RN II / III Rheumatology Outpatient

Primary Location

Department

Shift

Schedule

Weekly Hours

FTE

Employee Status

Position Summary

The Pediatric Rheumatology Clinical Nurse Coordinator serves as a key member of the multidisciplinary pediatric rheumatology team, supporting children and adolescents diagnosed with:

• Juvenile Idiopathic Arthritis (JIA)
• Juvenile Dermatomyositis (JDM)
• Systemic Lupus Erythematosus (SLE)

The Clinical Nurse Coordinator partners with physicians, advanced practice providers, infusion services, pharmacy, social work, rehabilitation services, and ancillary departments to improve care coordination, facilitate timely access to care, support disease monitoring, and enhance patient and family outcomes

FTE Allocation (0.6 FTE)

• 75% Care Coordination & Population Management
• 15% Patient/Family Education
• 10% Quality Improvement & Registry Support

Primary Responsibilities

Care Coordination

Patient Navigation

• Serve as a primary nursing resource for patients with complex rheumatologic diseases.
• Coordinate outpatient care, infusion services, laboratory monitoring, imaging studies, and specialty referrals.
• Support transitions between inpatient and outpatient settings.
• Assist with urgent clinical needs, follow-up recommendations, and care planning.
• Facilitate timely access to specialty services and multidisciplinary care.
• Participate in pre-visit planning for complex patients.

Disease Monitoring Support

Coordinate monitoring processes for patients requiring:

JIA

• Disease activity assessments
• Biologic and DMARD monitoring
• Uveitis screening compliance
• Laboratory surveillance

JDM

• Muscle enzyme monitoring
• MRI and imaging follow-up
• Physical and occupational therapy coordination
• Disease activity tracking

Lupus/SLE

• Laboratory surveillance
• Renal monitoring
• Medication adherence monitoring
• High-risk patient outreach
•  

Medication Coordination

• Support prior authorization processes.
• Coordinate biologic and specialty medication monitoring.
• Provide medication and injection education.
• Assist with adherence monitoring.
• Review immunization recommendations in collaboration with providers and pharmacy.
• Coordinate infusion scheduling and follow-up.

Patient and Family Education

• Provide disease-specific education and reinforcement.
• Educate families regarding medications, laboratory monitoring, and treatment plans.
• Collaborate with schools and community agencies as appropriate.
• Identify and address barriers to care.
• Connect families with available community and institutional resources.

Quality Improvement and Population Health Support

At 0.6 FTE, the coordinator would support, rather than lead, large-scale quality initiatives.

Registry Support

Assist with maintenance of patient registries including:

• JIA
• JDM
• SLE/Lupus
• Additional high-risk rheumatology populations as identified

Track selected quality indicators, including:

• Disease activity documentation
• Uveitis screening completion
• Laboratory monitoring compliance
• Missed appointments
• High-risk patient outreach

Quality Improvement Activities

• Participate in rheumatology quality improvement initiatives.
• Contribute to PDSA cycles and workflow improvement efforts.
• Assist with data collection and reporting.
• Support participation in collaborative networks, including PR-COIN and CARRA quality initiatives.
• Promote adherence to clinical pathways and evidence-based care standards. Adapted from Rheumatology Nurse Program Coordinator role. [Rheumatolo...nator role | Word]

