Job Summary: The position of the Employee Health (EH) Nurse is a Nurse who provides direct and indirect nursing care for Employees, contract employees and non-employee groups, with particular emphasis in occupational health. The EH Nurse utilizes established protocols, state and federal regulatory requirements, and current standards of care to meet the wide variety of health care needs of the employee population. Actively and consistently contributes to department operations and communications, behaves in a manner consistent with the mission, vision, and values of Pipeline Health, upholding standards of AIDET (Acknowledge, Introduce, Duration, Explanation, Thank you) patient communication.
Qualified applicants with arrest or conviction records will be considered for employment in accordance with the Los Angeles County Fair Chance Ordinance for Employers and the California Fair Chance Act.
Essential Functions:
- Completes Employee Health visits per organization policy and department protocols.
- Travel to all Pipeline Health sites to assist or fill in for local employee health nurses.
- Perform pre-employment physicals and maintain accurate records.
- Assist with Workers Compensation Injury Counselor Program: communicate with injured worker, act as liaison between management, claims adjuster, and injured employee, assist with appropriate transitional duty assignments, and keep detailed documentation.
- Monitors employee work-related illness and injury trends and assesses, develops, and implements strategies to prevent work-acquired injury or illness and expedite return to work.
- Provides safe, competent, and efficient nursing care for minor and acute injuries and illnesses via protocols and medical directives.
- Performs bloodborne pathogen exposure assessment and follow up.
- Participates in preventative screening programs (e .g., TB skin testing, influenza, hepatitis B, MMR, varicella, and other appropriate immunizations) and surveillance programs designed to identify and monitor risks to the employee’s health.
- Safely administers and appropriately documents on immunizations and TB skin tests given to Pipeline Health employees per protocol.
- Develop, implement, and monitor the mandatory influenza & COVID vaccine policies for all employees, volunteers, and students.
- Gather influenza and COVID vaccine compliance data and report findings to the CDC's National Healthcare Safety Network per CMS deadlines.
- Develop educational material on influenza & COVID for employees to increase awareness of the disease.
- Remain current with CDC guidelines in reference to influenza & COVID vaccinations and required reporting.
- Perform communicable disease exposure follow-up in collaboration with Infection Prevention and Department Director.
- Identifies and refers employees with personal health needs to the EH MD, NP or personal physician when appropriate.
- Counseling employees on physical and mental health issues and guiding them toward community resources and/or employee assistance programs.
- Demonstrates cost control in all practice activities.
- Documents employee visits thoroughly and accurately in EMR.
- Oversee on-going employee records review to certify vaccine and tuberculosis testing completeness for employees, volunteers, and contractors to meet regulatory requirements.
- Assists with staff outbreak investigations that require follow-up testing of staff (e.g., scabies) and education on when to report infectious symptoms to Employee Health prior to work.
- Act as an advocate for the rights of employees by ensuring access to preventative health and safety measures.
- Uses clear, concise, professional communication with coworkers, patients, all customers internal and external.
- Uses AIDET in interactions with patients and family members. Utilizes white boards for patient communication.
- Collaborates across disciplines to assist in coordination of patient care, including but not limited to patient transfer, discharge, referrals, and spiritual/psychosocial support needs.
- Acts with a sense of urgency when performing tasks.
- Basic unit/department maintenance such as keeping files, drawers, cabinets free from unnecessary clutter.
- Reports on any equipment and or environmental issues for repair.
- Abides by HIPAA (Health Insurance Portability and Accountability Act) regulations.
- Utilizes SBAR (Situation, Background, Assessment, Recommendation) when communicating with oncoming shift, physician communication and giving report to ancillary or other nursing services.
- Speaks up to stop the line and escalates potential safety events if necessary.
- Completes and attends monthly training assigned.
- May float to other areas of the hospital as needed.
- Other duties as assigned.
Behavioral Standards:
- Staff Education.
- Provides counseling and emotional support with compassion and respect for the individual.
- Provides support to the members of the care team (teamwork).
- Ability to effectively manage multiple priorities in a fast-paced environment.
- Ability to gather, assess and analyze data from various sources to develop quality improvement initiatives.
- Ability to adjust to schedule to meet the demands of patient care delivery and management oversight to areas of responsibility.
- Treats everyone as their customer; utilizes scripting and other tools to ensure consistency in customer service; Expresses recognition and shows appreciation to others; fully utilizes AIDET principles; responds quickly to handle requests, complaints, and questions; displays a positive attitude.
- Demonstrates the highest level of professionalism, passion and care when interacting with patients, families, physicians, and hospital staff members.
- Using a lens of equity in all aspects of patient care delivery, education, and research to promote policies and practices to allow opportunities for all to thrive and reach their potential, embracing ingenuity to service our customers.
Communication/Knowledge:
- Advanced knowledge and skill in all aspects of immunizations for adults.
- Knowledge of current literature and regulations applicable to occupational health.
- Knowledge and experience documenting patient care in an electronic medical record.
- Knowledgeable of clinical assessments and judgments
- Knowledge of Worker's Compensation, state, federal, and other health, and safety regulatory bodies.
- 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.
- Leadership skills include management of human, fiscal and capital resources.
- Wears nametag properly; follows dress code policy; answers phone correctly and promptly; is prepared for meetings; meets deadlines; does not participate in gossip; acts ethically and treats others with respect; respects customer’s and co-worker’s time; establishes and maintains effective relationships with customers and co-workers.
Collaboration/Teamwork:
- Attends staff meetings; follows HIPAA guidelines; follows patient rights policy; complies with the compliance program; demonstrates knowledge of role in a disaster; demonstrates knowledge of fire and fire drill procedures; working knowledge of hospital emergency codes; always utilizes standard precautions in the clinical setting; safely manages the environment of care by demonstrating a working knowledge of the requirements of the: Life Safety program, Utilities Management program, Hazardous Materials program, Emergency Preparedness program, Safety Management program, Medical Equipment Management program, Security Management program.
Qualifications/Experience:
- Minimum of three (3) years of nursing experience, preferably in Occupational Health, infection control practice, or emergency care nursing.
- Critical thinking, service excellence and good interpersonal communication skills, ability to read/comprehend written instructions, strong organizational skills, ability to follow verbal instructions, and PC (computer) skills.
- A capacity to learn, synthesize, make critical judgments, work independently, place patients and families first, and collaborate with the team members who are recognized leaders within healthcare.
