Registered Nurse, Shock Trauma, Discharge RN

University of Maryland Medical System•Baltimore, MD

About The Position

The Discharge RN is dedicated to improving patient- and family-centered care by efficiently managing the discharge process and supporting seamless transitions from the hospital to home or other care settings. The role provides discharge education and coordination, resolves medication and testing issues, schedules follow-up care, and collaborates with an interdisciplinary team to promote patient safety, satisfaction, and positive outcomes. The nurse works with bedside and charge nurses, providers, case management, pharmacy, laboratory staff, and the Trauma Transitional Care Coordinator (TCC). Responsibilities include identifying discharge barriers and high-risk patients, coordinating post-discharge follow-up, and conducting outreach after missed appointments. The role also participates in discharge rounds, shared governance and task force meetings, and patient safety and quality improvement activities.

Requirements

Graduate of an accredited school of nursing.
Current Registered Nurse license in the State of Maryland.
Bachelor’s degree in nursing or a related field is required.
Three years of recent acute medical/surgical nursing experience.
Basic Life Support (BLS) certification is required.
Ability to communicate effectively verbally and in writing.
Ability to follow directions, stay organized, manage time, and set appropriate priorities.
Ability to make independent decisions consistent with current policies, procedures, and nursing standards.
Ability to perform mathematical functions correctly.
Ability to adapt availability to variable and changing hospital needs, including all shifts.
Ability to function effectively as a member of a collaborative team and respond appropriately to emergency situations.
Effective interpersonal and communication skills when interacting with nursing personnel, medical staff, administrative staff, department directors, patients, and patients' families or significant others.

Nice To Haves

Trauma RN experience is preferred.

Responsibilities

Collaborate with bedside and charge nurses, providers, and case management to prioritize and coordinate timely patient discharges.
Review the After Visit Summary (AVS) for completeness and accuracy, provide additional education as needed, and document discharge education.
Explain discharge procedures, next steps, and post-discharge care expectations to patients and families.
Schedule follow-up appointments at the Shock Trauma Outpatient Pavilion and arrange rescheduling when patients miss appointments.
Coordinate with Pharmacy to fill prescriptions and resolve medication concerns before discharge.
Monitor required tests and collaborate with laboratory staff and physicians to address delays and obtain timely results.
Discontinue medical equipment and vascular access when appropriate, and prepare and transport patients to the discharge area or discharge lounge.
Coordinate discharge preparation and post-discharge care needs with Case Management and facilitate handoffs to the Trauma Transitional Care Coordinator for medically complex patients.
Attend daily discharge rounds, support Discharge by Noon, help maintain accurate estimated discharge dates, identify discharge barriers, and align service lines.
Identify medically complex and high-risk readmission patients and collaborate with the TCC to ensure follow-up within 72 hours after discharge.
Review prior-day appointment logs, contact patients within 72 hours of a missed appointment, document outreach attempts, ask about the reason for the missed appointment, and offer rescheduling.
Ensure patients' phone numbers, email addresses, and mailing addresses are up to date in the system.
Educate patients about the Press Ganey Patient Satisfaction Survey and advise them they may receive it by mail.
Attend Shock Trauma Outpatient Pavilion Shared Governance Meetings as a liaison between inpatient and outpatient teams, and attend Discharge Task Force Meetings.
Advocate independently for patient and family needs and maintain positive working relationships and effective communication with team members.
Support safe, timely, effective, efficient, equitable, patient-centered care and participate in organizational quality and safety improvement efforts.
Analyze and interpret organizational outcomes related to hospital quality measures, patient safety goals, quality indicators, nursing-sensitive quality indicators, and the facility annual operating plan; develop, implement, and evaluate improvement efforts.
Correct observed patient safety risks, participate in safety initiatives, report adverse events and near misses, and communicate possible process, procedure, or device risks to appropriate personnel.
Perform additional duties as assigned.