HARBORVIEW MEDICAL CENTER Patient Care Services
Job Description
UNIT DISCHARGE FACILITATOR
CORE VALUES: This job description is based on the following core values.
CORE VALUE COMPETENCIES:
1. QUALITY OF WORK
2. MISSION CENTERED PROFESSIONAL PRACTICE 3. INTERPERSONAL SKILLS
4. INTEGRITY AND COMPASSION 5. PATIENT CARE ADVOCACY
6. TEAM WORK/COLLABORATIVE PRACTICE
7. PATIENT/FAMILY SATISFACTION/CUSTOMER SERVICE
8. RESPECT FOR PATIENT CONFIDENTIALITY
POSITION DESCRIPTION AND PERFORMANCE CRITERIA:
TITLE: UNIT DISCHARGE FACILITATOR
RESPONSIBLE TO: Reports to UDF Nurse Manager, with liaison to unit Nurse Manager; works
collaboratively with the Director of Care Management. SUMMARY: The Unit Discharge Facilitator (UDF) coordinates all aspects of care leading to an efficient discharge or transition to the next level of care. The UDF functions as a liaison to patients, families, medical teams, nursing staff, social services, interdisciplinary team members, consulting and referring physicians and agencies involved in the care of patients from admission through the discharge process. The UDF identifies and eliminates barriers to discharge, obtains the daily medical plan, and communicates the discharge plan to appropriate team members.
1. Current license to practice as a Registered Nurse in the State of Washington.
2. Minimum of three years professional nursing experience in Trauma/General Surgery, Critical and/or Acute Care, Emergency Care.
3. Effective interpersonal skills, leadership skills, and clinical expertise in the care of acute care patients.
Reference: Registered Nurse III Higher Education Board approved specification for Class Code 6230.
Unit Discharge Facilitator
Specific Responsibilities
2. Screens admissions for potential needs.
3. Anticipates care needs and required actions as the patient progresses toward discharge to meet anticipated discharge date.
4. Monitors clinical recommendations made by consult physicians and facilitates implementation. 5. Assures that the plan of care and recommendations for discharges are communicated to the primary
service group and to patients and their families.
6. Consults with and supports social workers, therapists, care coordinators and charge nurses. 7. Provides information and direction to patients and their families in relation to support groups and
community services.
8. Facilitates admissions to SNFs, Rehab, Respite and other facilities.
9. Consults with Patient Financial Counselor to obtain insurance benefits when appropriate. Documents on admission and updates discharge plan daily to ensure interdisciplinary communication with the discharge plan and barriers.
Facilitation
1. Is knowledgeable about plan of care for patients on team.
2. Conducts daily team huddles with the discharge team to identify barriers to discharge and address LOS.
3. Works effectively with interdisciplinary team.
4. Meets each patient within 24 hours of admission and begins discussions about anticipated LOS, discharge needs and possible disposition.
5. Identifies financial status and facilitates early intervention to address any financial barriers to discharge.
6. Aware of variance days and discusses potential alternatives with physician of record.
7. Works with patients and families to set appropriate discharge time for day of discharge ensuring all pending requirements are complete.
8. Works with social work coordinator on SNF and difficult placement issues. 9. Ensure patients and families are kept up to date on plan of care.
10. Ensures early referral to the extreme team when patients demonstrate multiple known barriers to acceptance in SNF or other facility.
11. Available to staff for consultation and assistance.
12. Patients experience minimal delays in discharge process.
13. Assists, resolves, or appropriately refers customer service issues. 14. Offers expertise to hospital initiatives on protocol development.
Standards of Practice
1. Demonstrates competency in physiologic Health Status assessment and psychosocial status of the patient and family.
2. Demonstrates competency implementation of the plan of care.
3. Seeks appropriate consults when necessary and follows up to ensure communication.
4. Suggests and monitors timely completion of consults, procedures, diagnostic tests and milestones. 5. Participates in patient care conferences as needed.
6. Efficiently influences the implementation and the interventions identified in the plan of care. 7. Evaluates the patient’s progress toward attainment of outcomes and intervenes as appropriate. 8. Demonstrates competency in documentation using the electronic medical record to document
discharge plan.
Standards of Performance
1. Continually seeks to improve own professional nursing practice. 2. Acquires, maintains and applies current knowledge in nursing practice. 3. Contributes to the professional development of peers, colleagues and others.
4. Decisions and actions on behalf of patients and families are determined in an ethical manner and in collaboration with appropriate team members.
5. Considers factors related to safety, effectiveness and cost in planning and developing patient care.
Professional Accountability
1. Demonstrates awareness of and functions within PCS and Medical Staff policies, procedures and guidelines.
2. Seeks consultation when patient care needs exceed own level of experience.
3. Demonstrates awareness of and functions within safety, infection control, emergency, and equipment guidelines.
4. Demonstrates accountability by being responsible for attendance and flexibility of scheduling.
5. Meets attendance standard.
6. Consistently completes timesheet requirements. 7. Ensures license is current.
8. Ensures mandatory certification competencies are completed within initial time frame.
9. Consistently wears identification badge per hospital policy.
10.Responsible for remaining current with information disseminated through email, voice mail, memorandums and posted notices.
11. Utilizes chain of command appropriately.
12. Demonstrates calm, efficient demeanor, is tactful and positive.
Standards of Daily Practice/Peer Review
1. Serves as an effective liaison between attending and resident physician.
2. Works collaboratively with social work and utilization review to develop discharge plan.
3. Communicates medical plan to nursing staff as needed.
4. Participates in discharge planning rounds with resident MD’s focusing on the daily plan and barriers to discharge.
5. Communicates discharge plan to appropriate nursing staff, assures discharge teaching is completed by target LOS.
6. Consults with off service teams to obtain the medical plan and discuss barriers to discharge. 7. Identified as a role model by other staff.
I have read and understood my job description. I also understand that my performance will be evaluated based on my ability to meet the responsibilities outlined above.
Appendix B