Clinical Nurse/Care Coordinator in outpatient setting

[kritee10]

I'm an oncology registered nurse who is a Clinical Nurse Coordinator in Washington, DC. I work at Georgetown University Hospital in the Cancer Center. I'm looking to gather information/ideas on how other Oncology nurse/care coordinators run on a day to day basis. I would also like to know what works for your clinic and what doesn't. Please speak freely on what the role of a clinic nurse coordinator/care coordinator in your outpatient office setting. I have a few questions that I would like to be answered specifically and then please freely speak on what you feel is pertinent to the conversation.

1) Do you have a Triage nurse, if you do is she part of the nurse coordinators or is she separate for the clinic nurses?

2) Do your patient's call you directly or do they have to go through the administrative assistant/secretary before they are directed to you/MD?

3) What is your nurse to MD ratio? Are you MD specific or are you Disease specific?

4) How many hours do you work in a day? Are you salary or Hourly? Do you do extra-curricular activities during work hours or on your own? IE- nursing research for publications, nursing journal club...

5) How do you cover your colleague if they take time away from work? IE- Vacation/sick leave.

6) Disability forms- What is your turn around time and policy?

7) Do you have to fill out forms to obtain Prior Authorization of chemo, radiology, interventional radiology?