RN - Clinical Transition Specialist (Discharge Planning)

Position Summary:
Responsible for the oversight, coordination, and management of the functional and financial outcomes during acute illness requiring hospitalization for patients of the Carle Foundation Hospital. Ensures patients receive proactive initial assessment of needs, ongoing evaluations, and initiation of discharge planning while facilitating a safe and timely transition from the acute care/hospital setting to an appropriate level of care outside the hospital. Utilizes the five components of case management: assessment, coordination, monitoring, implementation, and evaluation.

Qualifications:
EDUCATIONAL REQUIREMENTS
Bachelor's Degree in Nursing required within five (5) years of start date or Grandfathered (HR USE ONLY) in Incumbents in the role as of September 1, 2022 are grandfathered from the BSN requirement - College diploma in Nursing required.

CERTIFICATION & LICENSURE REQUIREMENTS
Registered Professional Nurse (RN) License Illinois upon hire and Basic Life Support (BLS) within 30 days and Accredited Case Manager Certification Incumbents in the role as of September 1, 2022 are grandfathered from the certification requirement but it is highly encouraged within 3 years.

EXPERIENCE REQUIREMENTS
Three (3) years Related Field

ADDITIONAL REQUIREMENTS

• Attend and satisfactorily complete all required continuing education regarding the care of acute stroke patients

SKILLS AND KNOWLEDGE
Able to establish professional relationships with all healthcare providers, work independently and collaborate, have strong communication and organizational skills and attention to detail, and able to follow and manage multiple patient cases concurrently.

Essential Functions:

• Act as a liaison working with patient/family and physician to determine next level of care
• Conducts case review presentations to educate peers on unique or challenging cases and scope of practice issues.
• Coordinates the transition from inpatient care to post-hospital care, working with pre- and post- hospital providers to ensure responsive and appropriate care is provided post-discharge.
• Documents plan of care and utilization issues in appropriate locations, including but not limited to: case management/utilization review software and the multidisciplinary plan of care document on all assigned patients.
• Evaluates effectiveness of plan of care to ensure the progression toward desired patient outcomes.
• Initiates intervention, both pre-hospital, in-hospital, and post-hospital, for patients and families identified from a proactive initial admission assessment, as well as through referrals from members of the health care team.
• Initiates timely referrals to other health care team members (quality improvement, risk manager, social workers, physicians, Home Services, etc.)
• Performs nursing activities of assessment, coordination, planning, monitoring, implementation, and evaluation. Interacts with clients, caregivers and families to assess, plan care, arrange services, monitor, and provide support and education.
• Proactively investigates coverage for post-hospital needs and presents options to the patient/family and provider.
• Provides oversight of acute setting plan of care to ensure coordination and completion of services to meet post-hospitalization needs.
• Lead an interdisciplinary team to achieve organizational goals related to length of stay and readmissions.
• Track avoidable days on inpatient stays.
• Readmission assessment of inpatient stays.
• Assess patients for post discharge needs.
• Participate in daily white board rounds.
• Arrange DME, Home Care, Hospice, assisting with returns to ECFs, and Transportation
• Assist any patient/family care conferences.
• Participate in department work groups.
• HRHC: make follow up appointments with primary care provider before patient discharges, makes post discharge phone calls to ensure patient is doing well and has what they need for success. Obtain prior authorizations for swing bed patients, maintain the work ques, and address denials.
• RMH: make follow up appointments with primary care provider before patient discharges, makes post discharge phone calls to ensure patient is doing well and has what they need for success. Initial utilization review for emergency room patients being admitted.