House Coordinator

Position Summary 

• The House Coordinator is responsible and accountable for coordinating the activities and providing clinical and supervisory leadership and expertise for the overall Department of Nursing for a specific shift including Med-Surg, ICU, Emergency, Surgery and Oncology. The House Coordinator works closely with all departments to coordinate services necessary for optimal patient care. She/he contributes to the vision, mission, strategic plan of the organization, and is accountable for the Standards of Care and Practice in the areas of responsibility where clinical nursing is practiced. The House Coordinator performs "house" supervisory duties, charge nurse duties on the medical/surgical unit and provides direct "hands on" patient care as needed in any department during her/his shift. The House Coordinator is responsible to make rounds to patients on the Medical Surgical unit and ICU every shift as well as make rounds to all Nursing departments in the Medical Center at least every four (4) hours and as needed. The House Coordinator serves as the clinical back up RN to the specialty areas (ED, ICU, ONC and PACU/SDS). In addition, the House Coordinator possesses knowledge of CMS (HCFA) standards specific to Critical Access Hospitals, New Hampshire Department of Health guidelines, New Hampshire Board of Nursing rules, and the rules, regulations, policies, procedures and Standards of Nursing Practice of Weeks Medical Center. 

Accountability 

• The House Coordinator is accountable first, to the Department Manager, Medical Surgical Services and second to the Chief Nurse Executive. The House Coordinator communicates with all department managers and supervisors as needed for the purpose of information sharing and / or collaborative decision making. 

Interrelationships 

• Works closely with medical staff, clinical staff, support staff and the administrative team of Weeks Medical Center. The House Coordinator ensures that standards or practice are met and will function in the capacity of mentor providing ‘hands on’ support to clinical departments as needed. Collaboration with the RN Case manager is essential for the House Coordinator so that criteria are met for admissions, observations, transfers, SNFs and discharge planning. 

Qualifications 

• Current registered nurse license in the State of New Hampshire. 

• Critical Care course required; a House Coordinator without a critical care course must complete the critical care course within 6 months of hire or promotion to the position. 

• Current clinical experience for at least five (5) years required; strongly prefer at least two (2) years of experience in ED and ICU. A House Coordinator without prior critical care experience must orient to both the ED and ICU to be able to fully function as the second RN in either department. 

• Excellent interpersonal skills, conflict management and time management skills required. 

• BSN, BS or BA strongly preferred. 

• Current BLS, ACLS, Basic Dysrhythmia course certifications required. 

• PALS and MOAB required within one year of hire. 

• NRP, TNCC within 2 years of hire. 

Supervisor Expectations 

• Maintains skills and competencies as required for department staff. Serves as a role model and mentor for all staff providing assistance and guidance as necessary. 

• Accepts supervisory responsibilities collaborating and coordinating with all departments to ensure that patient care / customer service needs are being met. 

• Accepts professional responsibility and accountability for the quality of care / service provided. Quality of work upholds Weeks Medical Center mission and goals. 

• Provides input during budget process and assists in ensuring department adherence to budget. 

• Responsible for staff relations on a daily basis: 

• Directs, guides, and coaches staff, 

• Schedule staff using consistent, fair practices, 

• Discipline in conjunction with the manager, 

• Provide input into the hiring, evaluation, and termination process, 

• Train new staff in conjunction with manager, 

• Mentor staff on new processes and equipment. 

• Works with Department Manager to ensure all staff evaluations and competencies are completed on time. 

• Monitors Kronos timekeeping system for department staff. Completes bi-weekly payroll for department if assigned. 

• Works a scheduled shift with flexibility regarding work time and scheduled hours based upon needs of department. 

• Ensures monthly staff meetings are held with all staff in conjunction with department manager. Rounds with staff (i.e. Studer model of rounding) on a monthly basis at minimum. 

• Recognizes and acts upon opportunities for performance improvement. 

• Identifies Risk Management situations, follows up with staff involved and completes and submits the proper occurrence report to the Risk Manager or HR Director (for employee incidents) within 24 hours of incident. Facilitates the post event huddle with staff involved. Appropriately notifies manager and/or administrator on call as each situation warrants. 

• Responsible for ensuring a safe work environment with no staff injuries. 

• Participates in development of disaster plan and ensures staff participation in disaster drills. 

