The Care Coordinator for Acute Inpatient Rehab plays a critical role in facilitating comprehensive patient care within the inpatient rehabilitation setting. This position is responsible for coordinating patient assessments, treatment plans, and discharge processes to ensure high-quality, patient-centered care. The ideal candidate will work collaboratively with multidisciplinary teams to support patients’ rehabilitation goals, optimize resource utilization, and promote effective communication among all stakeholders.

Essential Duties

• Patient Assessment: Conduct thorough assessments of patients’ medical, psychosocial, and functional needs upon admission and throughout their stay.
• Care Planning: Collaborate with healthcare providers to develop, implement, and revise individualized treatment plans in alignment with patients' goals.
• Interdisciplinary Collaboration: Serve as a liaison among patients, families, and the healthcare team, ensuring all parties are informed and involved in the care process.
• Discharge Planning: Coordinate discharge plans by evaluating patient needs, arranging follow-up care, and providing necessary resources and referrals.
• Documentation: Maintain accurate and up-to-date patient records, ensuring compliance with legal and regulatory requirements.
• Patient Education: Educate patients and families about rehabilitation processes, resources, and aftercare to promote successful transitions and outcomes.
• Quality Improvement: Participate in quality improvement initiatives, monitoring outcomes and implementing best practices to enhance patient care.

Non-essential Duties

• Attend departmental meetings and contribute to discussions regarding service improvements and operational efficiencies.
• Engage in ongoing professional development and training to stay current with industry standards and practices.
• Assist with administrative tasks as needed, including scheduling and data entry.

Required Experience

• Minimum of 2 years of experience in healthcare coordination, preferably in an inpatient rehabilitation setting.

Preferred Experience

• Strong organizational, communication, and interpersonal skills.
• Proficiency in electronic health records (EHR) systems.
• Ability to work effectively in a fast-paced environment.

Required Licensure/Education

• Bachelors degree in Nursing or Masters in Social Work
• Current Illinois RN or Social Work license

Preferred Education

• Masters degree preferred.

Employee Health Requirements

Exposure/Sensory Requirements:

• Exposure:
• Chemicals: Refer to MSDS sheets
• Video Display Terminals: Average
• Blood and Body Fluids: Diagnostic composite of patients, frequent contact with intravenous devices, and high potential for contact with contaminated body fluids (blood, stool, vomitus) and administration of blood does create a high risk. use of needleless IV system, universal precautions and protective equipment minimize risk.
• TB or Airborne Pathogens: Patient diagnostic presentations do pose high risk; however, usage of protective wear, appropriate size TB mask from fit test and universal precautions reduces risk.

Sensory requirements (speech, vision, smell, hearing, touch):

• Speech: Required to communicate with patient/families/staff/doctors, coworkers, ancillary personnel and other department heads. Ability to ask for help. 
• Vision: Required to observe patients and their physical assessment, ability to read reports, ability to read machines.
• Smell: Helpful to note presence of incontinence, vomitus, blood; electrical/fire safety. 
• Hearing: Necessary to hear alarms, calls for help and to hear patient verbalizations; ability to listen for lung, bowel, heart sounds.
• Touch: Necessary to assess patients, need to distinguish between hot and cold.

• Activity/Lifting Requirements:
• Shift: Variable for 24-hour coverage

Percentage of time during the normal workday the employee is required to:

• Sit: 10%
• Twist: 4%
• Stand: 40%
• Crawl: 0%
• Walk: 25%
• Kneel: 1%
• Lift: 10%
• Drive: 0%
• Squat: 1%
• Climb: 1%
• Bend: 30%
• Reach above shoulders: 3%

The weight required to be lifted each normal workday according to the continuum described below:

• Up to 10 lbs: Frequently
• Up to 20 lbs: Frequently
• Up to 35 lbs: Frequently
• Up to 60 lbs: Occasionally
• Up to 75 lbs: Not Required
• Up to 100 lbs: Not Required
• Over 100lbs: Not Required

Describe and explain the lifting and carrying requirements:

• Lifting of patients off their beds that are unable to move independently is done with assistive lifting equipment.
• Horizontal movement of patients to and from carts/beds who are unable to move independently is done with assistive lifting equipment.
• Lifting equipment - carry 25'- 150' waist high (IV bags, patient trays).
• Carry charts 25'- 150' waist high. Filled laundry bags are filled half full so as not to weigh over 35 lbs.
• Carry fire extinguishers up or down 3-4 flights of stairs and several yards in an emergency.

Maximum consecutive time (minutes) during the normal workday for each activity:

• Sit: 30
• Twist: 15
• Stand: 60
• Crawl: 0
• Walk: 10
• Kneel: 0
• Lift: 5
• Drive: 0
• Squat: 2
• Climb: 1
• Bend: 15
• Reach above shoulders: 2
• Repetitive use of hands (Frequency indicated): Simple grasp 10 lbs. Normal weight <5lbs.
• Pushing & pulling - 50-200 lbs. Occasionally
• Fine Manipulation: Typing in computer, medical/supply dispensing cabinet, using pens to chart, drawing up meds in syringe and administration, starting IV's.
• Leg Strength: Up to 50 lbs. Occasionally- repetitive use of foot or feet in operating machine control: utilized in positioning beds during transport; x-ray, surgery or in an emergency situation from floor to floor, locking beds or cardiac chairs.

Environmental Factors and Special Hazards:

• Environmental Factors (Time Spent):
• Inside hours: Varies
• Outside hours: 0
• Temperature: Normal Range
• Lighting: Average
• Noise levels: Average
• Humidity: Normal Range
• Atmosphere: Odors
• Special Hazards: 
• Chemical -drugs/work with patients receiving chemotherapy-Explosive-oxygen; Radiation-cesium implants and radioactive iodine therapy direct radiation for radiology equipment; mechanical- use of Hoover lift bed scales, motorized wheelchairs, bathtub lift chair.
• Protective Clothing Required: As required for chemotherapy or in cases of isolation, i.e. gloves, gowns, masks, goggles.