JOB RESPONSIBILITIES

• Compliance - Patient Services Staff - Sustain a working understanding of regulatory requirements and accreditation standards. Support leadership in Compliance efforts to meet and sustain the regulatory compliance efforts of the department and hospital. Be mindful and judicious in monitoring safety and departmental policies and procedures. Ensure all individual certifications and Safety College requirements are fulfilled in a timely basis. Work with department managers, nurse council and magnet representatives to identify and share safety best practices. Be mindful of CCHMCs processes and compliance with CMS standards and freely communicate safety and compliance concerns to leadership team members.
• Interprofessional Practice - Demonstrates consistent integration of the Interprofessional Practice Model (IPM) in all aspects of practice.
• Clinical inquiry & performance review to improve practice - Follows standards and guidelines; implements clinical changes and research-based practices developed by others; recognizes the need for further learning to improve patient care; recognizes routine or obvious changing patient situation (e.g., deterioration, crisis); in unusual care situations, seeks help when needed to identify patient problem. Uses self-appraisal performance review and peer review, including annual goal setting, for assurance of competence and professional development to promote safe and ethical practice using the nursing process. Demonstrates openness to coaching and mentoring from others. Facilitates learning by assisting with peer and student learning experiences. Works with department managers, nurse council and magnet representatives to identify, share, implement and evaluate safety best practices.
• Uses systems thinking - Sees the pieces or components; sees patient and family within the isolated environment of the unit; sees self as key resource to support the family through the healthcare experience through care coordination. Sustains a working understanding of regulatory requirements and accreditation standards. Supports leadership in efforts to meet and sustain the regulatory compliance efforts of the department and hospital. Monitors and complies with safety and departmental policies and procedures. Ensures individual certifications and Safety College requirements are fulfilled in a timely basis. Is mindful of CCHMCs processes and compliance with CMS standards and freely communicates safety and compliance concerns to leadership team members.
• Patient Care - Age Specific and Culturally Inclusive - Consistently integrates age specific and culturally inclusive concepts into patient care, taking into consideration both the patient's chronological age and developmental functioning.
• Collaborates with team using shared decision making - Is receptive to the contributions of the interdisciplinary team in team meetings and discussion regarding patient issues. Participates in shared governance at the point-of-care as a member of unit-based councils or by demonstrating awareness and contributing to shared decision making (reading minutes, giving feedback and implementing council decisions).
• Clinical judgment when performing caring practices - Collects clinical data; follow algorithms, decision trees, and protocols. Matches formal knowledge with clinical events to make appropriate decisions; uses available resources as needed. Documents plan of care, care delivered, and patient and family outcomes. Focuses on the usual and customary needs of the patient and family; anticipates future needs; bases care on standards and protocols; maintains a safe physical environment; acknowledges death as a potential outcome. Consistently integrates age specific concepts into patient care, taking into consideration both the patient's chronological age and developmental functioning. Using self-management support, develops care goals and actions through partnerships with patients and families. Facilitates patient and family learning by providing structured education based on the plan of care goals, and the needs of the patient and family; uses teach back to evaluate effectiveness.
• Exhibits advocacy, moral agency and response to inclusion - Works on behalf of patient and family; assesses personal values; aware of ethical conflicts/issues that may surface in clinical setting; makes ethical/moral decisions based on rules; represents patient when patient cannot represent self; aware of patients' rights. Assesses cultural inclusion. Recognizes the potential impact of culture on the patient/family experience and incorporates culturally inclusive concepts into patient care.

JOB QUALIFICATIONS

• BSN prepared RNs from ACEN, CCNE or NLN CNEA accredited institution

• Minimum three years of pediatric nursing experience.
• Excellent communication and care coordination skills.
• Experience working with patients with chronic or complex medical conditions.

Preferred

• Pediatric rheumatology experience.
• Care coordination experience.
• Experience with quality improvement initiatives.
• Experience with patient registries and population health management.
• CPN certification.

About Us

At Cincinnati Children’s, we come to work with one goal: to make children’s health better. We believe in a holistic team approach, both in caring for patients and their families, and in advancing science and discovery. We strive to do better and find energy and inspiration in our shared purpose. If you want to be the best you can be, you can do it at Cincinnati Children’s. 

 Cincinnati Children's is: 

• Recognized by U.S. News & World Report as a top 10  best Children's Hospitals in the nation for more than 15 years 

• Consistently among the top 3 Children's Hospitals for National Institutes of Health (NIH) Funding 

• Recognized as one of America’s Best Large Employers  (2025), America’s Best Employers for New Grads (2025) 

• One of the nation's America’s Most Innovative Companies as noted by Fortune 

• Consistently certified as great place to work 

• A Leading Disability Employer as noted by the National Organization on Disability 

• Magnet® designated for the fourth consecutive time by the American Nurses Credentialing Center (ANCC) 

 We Embrace Innovation—Together.  We believe in empowering our teams with the tools that help us work smarter and care better. That’s why we support the responsible use of artificial intelligence. By encouraging innovation, we’re creating space for new ideas, better outcomes, and a stronger future—for all of us.

Comprehensive job description provided upon request.

Cincinnati Children’s is proud to be an Equal Opportunity Employer committed to creating an environment of dignity and respect for all our employees, patients, and families. All qualified applicants will receive consideration for employment without regard to race, color, religion, sex, age, genetic information, national origin, sexual orientation, gender identity, disability or protected veteran status. EEO/Veteran/Disability