Triage Nurse

Overview

Upward Health is an in-home, multidisciplinary medical group providing 24/7 whole-person care. Our clinical team treats physical, behavioral, and social health needs when and where a patient needs help. We are driven by a desire to improve the lives of our patients and address a wide range of needs—from managing poorly controlled blood sugar to addressing anxiety to accessing medically tailored meals—because health requires care for the whole person.

It’s with this approach that patients report high satisfaction with Upward Health.

The Triage Nurse will serve in a direct care and patient advocacy role and will ensure interdisciplinary care is optimized toward targeted outcomes by collaborating with the Clinical Operations team to assess, plan, implement, coordinate, monitor, and evaluate services and outcomes to maximize the patient’s health. The Triage Nurse will ensure the safe and effective transition of care for patients discharging from the emergency department.

Through telephonic-based outreach, the Triage Nurse will contact the patient or caregiver within 48 hours of discharge to conduct a comprehensive discharge assessment, perform medication reconciliation, provide patient or caregiver education, support post-discharge order fulfillment (e.g., Durable Medical Equipment, Home Health Care), assess for barriers to a successful transition home, and evaluate for additional care planning needs. Additionally, the Triage Nurse will confirm the patient has a provider appointment within 7–14 days of discharge, or sooner, depending on post-discharge needs.

Real-time clinical triage may be conducted via a patient calling Upward Health, a field staff escalation, or alerts based on documentation in the system requiring review and triage. For Remote Patient Monitoring (RPM) alerts, the Triage Nurse will take immediate action for abnormal or out-of-range patient results.

• Provide telephonic-based discharge assessment, medication reconciliation, patient/caregiver education, and support post-discharge order fulfillment.
• Assess barriers to successful transition to home and identify additional care planning needs.
• Coordinate with providers to ensure follow-up appointments are scheduled within 7–14 days of discharge when appropriate.
• Respond to RPM alerts with timely action to protect patient safety.

• Computer literacy and ability to effectively communicate within the business structure
• Experience with real-time documentation in EHR and/or Care Management systems
• Unrestricted registered nursing license in the state(s) of care management activities

• Effective Communication:
  Clearly and compassionately communicate with patients and their families to gather information and explain processes.
• Calm Under Pressure:
  Maintain composure in high-stress situations and manage multiple patient needs.
• Active Listening:
  Pay close attention to patients’ concerns to accurately assess their conditions.
• Empathy:
  Demonstrate understanding and compassion for patients’ experiences and emotions.
• Team
  
  Collaboration:
  
  Work effectively with other healthcare professionals to ensure seamless patient care.

• Clinical Assessment
  
  Skills:
  
  Strong ability to evaluate patient symptoms and vital signs quickly and accurately.
• Critical Thinking:
  Use sound judgment to prioritize patient needs based on severity and urgency.
• Knowledge of Medical Protocols:
  Familiarity with triage guidelines and protocols specific to the healthcare setting.
• Decision-Making:
  Make quick and informed decisions regarding patient prioritization and immediate intervention needs.
• Technology Proficiency:
  Proficient in using electronic health records and triage software to document assessments and track patient information.
• Knowledge of Community Resources:
  Understand available resources for referrals and support services outside the immediate healthcare setting.

Upward Health is proud to be an equal opportunity employer. We are committed to attracting, retaining, and maximizing the performance of a diverse and inclusive workforce. This job description is a general outline of duties performed and is not to be misconstrued as encompassing all duties performed within the position.

California pay range: $85,000 USD - $95,000 USD