• Establishes annual Leader Evaluation Management (LEM) goals that support department and organizational goals. 

• Ensures staff working on goals 

• Develops 90 day plans 

• Ensures LEM data kept current 

• Demonstrates collegial attitude while working with colleagues and members of the four hospital North Country Healthcare Affiliation. 

Service Excellence Criteria 

• Make a positive first impression. First impressions define our personality to others and set the tone. By making a positive first impression, our patients, families and colleagues will feel welcome in our Medical Center environment. 

• Treat others as guests. Act as a host and greet others as you would welcome a good friend. 

• Be an effective communicator. See that patients, families and colleagues are appropriately informed. Talk with others promptly if you are having a problem with them - follow the "Commitment to My Co-Workers". 

• Practice service recovery skills. Turn negative service or a negative impression into a positive outcome for the patient, family or colleague. 

• Be professional in image and appearance. Represent the Medical Center as a professional in image and attitude. Act as a role model for the Medical Center’s dress code policy. Also, act as a role model for the Medical Center’s Code of Conduct. 

• Practice teamwork. Work with your team to develop a common vision and common goals. Support your team members to achieve these goals and to provide excellence in patient care and services. 

• Project a positive attitude. Demonstrate an attitude of striving to find and implement positive approaches. Be part of the solution, not part of the problem. Do not openly criticize your colleagues in front of others or to patients and families. 

• Strive for excellence in all endeavors. Always look for ways to work more effectively. Strive for higher quality in a cost effective environment. 

Essential Functions of the Job 

• Maintains required skills and competencies for Registered Nurse and House Coordinator, including skills for Med Surg, ICU and ED. Demonstrates excellence in clinical practice as outlined in the skills competency tool and standards of nursing practice. Serves as a role model and mentor for clinical staff providing "hands on" assistance and guidance as necessary. 

• Accepts professional responsibility and accountability for the quality of care provided. Quality of work upholds Weeks Medical Center mission and goals. Rounds in each clinical department minimally every 4 hours and more often as necessary. 

• Provides hands on clinical assistance to staff without hesitation. Provides relief coverage for staff to take a meal break when staff in their own department or the manager cannot provide this meal break coverage. 

• Accepts supervisory responsibilities collaborating and coordinating with all departments to ensure that patient care needs are being met throughout the House. 

• Mentors, guides and actively assists staff (throughout the house) in day to day activities of nursing practice as the need arises, and without prompting. 

• Demonstrates fiscal responsibility by ensuring that staffing is adjusted according to census, minimizing overtime and ensuring proper and economical use of equipment and supplies. 

• Identifies Risk Management situations, follows up with staff involved in these situations and completes and submits the proper occurrence report to the Risk Manager or HR Director (for employee incidents) within 24 hours of incident. Facilitates the post event huddle and documents opportunities for improvement. Appropriately notifies manager and/or administrator on call as each situation warrants. 

• Actively works to support departmental goals. Monitors, encourages and coaches staff as necessary to promote and ensure progress and growth. Documents coaching sessions in Performance Manager for direct reports. In collaboration with the appropriate Department Manager, counsels staff as necessary to address deviations of accepted policies and/or Standards of Practice to ensure that the highest quality of care is being attained. Notifies employee’s Manager by email of each corrective action discussion. 

• Measurable Goal: Promotes accountability for staff by completing audits and providing feedback to the staff regarding their documentation. The expectation is that ten audits per assigned nurse each month will be completed. 
   
  Exceeds - greater than ten audits per month for each assigned employee. 
  Meet - ten audits per month for each assigned employee have been completed by the House Coordinator. 
  Needs Improvement - less than ten audits per month for each assigned employee. 

• Collaborates with Department Manager to facilitate interviews, orientation, and growth of staff. Facilitates continued education for staff by participating as instructors in monthly educational events for staff and also participating as instructors in the annual competency process including SIM lab education, policy updates, training on new equipment etc. 

• Participates in the annual staff evaluations, policy reviews and compliance with CAH and Life Safety standards. Actively participates in at least one IHI or CMS quality initiative or other focused quality area as determined and approved by the Manager. 

• Adhere to Medication Safety policies in regards to appropriately bar-coding medications and patient ID bands. Obtaining a witness whenever a barcode override for a medication to be administered is necessary. Meeting this standard would be using barcode override 3% (or less) of the time.