Point of Entry Nurse

At Houston Methodist, the Point of Entry Nurse (POE) is a licensed registered nurse (RN) who responsible for facilitation of the functional and operational aspects for patients' entrance into the hospital. This position provides support to hospital units through the facilitation and coordination of patient flow and bed utilization. The POE Nurse position collaborates with clinical staff and interprofessional health care team to ensure resource utilization is appropriate to the patient's clinical needs and within covered benefits. This position ensures a compassionate, integrated, multi-disciplinary case approach which supports health caregivers to provide the highest quality, most clinically appropriate admission placement of patients, while promoting the most cost-effective utilization of the hospital's resources for those patients admitted to the hospital. The POE Nurse position ensures the most appropriate placement of patients as it relates to floors, rooms and campus, evaluating current and future needs for optimal patient care and reviews for intake and placement, external patients are clinically appropriate.

PEOPLE ESSENTIAL FUNCTIONS

• Collaborates to foster healthy relationships in the work environment. Maintains a good rapport with the Emergency Department (ED), physicians and their office staff to streamline patient entry to the hospital, receiving admitting orders and special request concerning each patient. Coordinates with case manager to escalate cases.

• Demonstrates teamwork by awareness department activities, consistently offering assistance, and responding positively to requests for assistance. Works closely with ED physicians, social workers and case managers to identify alternate level of care/treatment plan for patients who do not require admission.

• Identifies levels of organizational conflict and applies tools to effectively resolve concerns, complaints or conflict with patients, families, physicians and other interprofessional health care team members. Facilitates bed issue resolution when conflicts arise.

SERVICE ESSENTIAL FUNCTIONS

• Oversees patient placement in appropriate beds based on admission criteria, diagnosis, medical necessity, clinical needs, bed availability and staffing, demonstrating proficiency in bed placement.

• Coordinates patient flow and bed utilization through frequent and timely communication, maintaining close communication to the unit department regarding patient and physician requests to ensure smooth transition of patients in our facility. Continually assesses needs of customers.

• Reviews orders on patients from admission access points to ensure appropriate level of care. Documents, as appropriate, working diagnosis on ED placements:
  - Surgery schedule and PACU patients
  - Emergency Department
  - Transfer Center
  - Physician offices/direct admits

QUALITY/SAFETY ESSENTIAL FUNCTIONS

• Evaluates transfers to entity for appropriateness including clinical, financial and social issues and coordinates them with unit and Operations Administrator, ensuring they are managed in a timely manner and within EMTALA (Emergency Medical Treatment and Active Labor Act) guidelines.

• Obtains relevant clinical data from sending facilities, working effectively with accepting physicians and nurses to ensure clear communication among caregivers and assist in correct clinical placement of patients to consistently achieve desired outcomes for patient care.

• Participates in quality improvement activities by collecting and analyzing data related to patient throughput, identifying trends and suggesting improvement plans.

• Promotes accuracy and completeness of clinical documentation to reflect the appropriate Severity of Illness (SOI) and Intensity of Service (IOS) for all patients. Assists physicians in improving documentation to meet regulatory and payor requirements, as appropriate.

• Evaluates current and future bed supply to anticipate areas of congestion and potential obstacles to patient flow when clinical lead not available.

FINANCE ESSENTIAL FUNCTIONS

• Consistently reviews all admissions for medical necessity and appropriateness of care based on nationally recognized criteria.

• Documents all aspects of the transfer in appropriate location and ensures computer system accuracy of patient level of care status to physician order.

GROWTH/INNOVATION ESSENTIAL FUNCTIONS

• Identifies and presents areas for improvement in patient care or department operations and offers solutions by participating in department projects and activities. Participates on clinical process improvement teams within the department and hospital.

• Oversees any implementation and evaluation of medical management tools for assigned areas to ensure goals and outcomes established by the team are met.

This job description is not intended to be all-inclusive; the employee will also perform other reasonably related business/job duties as assigned. Houston Methodist reserves the right to revise job duties and responsibilities as the need arises.

EDUCATION

• Graduate of education program approved by the credentialing body for the required credential(s) indicated below in the Certificates, Licenses and Registrations section

• Bachelor's degree preferred

WORK EXPERIENCE

• Two years as a registered nurse in an acute care hospital setting

• Bed placement experience highly preferred

LICENSES AND CERTIFICATIONS - REQUIRED

• RN - Registered Nurse - Texas State Licensure and/or Compact State Licensure within 60 days OR
• RN-Temp - Registered Nurse - Temporary State Licensure within 60 days AND
• Additional credentials as defined by unit/service line

LICENSES AND CERTIFICATIONS - PREFERRED

• Magnet - ANCC Recognized Certification

KNOWLEDGE, SKILLS, AND ABILITIES

• Demonstrates the skills and competencies necessary to safely perform the assigned job, determined through on-going skills, competency assessments, and performance evaluations.

• Sufficient proficiency in speaking, reading, and writing the English language necessary to perform the essential functions of this job, especially with regard to activities impacting patient or employee safety or security

• Ability to effectively communicate with patients, physicians, family members and co-workers in a manner consistent with a customer service focus and application of positive language principles

• Understanding of pre-acute and post-acute venues of care and post-acute community resources

• Strong assessment, organizational and problem solving skills as evidenced by capacity to prioritize multiple tasks and role components

• Ability to work independently and exercise sound judgment in interactions with physicians, payors, and patients and their families

• Must have critical thinking, advanced communication, negotiation and collaboration skills

• Must have good organizational and time management skills

• Understands and adheres to all pertinent federal, state and Houston Methodist regulations, laws, and policies as they presently exist and as they change or are modified

• Well versed in computer skills of the entire Microsoft Office Suite (Access, Excel, Outlook, PowerPoint and Word)

• Demonstrates knowledge of obtaining information in the electronic medical record as appropriate

SUPPLEMENTAL REQUIREMENTS

WORK ATTIRE

• Uniform No
• Scrubs Yes
• Business professional Yes
• Other (department approved) No

ON-CALL*
*Note that employees may be required to be on-call during emergencies (ie. DIsaster, Severe Weather Events, etc) regardless of selection below.

• On Call* No

TRAVEL**
**Travel specifications may vary by department**

• May require travel within the Houston Metropolitan area No
• May require travel outside Houston Metropolitan area No

Company Profile:

Houston Methodist Hospital is recognized by U.S. News & World Report as the No. 1 hospital in Texas and one of America’s “Best Hospitals.” As a full-service, acute-care hospital located in the Texas Medical Center and the flagship hospital of Houston Methodist, it has evolved into one of the nation’s largest nonprofit teaching hospitals and a leader in innovative medical research with a comprehensive residency program. Two of Houston Methodist’s primary academic affiliates are among the nation’s leading health care organizations: Weill Cornell Medicine and New York-Presbyterian Hospital. Houston Methodist also has affiliations with Texas A&M University and the University of Houston. With 948 operating beds, 85 operating rooms and more than 8,400 employees, Houston Methodist Hospital offers unparalleled care for thousands of patients from around the world.

Houston Methodist is an Equal Opportunity Employer.

Equal employment opportunity is a sound and just concept to which Houston Methodist is firmly bound. Houston Methodist will not engage in discrimination against or harassment of any person employed or seeking employment with Houston Methodist on the basis of race, color, religion, sex, sexual orientation, gender identity, national origin, age, disability, status as a protected veteran or other characteristics protected by law. VEVRAA Federal Contractor – priority referral Protected Veterans requested.

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