Patient Flow RN

Memorial Hospital - Chattanooga • Chattanooga, TN

16h • $30 - $43

About The Position

The Patient Flow Nurse optimizes patient movement throughout the hospital, supporting efficient transitions between departments, units, and levels of care. The role helps minimize wait times and maximize bed utilization by assessing bed availability, patient acuity, and discharge readiness, and by proactively managing admissions, transfers, and discharges. The nurse collaborates with multidisciplinary teams to resolve logistical challenges and prioritize patient movement based on clinical urgency and available resources. Success in the role requires strong critical thinking, a comprehensive understanding of hospital operations, exceptional communication, and calm, swift decision-making and mediation in dynamic situations.

The nurse assesses patient information, including condition and admitting diagnosis, to determine appropriate hospital placement and ensure timely, efficient bed assignment using established admission-appropriateness criteria. The role manages communications with physicians, healthcare providers, and internal departments by phone, Epic electronic health record, Teletracking, and other communication systems. Responsibilities also include communicating critical test results, facilitating follow-up actions such as scheduling emergent after-hours surgeries and making follow-up calls, and collaborating with physicians on patient hand-offs, curbside consults, and timely resolution of clinical issues. The nurse documents patient information, communications, and verbal physician orders in designated systems, and maintains current knowledge of hospital policies and procedures related to patient flow.

Requirements

• Graduate from an accredited Nursing program, upon hire.
• Registered Nurse: Tennessee (TN), upon hire.
• Strong critical-thinking and communication skills, and calm, swift decision-making and mediation skills in dynamic situations.

Nice To Haves

• Bachelor’s degree in Nursing.
• Experience in bed management.
• Experience with EMR systems.

Responsibilities

• Assess patient information, including condition and admitting diagnosis, to determine appropriate hospital placement and assign beds efficiently using established admission-appropriateness criteria.
• Assess bed availability, patient acuity, and discharge readiness, and manage admissions, transfers, and discharges.
• Coordinate patient movement across departments, units, and levels of care, prioritizing according to clinical urgency and available resources.
• Communicate with physicians, healthcare providers, and internal departments by phone, Epic, Teletracking, and other communication systems; respond to inquiries and disseminate critical information promptly.
• Communicate critical test results to appropriate healthcare providers and facilitate follow-up, including scheduling emergent after-hours surgeries and making follow-up calls as needed.
• Collaborate with physicians on patient hand-offs, provide clear and concise information, support curbside consults, and help resolve clinical issues promptly.
• Document patient information and communications in Epic and other designated systems, including Teletracking.
• Receive and document verbal physician orders accurately, ensuring clarity and completeness.
• Maintain up-to-date knowledge of hospital policies and procedures related to patient flow.

What This Job Offers

• Job Type: Full-time
• Education Level: Associate degree