Tucson Medical Center
Tucson Medical Center in Arizona is seeking a Program Coordinator to launch and oversee our new Geriatric Program. We are looking for a seasoned Clinical Nursing Specialist, ACNP, or RN with inpatient experience, a strong background in geriatric care, and a proven track record of developing and managing programs.
SUMMARY :
Serves as clinical expert in the diagnosis and treatment of illness, and the delivery of evidence-based nursing intervention.
Additionally, CNSs are clinical experts in executing delegated medical regimens associated with the diagnosis and treatment of disease for a specialty population.
CNSs focus and apply knowledge to nursing assessments, diagnoses, and interventions, and the design of innovations.
CNSs provide theory and evidence-based care to patients/clients in their attainment of health goals.
CNSs work with other nurses to advance their nursing practices and improve outcomes and provide clinical expertise to effect system-wide changes to improve programs of care. ESSENTIAL FUNCTIONS : ·
Assess Needs and Resources o
Conduct a Needs Assessment: Review hospital data (admissions, complications, readmissions, falls, delirium rates, etc.) to identify gaps in geriatric care. o
Inventory Resources Identify existing staff expertise, equipment, and community resources. o
Engage Stakeholders: Include hospital leadership, physicians, nurses, social workers, therapists, pharmacists, and patient/family representatives. ·
Define Program Goals and Scope o
Set Clear Objectives: Examples—reduce delirium, decrease falls, improve functional outcomes, enhance patient satisfaction. o
Determine Scope: Will the program focus on all older adults, or specific high-risk groups (e.g., those over 75, with dementia, etc.) ·
Develop Multidisciplinary Team o
Recruit Team Members: Geriatricians, palliative care physicians, nurses, pharmacists, therapists, social workers, case managers, and volunteers. o
Clarify Roles: Define each team member’s responsibilities in geriatric assessment, care planning, and follow-up. ·
Create Standardized Protocols and Pathways o
Develop Protocols: For geriatric assessment, delirium prevention, fall prevention, medication review, discharge planning, etc. o
Use Evidence-Based Tools: Incorporate tools like the Confusion Assessment Method (CAM), Beers Criteria, Morse Fall Scale, etc. o
Integrate into EMR: Build checklists and order sets into the electronic medical record for ease of use. ·
Education and Training o
Staff Education: Provide ongoing training on geriatric syndromes, communication, mobility, medication safety, and dementia care. o
Family/Caregiver Education: Offer resources and training for families on caring for older adults. ·
Implement Pilot Program o
Start Small: Pilot the program on one unit to test workflows and protocols. o
Collect Feedback: Regularly meet with frontline staff to identify barriers and successes. ·
Monitor, Evaluate, and Refine o
Track Metrics: Monitor outcomes such as falls, delirium, length of stay, readmissions, patient/family satisfaction. o
Quality Improvement: Use data to refine protocols and expand successful components hospital-wide. ·
Ensure Sustainability o
Secure Leadership Support: Demonstrate value through outcomes and cost savings. o
Ongoing Education: Maintain regular training and updates. o
Continuous Improvement: Adapt program as new evidence and hospital needs evolve. ·
Foster a Geriatric-Friendly Culture o
Promote Age-Friendly Care: Encourage age-friendly principles (e.g., the “4Ms”: What Matters, Medication, Mentation, Mobility). o
Recognition Programs: Pursue designations such as “Age-Friendly Health Systems” or “NICHE” (Nurses Improving Care for Healthsystem Elders). ·
Build Community Partnerships o
Connect with Community Resources: Link patients and families to home health, rehabilitation, senior centers, and social services for post-discharge support. Adheres to and supports team members in exhibiting TMCH values of integrity, community, compassion, and dedication. Adheres to TMCH organizational and department-specific safety, confidentiality, values, policies and standards. Performs related duties as assigned. MINIMUM QUALIFICATIONS:
EDUCATION: Master’s degree in Nursing with a clinical specialty. EXPERIENCE :
Five (5) years of clinical experience in a Clinical Nursing Specialist role in an acute care setting and five years (5) of RN or NP experience in area of specialty. LICENSURE OR CERTIFICATION : Must have and maintain a current Arizona state license as Registered Nurse. Must be able to meet qualifications for recognition as a Clinical Nurse Specialist in Arizona by the AZ State Board of Nursing. Must obtain and maintain current certification in Basic Life Support (BLS) and Advanced Cardiac Life Support (ACLS).
