Staff Nurse - Triage Patient Access Center Remote

As the largest human service provider in Lake County, we believe that services must be available without barriers.
No residents are turned away due to the inability to pay.
We believe in providing services in an environment of mutual respect, free of discrimination or bias.
Whether assuring accessible and effective care, impacting policy, or assessing and monitoring risks, the Lake County Health Department and Community Health Center has been an essential part of the public health system in Lake County for 60 years.
We are looking for passionate, qualified team members, who can help make a difference in our agency, and most importantly, in our community.

Summary

Under the supervision of the Patient Access Center Manager and Associate Director Clinical Practice (clinical oversight), determines the degree of urgency of the patient's problem, selects the most appropriate disposition (time, location and provider to handle the problem), and provides advice on what steps should be taken to address the issue presented.
Participate as a member of the Patient Access Center team, signs into ACD and schedules patient appointments when there are no triage functions to handle.

Scheduled Hours:
37.5 hours a week

• Talks directly to patient on the telephone and then directs them to the appropriate care setting (physician office, urgent care, emergency room).
  Uses active listening in identifying the presenting complaint.
• Performs short evaluation of the patient situation to estimate severity of illness and/or injury including learning about chief complaint, chronic problems, medications, allergies and as possible obtaining vital sign and mental status information
• Determines urgency of seeing patient based on brief (telephone) assessment utilizing electronic health record system as appropriate.
  
• Sends those (triaged) with high-risk chief complaints such as chest pain, abdominal pain, or severe headaches to ER immediately or arranges for an ambulance.
  
• Utilizes the electronic health record system to schedule appointments for patients who do not need to go to ER but need to see a physician
• Responds to questions from patients, healthcare professionals and other LCHD resources (e.g.
  public health nurses) utilizing clinical expertise, guidelines and established protocols
• Utilizes the electronic health record system to send tasks to clinic PCMH teams, as appropriate, to meet patient needs
• Follow-up on messages left in message box within 1 business day
• Follow-up on tasks sent during business hours within 30 minutes
• Participate as a member of the Patient Access Center team, signs into ACD and schedules patient appointments when there are no triage functions to handle
• Perform tasks including filing, chart documentation and chart requesting.
• Develops and maintains a basic knowledge of services available at the Lake County Health Department and Community Health Centers (LCHD/CHC).
• Develops and maintains a basic awareness of the Chronic Care Model Processes to reduce health disparities within our communities.
• Develops and maintains a working knowledge of individual Emergency Preparedness roles.
• Demonstrates adherence to National Patient Safety Goals.
• Participates in quality improvement activities to assess, monitor, and improve program services.
• Supports clerks with clinical questions
• Provides training on basic medical terminology to clerks
• Participates in mandatory in-services and drills, attends staff meetings and other trainings, including appropriate age specific educational trainings offered on a regular basis for professional development.
  
• Reports all unusual occurrences that may involve the safety and well-being of patients and co-workers, directly to the supervisor and/or Safety Officer.
  
• Performs duties in a prioritized, organized, and orderly manner to maximize clinic efficiency and productivity.
  
• Maintains orderliness and cleanliness of clinic and work area.
  

• Current Illinois RN license
• Ability to access pertinent patient information utilizing electronic health record
• Ability to make decisions quickly based on medical knowledge and established protocols
• Ability to schedule appointments and document in NextGen

At this time, you must reside in either Illinois or Wisconsin to work for the Lake County Health Department.


You can find additional information about the Lake County Health Department, our culture, and why you should join our team at .


As a public health department, we believe in the science, data, and power of vaccines, like the influenza and COVID-19 vaccines, to protect against and prevent illness.
Therefore, we require all Health Department staff to receive the primary series of the COVID-19 vaccine as well as the annual influenza vaccine unless they have an approved medical or religious exemption.

Any offer of employment is conditioned on the successful completion of a background screening, drug and alcohol testing and may include a pre-employment medical exam.

The Lake County Health Department and Community Health Center is an Equal Opportunity Employer.
We evaluate qualified applicants without regard to race, color, religion, sexual orientation, gender identity or gender expression, national origin, disability, veteran status, and other protected characteristics.
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