Registered Nurse Triage Nurse VNA Per Diem

Job Description Summary

Under the direction of the Nurse Manager, the Triage Nurse is a highly skilled Registered Nurse (RN) responsible for rapidly assessing patient need by gathering critical information, evaluating symptoms, identifying potential risks, and prioritizing care based on clinical urgency. This role ensures that individuals with potentially life-threatening or rapidly deteriorating conditions receive immediate attention. By making swift, accurate decisions, the Triage Nurse helps optimize workflow, prevent delays in care, end ensures that the healthcare resources are used effectively to provide safe, high-quality care.

Job Description

ESSENTIAL FUNCTIONS

1. Conduct telephone triage by assessing symptoms, medical history, and patient concerns to determine the appropriate level of care.
a. Gather essential information by asking focused, symptom-specific questions
b. Assess severity and urgency based on patient-reported symptoms, history, and risk factors.
c. Identify symptoms that require immediate escalation or emergent cases.
d. Use standardized triage protocols and decision pathways to guide clinical judgement.
e. Provide clear, concise, evidence-based guidance to patients and caregivers.
f. Utilize clinical judgement to determine when patients require same-day visits, emergency visits, or routine follow-up. *
g. Document all triage interaction accurately and promptly.
h. Communicate with field clinician.
i. Prioritize multiple incoming calls and manage time effectively in a fast-paced environment.

* Per the First Day Home Program, the Monday–Friday triage nurse is required to complete the first day home visit.

2. Maintain up-to-date knowledge of clinical protocols, triage pathways, and organizational policies.

3. Participate in ongoing training and competency development to strengthen triage skills and clinical decision-making.

4. Contribute to quality improvement initiatives related to patient safety, communication, and triage accuracy.

5. Scheduling: Scheduling and prioritizing evening, weekend, and holiday visits based on acuity and assigning the most appropriate clinician.
a. Schedules and prioritizes visits according to patients’ needs.
b. Evaluate the workload of available nursing/rehab to ensure fair, efficient, and clinically appropriate distribution of visits.
c. Recommends and implements scheduling adjustments as needed to support patient care needs and staffing capacity.
d. Identifies and documents changes on visit frequency or planned visits to maintain accurate communication and continuity of care.
e. Applies productivity standards for evening, weekend, holiday and per diem nurse to ensure staffing efficiency and compliance of organization expectations.
f. Adjusts and assigns unscheduled visits as needed to ensure appropriate coverage and timely care.

6. Supervision: Provide clinical support to staff to ensure safe, effective, and timely patient care.
a. Assists in the orientation and training of new staff to weekend/holiday operations including visit assignment and completion, documentation requirements, and agency policy procedure.
b. Serves as a clinical resource offering guidance and support to clinicians.
c. Oversees clinical services during weekend/holiday shifts.
d. Demonstrates and communicates knowledge of Department policies, procedures, and patients’ needs.
e. Ensures timely delivery of multidisciplinary services, coordinating across all disciplines as needed.

7. Intake: Receives new patient referral information, on weekend/holiday shift and prioritizes patients’ need for scheduling.
a. Schedules the referral to a clinician when a visit is required, ensuring timely patient contact and care.
b. Ensures that the referral is included on the weekend/weekday report.
c. Ensures that all lab tests are orders , per MD.

8. Communication: Communicates and collaborates with members of the team during weekend and holiday shifts to address changes in patient’s condition, clarify orders, and ensure continuity of care.
a. Ensures timely referral of all appropriate services to support the patient’s plan of care.
b. Recommend and assists the provider to access the appropriate area of service within the organization or community.
c. Enters labs in the HER as ordered by the MD.
d. Ensures prompt response to all unplanned visits to maintain patient safety and contiuity of care.
e. Review patients care plans to Home Health Aides for introductory home visits.
f. Serves as a Triage Nurse for patients/families, physician, clinicians, by responding to calls in a timely manner on evenings/weekends/holidays 8:00AM to 4:30PM or 1:00PM to 9:00PM.
g. Uses hand-off report mechanism to provide field clinicians and/or next shift with patient-necessary information regarding plan of care.

9. Professional Development: Maintains current knowledge of nursing practice by attendance at in-service and participation in seminars and courses to increase knowledge of community health nursing as evidenced by attendance logs and CEU certificates.
a. Develops and maintains interpersonal skill level using Aspects of Care.
b. Practices within the legal boundaries for the MA Nurse Practice Act and according to Organizational policies.
c. Attends and participates in team meetings, reads all applicable minutes as required.
d. Participates in committees or project teams to resolve process or system issues as needed.
e. Attends training sessions to remain informed of new information/technology.

10. Technology: Embraces technological solutions to work processes and clinical practices.
a. Demonstrates clinical proficiency and competency in the agency/program automated clinical record as evidenced by successful completion of education program and appropriate daily utilization of software.
b. Able to demonstrate and educate staff on safe use of clinical equipment according to instructions.

11. Safety: Fosters a “Culture of Safety: through personal ownership and commitment to a safe environment.
a. Understands individual roles and responsibilities during emergency in patient’s home or at office, e.g., Emergency Preparedness Plan.
b. Demonstrates competency in bag technique and provides staff education on appropriate PPE use.
c. Documentation reflects use of approved abbreviations only.
d. Able to demonstrated and educate staff on infection control and hazardous waste guidelines.
e. Follows telephone order policy and procedure.
f. Able to demonstrate and educate staff on proper body mechanics.
g. Contacts the provider to determine the significance of critical laboratory values and takes appropriate action based on clinical guidance.
h. Complies with current WHO hand washing guidelines through proper handwashing.

12. Educator: Employs clinical expertise as a role model and preceptor to support staff and clinicians .
a. Engage in opportunities to teach and learn, to contribute to a culture of continuous professional growth.
b. Participates in educational opportunities to develop and maintain specialized clinical skills, i.e., NPWT (VAC), PleurX/Rocket chest drain systems, IV infusion.
c. Receptive to Just In Time education to meet the clinical needs of patients and staff.
d. Able to recognize clinical problems and respond appropriately.
e. Serves as a teacher and resource for clinicians.

JOB REQUIREMENTS
Minimum Education - Preferred
Graduate of an NLN approved school of nursing.
Equivalent to a Bachelor of Science Degree in Nursing in an NLN–approved school of nursing preferred.
Minimum Work Experience
Requires two (2) years of acute care experience.
Two years of community health nursing experience preferred.
Required Licenses/Registrations

RN - Registered Nurse

Required additional Knowledge and Abilities

Read, write and speak English

Current valid Drivers License

Excellent assessment skills

Homecare experience a plus