Nurse Manager (RN)

Nurse Manager (RN)

(Full-time; 40 hours/week)

Generations Family Health Center, Inc. is a regional community health center covering a thirty-seven-town rural region in eastern Connecticut with sites located in Willimantic, Danielson, Norwich and Putnam.  Our dedicated staff provides a full range of primary care services to all ages including medical, dental and behavioral health care, as well as care coordination and community outreach. In addition to our main facilities, we offer mobile programs and School Based Health Centers.

Locations: Willimantic, CT

Job Responsibilities

The Nurse Manager is responsible for overseeing and managing RNs and LPNs at Generations Family Health Center.  The position evaluates all new and existing staff members and actively participates in the interview process to hire RNs and LPNs.  The position assists with provider/patient relations, advises the Director of Population Health of any work flow concerns and communicates training and developmental needs relating to the RNs and LPNs.  Possesses the ability to establish and maintain collegial relationships with coworkers, including but not limited to providers, site managers and the management team.  Demonstrates flexibility and the resilience in response to the changing clinical and administrative environments often seen in the medical profession.

Your specific duties in this Nurse Manager (RN) role include:

Supervisory Duties:

1. Organize, direct all clinical workflows of the nursing services in accordance with federal, state, and local standards, guidelines, and regulations that govern Generations Family Health Center, ensuring the highest degree of quality care is maintained at all times.
2. Supervise RNs and LPNs at all four Generations sites, including but not limited to: interviewing, hiring, training, coaching, performance management, planning, response, and communications. Conducting nurse staff meetings on a regular basis.
3. Comprehensive on boarding experience and training tools. Presenting continuing education topics through webinars, articles, and hands on teaching. Plan, implement and evaluate in-service and continuing education programs for RNs and LPNs at least annually. 
4. Ensure compliance with clinical practices in accordance with facility’s established standards of care, policies and protocols.
5. Ensure the implementation, and evaluation of nursing policies and procedures, as well as strategic goals and objectives.
6. Create optimal employee relations necessary to motivate, recruit and maintain staff retention levels
7. Perform clinical competencies for all clinical support staff, RNs, LPNs and MAs, annually and during the onboarding process.
8. Maintain up-to-date knowledge on new regulations, trends, etc., particularly in areas of clinical care and health support;     
9. Represent site and/or health center externally at forums, community events, etc. as well internally on councils, committees, meetings, collaboratives, etc., as required.
10. May serve as chair of advisory/management councils or agency committees, as assigned.
11. Attend all union negotiations and any other meeting that may be necessary for the successful operation of the agency.
12. Collaborate with other managers to cover sites and programs in the absence of supervisors.
13. Other related duties as assigned.    

General Clinical Duties

1. Provide smooth and timely flow of patients in accordance with Generations Family Health Center guidelines, responding to high volume of patients in short-term time spans.
2. Demonstrate, understand and perform triage activities for all appointed and walk-in patients and medical phone inquiries; using reasonable and astute clinical judgments in order to expedite the appropriate care and treatment of patients.
3. Provide health care advice through telephone calls or the Patient Portal.
4. Develop and provide individualized and group counseling, guidance, and health instruction with the focus on disease prevention and health maintenance.
5. Provide nursing care during nursing visits based on provider orders, to meet the needs (physical, mental, and emotional) of patients.
6. Administer medications, injections, and vaccinations per facility protocols.
7. Carry out standing orders for medication refills, ordering tests, diagnostic imaging, labs to support the providers and notify provider of positive results as per facilities policy, helping to formulate care plan and communicate all of the above to patients as needed.
8. Conduct newborn weight visits and lactation education.
9. Collaborate in the coordination of chronic disease management, including providing follow up visits for basic disease management, including but not limited to: Diabetes, Hypertension, Hyperlipidemia, Asthma/COPD.
10. Titrate insulin and adjust hypertensive medications based on specific protocols.
11. Follow up INR visits per facilities policy and protocol.
12. Follow up after specialty visits to ensure patients are following their current care plan.
13. Follow up ED visits for specific diagnoses.
14. Follow up hospital discharge visits with focus on medication reconciliation and follow through and education on care plan and upcoming specialty provider visits. i.e. effects, complications, and patient usage considerations.
15. Perform a range of nursing procedures, including dressing changes, suture removal, oxygen administration, and basic wound care.
16. Teach patients and/or families proper home health care activities, such as giving injections, taking blood pressures, changing wound dressings, etc.
17. Provide health materials, resources and education to patients and their families for informational purposes according to need and learning capacity.
18. Be able to assess patient condition, recognize adverse signs and symptoms, and react swiftly in emergency situations.
19. Participate in the ongoing Quality Assurance and Performance Improvement initiatives.  Ensure that all required reports, clinical and administrative documentation is completed in an accurate, timely and complete fashion.
20. Comply with all federal, state, local, Joint Commission, Occupational Safety and Health Administration (OSHA), DPH, Subcontractor safety and operational regulations, directives and standards.
21. Maintain universal precautions and infection control practices.
22. Maintain confidentiality of all information and support patients’ privacy, rights, and safety, with appropriate documentation in health records of all communication regarding patient care.
23. Provide coverage for other clinical areas (as required)
24. Flexible hours as required as well as potential work on evenings or Saturdays.
25. Perform various clinical audits to measure outcomes and quality of care, compliance with regulatory requirements, etc.
26. Act as a resource to all Generations sites when requested.
27. Comply with Generation’s policies and regulatory requirements.
28. Participate in grant preparation/development/reporting, as well as policy development as appropriate.

Job requirements:

Must work as part of a multidisciplinary team.  Must be detail oriented and able to carry out duties with minimal supervision.  Must possess strong communications and organizational skills.  Computer proficiency necessary, experience with Medical Manager desired.  Experience with oversight of patient flow, staff training and supervision, and customer service is crucial.  Excellent problem-solving skills.

Specific qualifications for the RN role include:

• Current RN license in the State of CT
• Current Cardiopulmonary Resuscitation (CPR) / Basic Life Support (BLS)
• Bachelor of Science in Nursing (BSN), preferred
• Minimum five (5) years’ experience related or related experience in nursing.
• Strong oral and written communications.
• Must have two (2 years’ supervisory experience in a healthcare setting.