(RN) Pulmonary Specialty Clinic Nurse - 142034

UC San Diego Health is proud to be a four-time Magnet-designated organization and has now earned Magnet with Distinction from the American Nurses Credentialing Center (ANCC). Magnet is the gold standard for nursing excellence, achieved by only about 10% of hospitals worldwide. Magnet with Distinction is awarded to the highest-performing Magnet organizations, with only a select few earning this prestigious honor. This recognition reflects our commitment to transformational leadership, professional nursing excellence, innovation, exceptional patient outcomes, and an empowering practice environment where nurses thrive.

Pulmonary Specialty Clinic Nurse coordinates outpatient clinic care for patients with advanced pulmonary diseases. The clinic is dedicated to providing high-level nursing coordination and comprehensive care management for patients with complex pulmonary conditions. The clinic includes multiple subspecialty programs such as interstitial lung disease, asthma, alpha-1 antitrypsin deficiency, COPD, ventilator, and bronchiectasis clinic among others all of which are nationally accredited and attract patients from across the country. Key areas of responsibility include direct patient care, patient and family education regarding disease processes and treatments, and coordination of pulmonary subspecialty program activities. Specific duties include triage (telephone, MyChart, and in-person), assisting with provider inbox coverage, scheduling referrals and obtaining outside medical records, ensuring access to routine and specialty medications and durable medical equipment (DME), including oxygen therapy, coordinating prior authorizations, organizing patient education and support activities, advancing research, facilitating multidisciplinary care coordination, and maintaining clinic-specific reports and quality metrics.

The Pulmonary Specialty Clinic Nurse collaborates with physicians and the multidisciplinary care team to provide access to urgent clinical care and advice outside of the clinic setting. The Pulmonary Specialty Clinic Nurse also coordinates with outside clinicians, healthcare teams, vendors, hospitals, and community resources to ensure continued access to specialized pulmonary care. The Pulmonary Specialty Clinic Nurse serves as a key liaison between patients, caregivers, and the healthcare team, promoting continuity of care and optimal patient outcomes.

Autonomous nursing care is the ability of a nurse to assess and provide nursing interventions as appropriate for patient populations based on competence, professional expertise, and clinical knowledge. The nurse is expected to practice autonomously, consistent with ANA Standards of Practice and Professional Performance. Independent judgment is exercised within the context of interdisciplinary and multidisciplinary approaches to patient care. All performance expectations associated with this position are performed at the PRACTITIONER level.

While not required, a cover letter is highly recommended when applying to this position.

• Must be a graduate from an accredited school of Nursing.

• RN License issued by the State of California.

• BLS/CPR at time of hire with commitment to get BART within six (6) months of hire.

• Three (3) years of directly related experience in a large complex healthcare or clinic setting.

• One (1) year of nursing experience in an ambulatory care acute setting within the past five (5) years.

• Knowledge of and experience with basic pulmonary physiology.

• Knowledge and experience in a clinic involving complex chronic disease management. Demonstrated experience caring for patients with progressive or high-symptom-burden illness.

• Demonstrated ability to provide complex patient education regarding chronic disease management.

• Experience with patient triage, In-basket Management, and referral coordination for a high volume clinic. Demonstrated ability to perform clinical triage, assess patient symptoms, identify urgent medical concerns, and determine appropriate dispositions and escalation of care. Demonstrated ability to exercise sound clinical judgment regarding patient needs within established protocols and scope of practice.

• Ability to exercise judgment and make decisions with regard to patient needs such as coordinating care for pulmonary patients across multiple disciplines, including respiratory therapy, imaging, laboratory, durable medical equipment (DME) providers, specialty pharmacies, and inpatient services

• Demonstrated ability to maintain accurate records.

• Knowledge and familiarity with various insurance types and the authorization process. Demonstrated understanding of insurance authorization requirements, referral management, and specialty medication approval processes

• Knowledge of general office operations and principles. Computer skills and data entry experience, especially with charge entry and scheduling.

• Solid Interpersonal skills and ability to effectively communicate in a professional manner, both in person and by telephone when dealing with diverse groups of people.

• Organizational skills and ability to process a high volume of work in an accurate and timely manner. Demonstrated ability to manage electronic in-basket, telephone encounters, patient messages, and provider communications

• Able to interpret policies and procedures and apply them.

• Must be able to work independently.

• BSN.
• ACLS and/or ART certificate.
• Two (2) years of ambulatory care nursing experience within the last 5 years.
• Knowledge of and experience in a Pulmonary Specialty/ Interstitial lung disease clinic. Demonstrating knowledge of pulmonary diagnostic testing, including pulmonary function testing (PFT), six-minute walk testing, oxygen qualification testing, and related pulmonary procedures.
• Bilingual skills to communicate effectively with patients and families.

• May be required to work at all Pulmonary locations.
• Employment is subject to a criminal background check and pre-employment physical.
• Selected candidate may be hired at the CNIII level pending review and approval by the Nurse Executive Council.