Additionally, CNSs are clinical experts in executing delegated medical regimens associated with the diagnosis and treatment of disease for a specialty population.
CNSs focus and apply knowledge to nursing assessments, diagnoses, and interventions, and the design of innovations.
CNSs provide theory and evidence-based care to patients/clients in their attainment of health goals.
CNSs work with other nurses to advance their nursing practices and improve outcomes and provide clinical expertise to effect system-wide changes to improve programs of care. ESSENTIAL FUNCTIONS : ·
Assess Needs and Resources o
Conduct a Needs Assessment: Review hospital data (admissions, complications, readmissions, falls, delirium rates, etc.) to identify gaps in geriatric care. o
Inventory Resources Identify existing staff expertise, equipment, and community resources. o
Engage Stakeholders: Include hospital leadership, physicians, nurses, social workers, therapists, pharmacists, and patient/family representatives. ·
Define Program Goals and Scope o
Set Clear Objectives: Examples—reduce delirium, decrease falls, improve functional outcomes, enhance patient satisfaction. o
Determine Scope: Will the program focus on all older adults, or specific high-risk groups (e.g., those over 75, with dementia, etc.) ·
Develop Multidisciplinary Team o
Recruit Team Members: Geriatricians, palliative care physicians, nurses, pharmacists, therapists, social workers, case managers, and volunteers. o
Clarify Roles: Define each team member’s responsibilities in geriatric assessment, care planning, and follow-up. ·
Create Standardized Protocols and Pathways o
Develop Protocols: For geriatric assessment, delirium prevention, fall prevention, medication review, discharge planning, etc. o
Use Evidence-Based Tools: Incorporate tools like the Confusion Assessment Method (CAM), Beers Criteria, Morse Fall Scale, etc. o
Integrate into EMR: Build checklists and order sets into the electronic medical record for ease of use. ·
Education and Training o
Staff Education: Provide ongoing training on geriatric syndromes, communication, mobility, medication safety, and dementia care. o
Family/Caregiver Education: Offer resources and training for families on caring for older adults. ·
Implement Pilot Program o
Start Small: Pilot the program on one unit to test workflows and protocols. o
Collect Feedback: Regularly meet with frontline staff to identify barriers and successes. ·
Monitor, Evaluate, and Refine o
Track Metrics: Monitor outcomes such as falls, delirium, length of stay, readmissions, patient/family satisfaction. o
Quality Improvement: Use data to refine protocols and expand successful components hospital-wide. ·
Ensure Sustainability o
Secure Leadership Support: Demonstrate value through outcomes and cost savings. o
Ongoing Education: Maintain regular training and updates. o
Continuous Improvement: Adapt program as new evidence and hospital needs evolve. ·
Foster a Geriatric-Friendly Culture o
Promote Age-Friendly Care: Encourage age-friendly principles (e.g., the “4Ms”: What Matters, Medication, Mentation, Mobility). o
Recognition Programs: Pursue designations such as “Age-Friendly Health Systems” or “NICHE” (Nurses Improving Care for Healthsystem Elders). ·
Build Community Partnerships o
Connect with Community Resources: Link patients and families to home health, rehabilitation, senior centers, and social services for post-discharge support. Adheres to and supports team members in exhibiting TMCH values of integrity, community, compassion, and dedication. Adheres to TMCH organizational and department-specific safety, confidentiality, values, policies and standards. Performs related duties as assigned. MINIMUM QUALIFICATIONS:
EDUCATION: Master’s degree in Nursing with a clinical specialty. EXPERIENCE :
Five (5) years of clinical experience in a Clinical Nursing Specialist role in an acute care setting and five years (5) of RN or NP experience in area of specialty. LICENSURE OR CERTIFICATION : Must have and maintain a current Arizona state license as Registered Nurse. Must be able to meet qualifications for recognition as a Clinical Nurse Specialist in Arizona by the AZ State Board of Nursing. Must obtain and maintain current certification in Basic Life Support (BLS) and Advanced Cardiac Life Support (ACLS).