Triage RN

LOWER LIGHTS CHRISTIAN HEALTH CENTER INC•Columbus, OH

4d•Remote

About The Position

The Triage Registered Nurse provides telephone triage and clinical support for patients receiving services at Lower Lights Christian Health Center. Working collaboratively with providers, medical assistants, practice managers, contact center staff, and other members of the care team, the RN assesses patient concerns, determines appropriate levels of care, supports medication refill and test result workflows, and facilitates timely access to services. Serving a diverse patient population with complex medical, behavioral health, and social needs, the RN promotes patient safety, continuity of care, and positive health outcomes through sound clinical judgment, patient education, and accurate documentation. The RN practices in accordance with the standards established by the Ohio Board of Nursing.

Requirements

Associate Degree in Nursing (ADN) required
Active, unrestricted Ohio Registered Nurse license or multistate compact nursing license required
Demonstrated excellence in communication, critical thinking, assessment, and clinical decision-making skills.
Strong organizational skills, attention to detail, and ability to work independently with minimal supervision in a remote environment while maintaining productivity and responsiveness.
Ability to effectively assess patients and provide clinical guidance through telephone-based interactions.

Nice To Haves

Bachelor of Science in Nursing (BSN) preferred
Minimum of five (5) years of nursing experience preferred
Previous triage experience in emergency, urgent care, family medicine, or primary care settings strongly preferred
Bilingual in Spanish and English strongly preferred
Experience using Epic electronic health record (EHR) preferred

Responsibilities

Respond to patient calls, electronic messages, and symptom-based concerns in a timely manner according to established triage standards and guidelines.
Conduct comprehensive telephone assessments to obtain relevant health history, current symptoms, and other pertinent clinical information.
Utilize evidence-based triage decision-support tools to guide clinical recommendations and disposition planning.
Determine the appropriate level of care, including home care, office visit, same-day appointment, urgent care, emergency department evaluation, or emergency medical services activation, and communicate that level of care clearly to the patient and care team.
Recognize and respond appropriately to emergent, urgent, and high-risk clinical situations.
Escalate clinical concerns to providers or nursing leadership when patient needs exceed established protocols or nursing scope of practice.
Navigate scheduling resources and collaborate with practice teams to facilitate timely access to care for patients with acute or urgent needs.
Support continuity of care through management of in-basket messages, symptom-based patient concerns, and provider-directed clinical follow-up.
Receive, communicate, and facilitate follow-up of critical test results in accordance with organizational policies, provider instructions, and regulatory requirements.
Collaborate with providers, laboratories, imaging centers, pharmacies, hospitals, and other external healthcare organizations regarding patient care needs.
Facilitate clarification of orders, referrals, testing requirements, and treatment plans to support timely patient care.
Support prescription refill requests within approved protocols and coordinate with providers and pharmacy personnel as needed.
Monitor and manage assigned clinical in-basket pools according to established workflows and service standards.
Assist in the coordination of care transitions, follow-up needs, and patient access to appropriate healthcare services.
Identify barriers to care and connect patients with available community, clinical, and support resources when appropriate.
Maintain accurate, timely, and comprehensive documentation within the electronic health record (EHR).
Document patient assessments, triage recommendations, interventions, education provided, and patient responses in accordance with organizational standards.
Utilize approved triage software and clinical protocols to support clinical decision-making and documentation.
Ensure all patient communications and care coordination activities are appropriately recorded in the EHR.
Protect patient privacy and confidentiality in compliance with HIPAA and organizational policies.
Provide evidence-based education and self-care instructions tailored to the patient's clinical condition, health literacy, language, and cultural needs.
Explain symptoms, treatment recommendations, follow-up plans, and return precautions in a clear and understandable manner.
Utilize interpreter services appropriately to ensure effective communication with patients with limited English proficiency.
Promote patient engagement, self-management, preventive health practices, and adherence to treatment plans.
Deliver patient-centered care with professionalism, compassion, empathy, and respect.
Collaborate effectively with providers, nurses, medical assistants, behavioral health staff, care coordinators, quality team members, and contact center personnel to support high-quality patient care.
Participate in quality improvement initiatives designed to improve patient outcomes, access to care, clinical workflows, and patient safety.
Participate in efforts to improve clinical workflows, patient access, quality outcomes, and patient safety.
Contribute to efforts that reduce avoidable emergency department utilization and improve care coordination for high-risk patients.
Participate in required meetings, trainings, competency assessments, and continuing education activities.
Maintain current clinical knowledge and nursing practice standards in accordance with Ohio Board of Nursing requirements.