Job Description
The Northwestern Medicine Digestive Health Center Bariatric Surgery Program is a multidisciplinary team of bariatric experts that provides medical, surgical, nutritional, and psychological care to patients seeking weight loss surgery. This Nurse Clinician position supports patient care in this multidisciplinary program seeking bariatric surgery.
The NURSE CLINICIAN reflects the mission, vision, and values of NM, adheres to the organization’s Code of Ethics and Corporate Compliance Program, and complies with all relevant policies, procedures, guidelines and all other regulatory and accreditation standards.
The NURSE CLINICIAN will work in a multidisciplinary environment which will require exceptional interpersonal skills, including the ability to establish and maintain effective relationships with patients, physicians, clinical and administrative units. This position will utilize nursing skills to perform patient assessments via phone or in person and implement nursing interventions; as such the ability to use appropriate judgment, independent thinking and creativity is required when resolving patient care issues. The Nurse Clinician is also responsible for initiating & organizing patient education for the population this unit serves.
RESPONSIBILITIES
BARIATRIC SURGERY NURSE CLINICIAN RESPONSIBILITIES:
- Coordinates patient entry, intake, and coordination through the Bariatric Surgery program ensuring patients are navigating and completing all pre-surgical requirements.
- Complete final chart review for patients to advance to surgery scheduling.
- Complete pre-op/post-op calls for Bariatric Surgery patients.
- Serve as primary contact and navigator for patient enrolled through the Boeing Center of Excellence Program.
- Serves as Metabolic and Bariatric Surgery Program Coordinator for the Metabolic and Bariatric Surgery Accreditation and Quality Improvement Program (MBSAQIP).
- Represents NM weight loss services in the community in networking and community support opportunities.
- Assists in program development, managing the accreditation process and ensuring continuous compliance with MBSAQIP standards
- Ensures best practices are integrated into relevant pathways and protocols, patient education, monitoring outcomes data and collection, quality improvement initiatives and the education of relevant staff with a focus on metabolic and bariatric patient safety.
- Supports the development of written protocols and education of nursing staff detailing the rapid communication and basic response to critical patient findings that are specifically required to minimize delays in the diagnosis and treatment of serious adverse events.
- Serves as a liaison between the facility and all metabolic and bariatric proceduralists at the center and any general surgeons providing call coverage.
- Works closely with the MBS Clinical Reviewer to ensure timely submission of outcomes data to the MBSAQIP Registry.
OTHER NURSE CLINICIAN RESPONSIBILITIES:
- Responsible for planning, coordinating, directing, and providing appropriate clinical care to patients in the designated care setting
- Works collaboratively with the interdisciplinary team to coordinate ongoing care, focused on cost-effective ways to maximize wellness and enhance patients' lives
- Develops, coordinates, and provides education for patients, family, caregivers, and staff based on personalized needs, along with serving as a resource for ongoing education
- Serves as a communication link between the patient, family, caregivers, and interdisciplinary team
- Assists in coordinating comprehensive care for patients, including any required follow-up visits, referrals, testing, treatment, and long-term follow-up
- Contributes to department, hospital, or other professional committees and quality or process improvement initiatives.
- Works closely in collaboration with the surgeon
- Communicates with the patient throughout the surgery process, including pre-op education and post-op concerns and care
- Triage and prioritize incoming patient communication using clinical assessment skills and service standards.
- Ensures clinical practice and patient care is consistent with policies and procedures
- Other duties as assigned