Discharge Registered Nurse - Full Time

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

Job summary

Lake Charles Memorial Hospital is seeking a Discharge Registered Nurse (RN) to coordinate safe patient discharges and ensure continuity of care. The role emphasizes patient education, care transitions, and collaboration with the healthcare team to optimize outcomes prior to discharge.

The Discharge RN plays a key role in discharge planning, documenting thoroughly, and supporting families through education and follow-up planning.

Qualifications

• Graduate of School of Nursing.
• Current Louisiana Registered Nurse license or compact state license as RN.
• BLS-CPR Certification.
• Ability to read, write and speak intelligible English; communicate effectively.
• Must be adaptable to change and demonstrate foresight.
• Basic problem-solving skills.

Responsibilities

• Coordinates and facilitates patient discharges, ensuring readiness and appropriate timing.
• Collaborates with physicians, case management, social work, and interdisciplinary team members to develop and implement discharge plans.
• Assesses discharge needs including home care, equipment, medications, and follow-up services.
• Provides comprehensive discharge education to patients and families.
• Ensures accurate and timely discharge documentation in accordance with hospital policy.
• Reviews and reconciles discharge medications and educates on medication administration.

Skills

English proficiency

Emotional stability

Adaptability

Problem-solving

Education

RN license (Louisiana or compact)

Graduate of School of Nursing

BLS-CPR Certification

Tools

Smart Pumps

Job description

The Discharge Registered Nurse (RN) collaborates with the healthcare team to coordinate and facilitate safe, timely, effective patient discharges, evaluating discharge needs to ensure continuity of care. The Discharge RN plays a key role in patient education, care transitions, and coordination with interdisciplinary teams to promote optimal patient outcomes prior to discharge. As a member of the Patient Care Team, the Discharge RN ensures patients and families are prepared for discharge through comprehensive education, resource coordination, and follow-up planning. The RN is responsible for making sound clinical decisions and ensuring each patient receives individualized, high-quality transitional care.

SUPERVISION:

RESPONSIBILITIES AND DUTIES:

• Coordinates and facilitates patient discharges, ensuring readiness and appropriate timing.
• Collaborates with physicians, case management, social work, and interdisciplinary team members to develop and implement discharge plans.
• Assesses patient needs for discharge, including home care, equipment, medications, and follow-up services.
• Provides comprehensive discharge education to patients and families, including medication instructions, follow-up appointments, and self-care guidelines.
• Ensures accurate and timely completion of discharge documentation in accordance with hospital policy.
• Reviews and reconciles discharge medications demonstrates competency in medication administration and patient teaching.
• Utilizes healthcare technology and electronic medical records efficiently.
• Demonstrates competency in use of unit-specific equipment and technology, including Smart Pumps as applicable.
• Interprets and implements physician discharge orders appropriately.
• Participates in multidisciplinary rounds and/or discharge planning meetings.
• Promotes patient safety and adherence to evidence-based practices during the discharge process.
• Identifies and addresses barriers to discharge and escalates concerns as needed.
• Ensures compliance with regulatory and accreditation standards related to discharge planning.
• Demonstrates service excellence through effective communication, bedside reporting, and patient-centered care practices.
• Maintains cultural competence and addresses the diverse needs of patients and families.
• Evaluates ethical considerations related to discharge planning and patient care transitions.
• Participates in quality improvement initiatives and contributes to process enhancements related to discharge efficiency and patient outcomes.
• Delegates tasks appropriately and coordinates with support staff to ensure completion of discharge activities.

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

• Graduate of School of Nursing.
• Current Louisiana Registered Nurse license or compact state license as Registered Nurse.
• BLS-CPR Certified.
• Ability to read, write and speak intelligible English; Ability to learn quickly, analyze problems and communicate effectively with superiors, peers, and others on one-to-one basis.
• Requires emotional stability and resilience; Must be adaptable to change, be decisive, and demonstrate foresight.
• Must be adaptable to change and receptive to delegated responsibilities; Possesses basic problem-solving skills.

Physical Demands/Work Environment

• Work requires a variety of physical activities including standing and walking for sustained periods, bending and stooping, and some lifting of 50-100 pounds at a time.
• The work environment may be physically confining.
• Many nursing skills require acute hearing ability, i.e. listening with stethoscope to breath sounds and heart sounds.
• Must be able to exchange accurate information with patient, family, peers and medical personnel.
• 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.