, and supply use.

The Evening Clinical Coordinator assists the Nursing Director with opportunities for improvement concerning BSU Practice Council, documentation of minutes and ongoing interdepartmental communication.

The Evening Clinical Coordinator assists the Nursing Director with departmental Quality Improvement activities through interaction with staff, coordinating evening staff meetings, and providing education during down time.

Duties And Responsibilities

• Maintains confidentiality while serving as professional liaison.
• Represents the hospital in professional, courteous manner to patients, families and members of the health care team while being sensitive to how others perceive both verbal and non-verbal communications.
• Develops, interprets, and supports Arnot Health/Nursing Department policies to all BSU staff.
• Maintains collaborative relationships with all members of the BSU staff, Hospitalists, Psychiatrists, Therapists, student nurses, Nursing Supervisors, and all external agencies that work with Mental Health.
• Demonstrates effective time management, flexibility, and priority setting. Ability to perform duties in an independent manner with little or no direct supervision.
• Serves as a professional role model for staff and students by maintaining knowledge and expertise to clinical area.
• Promotes and ensures the delivery of quality patient care through competency-based assignments and supervision of staff. Assists with staff orientation to charge nurse role.
• Ensures the utilization of the nursing process in maintaining quality of standards of practice and standards of care.
• Develops leadership skills of staff and delegates responsibility appropriately.
• Demonstrates appropriate problem-solving skills and decision-making skills.
• Assists in responding to staff regarding grievances and problems and refers them to appropriate resources as necessary.
• Promotes a healthy working environment through effective communication, conflict resolution, and staff empowerment.
• Promotes inter-shift communication among staff members to achieve continuity of nursing care.
• Serves as a liaison between BSU staff, nursing units and ancillary departments in conjunction with Nursing Director to maintain a collaborative working relationship.
• Demonstrates willingness to accept non-routine work assignments as appropriate which may include the following:
• Collaborates with the Nursing Director in developing annual written goals and objectives of the BSU.
• Anticipates, monitors, and adjusts human and material resources appropriate to volume and patient acuity.
• Collaborates with the Nursing Director in maintaining the nursing quality improvement process to improve patient care to the greatest extent possible using an approach, which is systemic, planned, and outcome oriented.
• Collaborates with Nursing Director with selection, development, evaluation, counseling, and disciplining of employees as appropriate.
• Is responsible for scheduling to provide continuity of patient care. Ensures safe staffing with appropriate skill mix for unit for the current and on-coming shift; implements actions to address staffing needs for those shifts.
• Assists the Nursing Director with implementing appropriate review systems for competency-based appraisals of staff.
• Participates in nursing, Hospital and BSU committees as appropriate.
• Collaborates with the BSU Nursing Director in developing and monitoring the operating budget.
• Is willing to accept additional responsibilities and duties related to the operation of the department.
• Assists Nursing Director with orientation of new employees, as defined by department guidelines and serves as a resource person.
• Assists the staff in achieving maximum productivity and efficiency during the assigned shift by taking patient assignments or admissions if necessary or other nursing assignments, as needed.
• Demonstrates awareness of need for self-growth by assessing strengths and weaknesses and establishing goals and objectives.
• Provides patient care when necessary, utilizing the nursing process.
• Demonstrates the knowledge and skills necessary to provide care appropriate to the age of the patients served in department.
• Consistently strives to be an effective and productive member of the department.
• Demonstrates ability to promote a cohesive work environment. Ensures work environment is ready by delegating to appropriate staff.
• Demonstrates ability to give constructive criticism and compliments.
• Consistently demonstrates the ability to recognize priorities and deal with them appropriately.
• Schedules benefit time appropriately.
• Receives, addresses, and responds to incident reports, to include participation in the development of plans of correction for NIMRS, Justice Center, internal incident reporting, and any governing agency.
• Is responsible for coordination of patient chart audits to collect data and generate necessary reports for Inpatient Psychiatric Facility Quality Reporting (IPFQR)/Premier Program of the Centers for Medicare and Medicaid Services (CMS).
• Is responsible for overseeing all internal and external ongoing audits, analyzing the data, and reporting results to Nursing Director.
• Assists the Nursing Director in the development, implementation, and evaluation of policies and procedures through staff communication, staff meetings, and/or committee work.
• Promotes and fosters the mission and philosophy of Arnot Health during performance of job duties and community activities.
• Is responsible for attending all annual mandatory educational programs as required by position.
• Understands and demonstrates the importance of satisfying the needs of the customer/patient by interacting with him/her in a friendly and caring way, being attentive to the customer’s needs, both psychologically and physically, and by taking the initiative to maintain communication with the customer to provide a secure and pleasant experience with Arnot Health.
• It is understood that this job description lists typical duties for the classification and is not to be considered inclusive of all duties that may be assigned.
  
  

Education

Current New York State Registered Nurse Licensure. BSN required or completed within negotiated timeframe. Excellent communication and writing ability. Certification in nursing specialty desirable or will obtain within negotiated timeframe.

Experience

Minimum of one-year psychiatric nursing experience, preferably in an inpatient setting. Education/experience in the principle of administration and supervision desirable.

Cardiopulmonary Resucsciation (cpr) Requirements

Basic Life Support (BLS) required within 90 days of hire date.

Physical Demands

Good Physical and mental health. Visual, aural, and manual dexterity required to detect changes in patient’s conditions.

Exposure Category

Category I. Tasks that involve exposure to blood, body fluids, or tissues.