Employee Health RN Ex

Provides nursing coordination and care of Employee Health Services to employees of Steward Health Care. This includes prevention, recognition, treatment, and education of illness and injury. Responsible for organizing and coordinating the activities of facility’s Employee Health and Worker’s Compensation programs. For operational/administrative purposes, this position reports to the Human Resources Director. Clinical oversight by the Employee Health Manager, Medical Director of Employee Health and/or Chief Nursing Officer.

KEY RESPONSIBILITIES:

• Provides nursing care including: treatment for job related injuries and illnesses, testing, emergency first aid, and follow-up of injury and illness.
• Provides pre-employment screenings of new hires to determine compliance with all applicable health regulations and policies.
• Provides required immunizations as indicated for all employees.
• Performs Tuberculin Skin Testing screening and surveillance for any and all employees and medical staff.
• Performs Respirator Fit Testing and training for employees determined to be candidates for wearing a respirator.
• Documents patient care and progress, patient instructions, worker communication, and communication from other providers in the patient chart.
• Develops and/or maintains and audits the employee health medical records to ensure continuity of care, employee confidentiality, and feedback to management, in compliance with government regulation and policy.
• Develops and participates in employee health and safety programs including injury prevention and needle stick safety.
• Works closely with infection control and employees during outbreak management exposures.
• Implements annual flu vaccination program for all employees, physicians, and contracted staff. Maintains consent form and log of all flu vaccinations given each year.
• Maintains confidentiality of patients and obtains releases when necessary.
• Performs and assesses for Fitness for Duty issues.
• Reviews all work-related injury/illness reports and investigate significant incidents.
• Collaborate with Worker’s Compensation designee to assess the employee’s continuous medical needs and schedule follow up care as appropriate; ensure necessary documentation is completed and given to the appropriate parties.
• Prepares monthly Workers Comp status report for Risk Manager, Safety Officer, HR Director, and Hospital President.
• Refers employees to FMLA Source as needed.
• Completes and processes a Family Medical Leave of Absence (FMLA) form for any employee who is out of work five or more days as a result of injury or illness sustained at work.
• Administers return to –work and transitional duty programs.
• Works in collaboration with and refers to EAP or other counseling services as needed.
• Develops and documents program statistics, including infection controls stats, medical and health surveillance program stats, TB Compliance, Flu immunization, and Fit Testing statistics. Reports statistics to EHS Manager.
• Maintains drug screening files, Employee Incident Log, and OSHA Safety Tracker log. Maintains needle stick/puncture wound log and infectious disease exposure log with lab results recorded and reminder notices sent to employees.
• Submits regular statistical reports to the Infection Control Committee and Safety Committee regarding employee health activities and items for review and possible action for improvement.
• Organizes data efficiently with timely reporting to the Chief Nursing Officer, Quality Review Committee, Safety Committee, and other individuals and groups for consideration of findings.
• Communicates effectively to coordinate assessment of preventive surveillance and infection control standards with all Hospital Departments and Medical Staff.
• Works in collaboration with the Medical Staff Office and Physicians for credentialing and Medical Staff Committee responsibilities.
• Identifies need for change in departmental policies and procedures; makes recommendations to the EHS VP/Manager.
• Maintains current knowledge of hospital department and regulatory standards and procedures that relate to infection control, employee health and employee safety.
• Demonstrates respect and regard for the dignity of all patients, families, visitors, and fellow employees to ensure a professional, responsible, and courteous environment.
  • Commits to recognize and respect cultural diversity for all customers (internal and external).
  • Communicates effectively with internal and external customers with respect of differences in cultures, values, beliefs and ages, utilizing interpreters when needed.

• Performs other duties as assigned.

REQUIRED KNOWLEDGE & SKILLS:

• Strong verbal and written communication skills; ability to write routine reports and correspondence.
• Customer service focused.
• Knowledge and understanding of patient confidentiality and informed consent.
• Knowledge of Worker’s Compensation, JCAHO, DNV, OSHA, CDC, and MDPH guidelines and regulations.
• Knowledge of blood/body fluid post-exposure management protocols, tuberculin skin testing, respiratory fit testing, post offer drug screening, hepatitis B, and measles and flu immunization practices.
• Possess teaching and counseling techniques.
• Possess skills in independent decision making, problem-solving, independent nursing judgment, and communication.
• Ability to maintain calm in stressful situations which involve difficult or demanding customers.

EDUCATION/EXPERIENCE/LICENSURE/TECHNICAL/OTHER:

1. Education: Graduate of an approved school of nursing. BSN or BS preferred. Current state nursing registration as RN.
2. Experience: 5-10 years of nursing experience, preferably in Occupational Health, infection control practice, or emergency care nursing.
3. Software/Hardware: Meditech, MOX, Microsoft Office (Word, Excel), and other software programs.
4. Other: CPR Certification required, BSN, COHN preferred.