Nurse Coordinator - Custody Health Services

Description

Under direction, to assess, plan, implement and evaluate education and to provide other health services for a specific patient population; to function as a consultant and educator to staff.

Custody Health Services (CHS) provides medical, mental health, and dental services to patients in custody at the 4 County Jail facilities: Main Jail, Elmwood, Juvenile Hall, and James Ranch. CHS provides on-site routine and urgent/emergent medical services at both Main Jail and Elmwood adult detention facilities in Santa Clara County. Health care of incarcerated men and women includes care of acute and chronic illness as well as preventative and specialty care. CHS also runs a 40-bed acute psychiatric inpatient housing unit at the Main Jail. The services are provided for adult male and female patients who require acute inpatient services for stabilization. Juvenile Custody Health provides integrated medical services to justice involved youth housed in Juvenile Hall and in James Ranch to include comprehensive pediatric medical, mental health, and dental care.

Selected candidate(s) must be able to work in a locked facility, which requires passing a background check for security clearance.

Typical Tasks

• Assesses the patients' clinical needs and staffing requirements for specialty area;
  
• Analyzes and validates data taken from patient interviews; revises assessments based on patient behaviors;
  
• Identifies common recurrent patient problems, symptoms and behavioral changes in relation to standards of care and individual patient needs;
  
• Applies knowledge of a variety of conceptual models and previous clinical experience to patient care issues in order to consider alternatives that explain or predict present or potential patient problems and informs other medical staff as necessary;
  
• Attempts to determine reasons for patient's compliance or non-compliance;
  
• Establishes priorities for care based on nursing and medical diagnosis;
  
• Cares for complex problems by either direct patient care or delegation of responsibility;
  
• Uses evaluation data in collaboration with other health disciplines to influence the revision of the total patient care plan or program;
  
• Coordinates patient flow to ensure efficiency and continuity of care within the Health and Hospital System and in the community;
  
• Works closely with other health care providers and ancillary services to facilitate patient care;
  
• Develops and maintains good relations with local groups, community agencies, nursing homes, private physicians, and funding agencies;
  
• Collaborates with physicians and other health team members in assessing the physical, psycho-social and cultural needs and standards of care of the patient populations;
  
• Develops specialized knowledge of the patient population and serves as a consultant for assessment and care of those patients;
  
• Identifies educational needs of nursing staff related to specialty area;
  
• Provides guidance for staff in planning patient care;
  
• Develops and maintains policies and procedures;
  
• Proposes, develops, implements, and monitors management information systems as related to the patients;
  
• Involves patient, family and staff in education activities regarding recurrent health problems and health practices related to maintenance of wellness and prevention of disease;
  
• Develops educational materials about the specialty area for staff, patients, families, and community members;
  
• Evaluates and revises program goals, policies, procedures, standards and objectives as necessary;
  
• Develops and monitors Program budget, including assessing staffing and other resource needs;
  
• Participates in Quality Improvement activities;
  
• May assist in the development and writing of grants and may monitor Federal and State grant resources;
  
• May participate in conducting clinical research activities;
  
• May assist with experimental protocols;
  
• Utilizes the results of audit/quality improvement and/or research activities to improve patient care and as learning experiences for staff.

Employment Standards

Possession of the legal requirements to practice as a Registered Nurse as determined by the California Board of Registered Nursing and sufficient education and experience for a candidate to be able to demonstrate possession of the qualifications necessary to successfully perform the typical tasks noted above.

Experience Note: A candidate would typically acquire the education and experience necessary to successfully perform at this level by having graduated from a four year college or university with a BSN. Possession of a Master's Degree (MSN) is desirable. A qualified applicant would typically possess three years of clinical experience in the specialty area.