Registered Nurse Triage Nurse VNA Per Diem

South Shore Health•Weymouth, MA

27d•Onsite

About The Position

Under the direction of the Nurse Manager – Extended Hours, the Registered Nurse Triage Nurse assists with the direct supervision of extended-hours and per-visit nurses in the Braintree and Hanover offices, as well as assigned clerical staff. The nurse provides direct patient care when needed, including when patient visit demand exceeds agency standards and no additional nursing coverage is available. The role supports evening, weekend, and holiday operations, including patient triage, scheduling, referral intake, clinical supervision, care coordination, documentation, and safety.

Requirements

At least two years of acute care experience.
Ability to read, write, and speak English.
Current valid driver's license.
Excellent assessment skills.
Current Massachusetts Registered Nurse license from the Board of Registration in Nursing.
Required commitment of one weekend per month, with occasional evening and holiday work.

Nice To Haves

Two years of community health nursing experience preferred.
Homecare experience is a plus.
Graduation from an NLN-approved school of nursing is preferred; an education equivalent to a Bachelor of Science in Nursing from an NLN-approved school is preferred.

Responsibilities

Schedule and prioritize evening, weekend, and holiday nursing visits based on patient acuity, staffing availability, and appropriate nurse assignment; assess visit effectiveness and recommend or implement schedule changes.
Track changes in visit frequency and planned visits, use productivity standards, and adjust or assign unscheduled visits as needed.
Assist with clinical supervision, orientation, training, and performance evaluation of weekend, holiday, and per-visit nursing staff; serve as a clinical resource and support staff education.
Oversee clinical services during weekend and holiday shifts and ensure staff can provide care safely and effectively, including appropriate multidisciplinary services and timely communication of visit-related information.
Receive new patient referrals during evening, weekend, and holiday shifts; identify patient needs, determine billing sources and reimbursement mechanisms when information is available, and arrange timely visits with appropriate nurses.
Ensure referral information is included in weekend and holiday reports; coordinate medical equipment and laboratory orders according to provider orders, patient needs, and payer requirements; coordinate patient information with insurance case managers.
Communicate and collaborate with healthcare team members to clarify orders and discuss patient condition changes; ensure appropriate referrals, services, equipment, and laboratory testing are arranged.
Serve as a triage nurse for patient, physician, and family inquiries received by pager during assigned evening, weekend, and holiday coverage; respond appropriately to unplanned visits and arrange HHA orientation visits as needed.
Complete weekend and holiday reports and use handoff reports to communicate necessary patient and plan-of-care information to the next shift or case manager.
Provide direct patient care when required, update plans of care, edit care pathways, resolve OASIS integrity errors before export, conduct comprehensive physical and psychosocial assessments, assess and document pain and fall risk, and complete required documentation and daily logs.
Maintain current nursing knowledge through in-services, seminars, courses, team meetings, training, and participation in committees or project teams; practice within Massachusetts Nurse Practice Act requirements and organizational policies.
Use the agency's automated clinical record, phone and telecommunications systems, pager, and assigned clinical equipment appropriately.
Promote a culture of safety by following emergency preparedness procedures, National Patient Safety Goals, infection-control and hazardous-waste guidelines, telephone-order procedures, approved documentation practices, proper bag technique and PPE use, safe body mechanics, and CDC handwashing guidance; recognize critical laboratory values and take appropriate action.
Serve as a role model, preceptor, coach, and educator; participate in educational events and support colleagues' learning and clinical skill development.
Develop and maintain advanced clinical skills, including skills such as VAC, PleurX, and IV infusion; recognize patient deterioration and provide just-in-time education as appropriate.