Discharge Nurse Educator- Full Time

Lake Charles Memorial Health; Lake Charles (LA); On-site; USD 65,000 - 90,000; Full time

Job summary

Lake Charles Memorial Health is seeking a skilled nurse (RN or LPN) with 5 years of medical/surgical experience to coordinate discharge planning and patient education. You will collaborate with physicians, families, and payors to ensure safe, effective discharge plans and seamless transitions to home or extended care settings.

You will educate patients on medications, follow-up care, DME, and access to pharmacy services, while coordinating with care teams to optimize outcomes and prevent

Qualifications

• RN or LPN with 5 years med/surg experience.
• BLS-CPR certified.
• Med/Surg Certification preferred.

Responsibilities

• Identify patients for teaching, discharge, and extended care facility needs.
• Collaborate with physicians, caregivers, patient, family, other departmental team members, and payor to proactively develop and implement a safe and appropriate discharge plan.
• Educate on home care and specific diagnoses; ensure patient understands medications and follow-up appointments.
• Educate on new medications and DME; review prior discharges to ensure follow-up.
• Make follow up calls regarding medications, appointments, DME, Home Health, etc.

Skills

Discharge planning

Education

RN or LPN

BLS-CPR certified

Med/Surg Certification preferred

Job description

• Identifies patients for teaching, discharge, and extended care facility needs. Collaborates with physicians, caregivers, patient, family, other departmental team members, and payor to proactively develop and implement a safe and appropriate discharge plan.

SUPERVISION:

Reports directly to Director of Nursing

RESPONSIBILITIES AND DUTIES:

• Use resources such as Truven, Ipad education.
• Ensure patient has a plan for how they will get their new prescriptions.
• Offer to have medication filled at our facility's pharmacy to ensure that the patient has access to their new medications before they are discharged from the hospital.
• If patient is low income, or no insurance offer to fill prescriptions at Moss pharmacy, where there are programs to help with affording medications.
• Go over medications to ensure patient understands what the medications are for and why they are taking them.
• Anticipate when patients are nearing discharge.
• Huddle with discharge planners, case management, social service.
• Round with providers.
• Communicate with assigned nurses/charge nurse/ PT.
• Educate on home care
• Educate on specific diagnosis
• Educate on new medicates, make sure able to afford medications.
• Educate on DME.
• Make sure preferred pharmacy documented and updated.
• Review previous day's discharges to check for hospital follow up appointments.
• Ensure any patient discharged to home has follow up appointment.
• Identify patient criteria for follow up phone calls: Patients discharged in last 72-96 hours; Patients discharged to home; History of frequent re-admissions.
• Make follow up phone calls to patients regarding, medications, appointments, DME, Home Health, etc.

The above statements are only meant to be a representative summary of the major duties and responsibilities performed by incumbents of this job. The incumbents may be requested to perform job-related tasks other than those stated in this description.

EDUCATION AND WORK EXPERIENCE

• RN or LPN with 5 years med/surg experience
• BLS-CPR certified
• Med/Surg Certification preferred

Physical Demands/Work Environment

• Work requires a variety of physical activities including sitting, standing and walking.
• Bending, stooping, and lifting is minimal.
• The work environment may be physically confining.
• Must have normal hearing or utilize adaptive hearing devices if duties require listening with a stethoscope to discern breath sounds, heart sounds, and bowel sounds.
• Visual acuity required for a variety of activities.
• Ability to do shift work as required.
• Reasonable accommodations may be made to enable individuals with disabilities to perform the essential functions.

“Experience Memorial” is more than a slogan, it’s the care we provide our patients and it’s the commitment to our community and our team members. As a nationally certified Great Place to Work, at Lake Charles Memorial Health System you will have the opportunity to be a part of an organizational culture that supports not only exceptional patient care but also the well-being and professional growth of our employees. Join us and be a part of a team where your contributions are valued, your growth is nurtured, and your success is celebrated.