La Rabida Children’s Hospital provides specialized, family-centered health care to children with medically complex conditions, disabilities, and chronic illness. Through expertise, compassion, and advocacy we help children and their families reach their fullest potential, regardless of their ability to pay.

Our not-for-profit hospital, licensed for 49 beds, helps transition children from neonatal or pediatric intensive care to home, by providing medical, rehabilitative and developmental care, and by training families to continue treatments and manage the necessary equipment in the home. La Rabida also provides extensive rehabilitation for those recovering from wounds or burns and treatment for exacerbations of chronic conditions.

The hospital’s enhanced pediatric patient-centered medical home provides primary care to children with complex medical conditions and their siblings. Children with medical homes elsewhere come to La Rabida for specialty services. La Rabida offers a wide range of specialty services provided to children with sickle cell disease, diabetes, and many others. Children are supported in their emotional and developmental growth, particularly in cases where such growth has been interrupted by accident or disease.

Finally, La Rabida provides forensic and treatment services for children exposed to abuse and neglect, comprehensive assessments for youth in care, early intervention for children between 0 and 3 years of age. Care coordination services for medically complex children are also provided for those who are covered by a health plan and receive care from providers in Cook County

SUMMARY:  The Access Center Nurse is a registered nurse who functions to provide a convenient and efficient way of delivering timely medical education and support to clients outside the hospital settings. This service poses the ability to make an assessment in a knowledgeable and compassionate manner with regards to the health status of the caller through a verbal telephone interview.  The Access Center Nurse coordinates the process of documentations such as plan of care forms, prescription refills, specialty letters and school physicals.

ESSENTIAL FUNCTIONS:

1. Coordinates clinical intake of new patients to LRCH-outpatient – 20%

1. Screens new patients completing the Outpatient Clinic New Patient Screening & Intake Request form to ensure all important data is collected.
2. Captures complete demographic data; reason(s) for visit.
3. Completes initial screenings; verifies assessment/changes noted. 
4. Facilitates insurance verification and authorization to attend La Rabida clinic; selects a provider.
5. Schedules new patient appointment.              

1. Oversees the clinical aspects of the access center - 25%

1. Safely & effectively provides a mechanism for timely prescription refills
2. Partners with provider teams & pharmacy to assist with obtaining required orders, renewals, and

prior authorizations from payers for treatments, medications and supplies when requested

1. Coordination of documentation requests from external agencies (e.g. SSI, schools) for release of records
2. Facilitates completion of requested forms- school physicals, utility letters, FMLA forms etc.

1. Provides a convenient and efficient process to triage patient care issues over the phone.- 25%

1. Triages the diagnosis/problem making specific calls to the appropriate internal department (diabetes, rehab, etc.)
2. Triages calls for same day appointments to determine level of need and care required (e.g. routine or urgent).
3. Utilizes appropriate resources as needed for triage assessment (e.g. internal providers, CPNE/NPs, Pediatric Telephone Protocols by Dr. Barton Schmitt).
4. Directing the parent/guardian to appropriate services both internal and external.
5. Directing calls to appropriate party as needed.

1. Communication supports excellent service, teamwork and continuity of care-10%

1. Access center nurse phones are covered from 0800-1700 M-F when clinic is open; works to

      optimize responsiveness, ensuring logged into phone system.

1.  Documents calls to the Access Center in appropriate format on telephone log and in EMR.
2. Communication supports service excellence recognizing access center nurse is often perceived as the voice of LRCH outpatient services; i.e. introduces self to family (parent/guardian & patient) when answering access lines, demonstrates effective listening to accurately determine pt/family or outside agency needs, clear communication, and professional composure.
3. Develops effective trusting working relationships with providers, LRCH associates and outside agencies.   

1. Assists Outpatient Services Teams in providing excellent care & service to the patients and their families receiving outpatient services - 10%

1. Assists providers, CPNEs/NPs & team as needed re: special projects to ensure meeting regulatory, payer requirements & pt/family expectations: (Prior authorizations, assist with referrals, NCQA requirements for medical home, MHN requirements-such as care plans and ED/Hospital follow ups)
2. Contributes to outpatient quality improvement: quality outcome metrics i.e HEDIS measures, quality audits, trends and quality opportunity identification, and participation in process improvements.
3. Serves as clinic nurse/charge nurse/clinical resource as needed
4. Offers assistance when support is needed

6.      Leadership/Collaboration/Professional Development- 10%

1. Models professional service excellence behaviors and performs service recovery with parents, guardians and families as needs arise.
2. Partners with scheduling and registration staff to problem solve any patient access related concerns and/or issues.
3. Seeks experiences to develop clinical knowledge base and technical skills.
4. Demonstrates effective communication, feedback, and conflict resolution skills.
5. Promotes collaboration among healthcare team members.
6. Follows chain of command for problem resolution.
7. Attends at least 4 hours annually of non-mandatory continuing education.
8. Participates in at least 6 monthly team meetings.
9. Acquires and maintains basic certifications as required – BLS, PALS

ADDITIONAL FUNCTIONS:

Performs other duties as assigned

Graduate of an Accredited School of Nursing with a minimum of a bachelor’s degree.

                                     Licensed as a Registered Professional Nurse in the State of Illinois

                                     Pediatric experience is highly desirable

                                     A Registered Professional Nurse educated on the principles of triage and has several                                             years of experience in Acute and Chronic Disease settings are preferred.

                                    CPR required:                                               Effective 7/1/2026 New hires will obtain                                            RQI BLS within 30 days of hire or prior to direct patient care and will maintain                                                certification quarterly.                                                                                                                                               PALS required:                                               New hires will obtain RQI PALS within 6                                              months of hire and will maintain certification quarterly.

La Rabida Children’s Hospital is very proud to be an Equal Employment Opportunity Employer

La Rabida is a place unlike any other. We understand the needs of families with children dealing with the most serious or complicated of conditions. With teams of the best healthcare providers in Chicago, we give continuous, comprehensive care, education, and support, helping families face their unique obstacles head-on.   

La Rabida Children’s Hospital is very proud to be an Equal Employment Opportunity Employer.