BASIC PURPOSE OF THE JOB

Works in coordination with the nursing leadership in an assigned unit or department to ensure the work is accomplished and the unit functions effectively. Serves as the first line of support for staff, physicians and other related providers on clinical issues specific to the department. Collaborates with the manager on clinical and non-clinical issues (employee relations, individual behaviors, physician relationships, etc.) and must possess strong clinical knowledge and interpersonal skills. Supports the unit/department/service when the manager is unavailable. Responsible for supervising, directing, coaching and mentoring their assigned core group of staff.

REPORTS TO

• Nurse Manager

JOB REQUIREMENTS

Supervisory Responsibilities: YES

Minimum Education: Associates required; Bachelors preferred.

Degree: Degree in Nursing

License/Certification Required: TN or Compact Licensure Required. Must obtain certification in specialty area within 1 year of hire

Minimum Work Experience: 2-3 years relevant clinical experience. Prior leadership experience preferred.

REQUIRED KNOWLEDGE, SKILLS, AND ABILITIES

• Strong pediatric nursing skills
• Comfortable with Microsoft Word and Excel, as well as Meditech documentation
• Strong communication and organizational skills

DUTIES AND RESPONSIBILITIES

• Collaboration and Teamwork - Works with patients, families, healthcare providers, and colleagues in a way that achieves optimal outcomes for the patient and enhances the patient experience through effective interdisciplinary partnerships.
• Shared Decision-Making: Strives for effective work relationships with members of the healthcare team as well as patient/families. Incorporates all team members when making decisions regarding unit assignments, patient/family needs, and staffing issues or concerns. Assists staff to identify when patient needs are medically, socially, or ethically complex and engage the care providers for the team.
• Professional Growth: Acts as a mentor to staff in promotion and facilitation of a professional environment. Coaches and develops others on the team as well as participates in evaluation of team members. Assesses the performance of assigned new hires and orientees including entry level nurses, nursing care assistants and health unit coordinators; provides ongoing feedback and coaching. Facilitates staff involvement and meeting attendance in unit-based and house-wide shared governance councils.
• Empowered to Improve: Collaborate with the manager for issue resolutions and projects to improve work flow processes throughout the department utilizing a proactive approach. Interdisciplinary collaboration (pharmacy, radiology, lab, registration) to resolve issues and improve work flow processes throughout the department.
• Nursing Core Values: Promotes an atmosphere of open communication that facilitates staff input into decision-making, resolution of conflict, and collegiality among all health team members. Communicates in an effective, professional manner. Exhibits skill in conflict resolution where work performance is affected. Supports an environment of shared responsibility among all team members.
• Environment of Care - Creates a caring, therapeutic environment that is individualized to the patient and family.
• Exemplary Practice: Anticipates and plans for patient and family needs as evidenced through patient rounding. Ensures safe care for specific patient populations and with regulatory agency requirements.
• Empowered to Improve: Encourages patient and families to speak up and feel empowered to participate in care. Intervenes in and de-escalates situations which may be volatile and stressful.
• Nursing Core Value - Is a role model for compassionate care and empathy.
• Empowered to Improve: Possesses critical thinking skills while applying the nursing process to patient care and organizational processes to improve outcomes at all department/system levels. Uses innovation to problem solve and find alternative ways to achieve desired outcomes as needed. Makes a daily assessment of unit in regards to acuity of patients, staff skill mix, and equipment; Reassigns and adjusts staffing based upon patient care needs.
• Exemplary Practice: Rounds on the unit daily with both patient, families, MD’s, and staff to discuss any needs that arise and determines resolutions to any obstacles or conflict in care. Provides direct patient care as needed. Maintains knowledge relative to nurse sensitive indicators, hospital-acquired conditions (HAC’s), and department quality improvement indicators/initiatives. Is a Safety Coach in error prevention. Incorporates Destination Zero tools in daily practice and encourages staff to do the same. Collaborates with the department’s Quality and Safety manager to implement safety initiatives and evaluates quality improvement data to achieve expected clinical outcomes.
• Shared Decision-Making - Delegates responsibilities within the scope of practice and validated competencies in order to meet the workload demands of the shift.
• Professional Growth: Maintains knowledge of current practices and serves as a resource to staff. Acts as a resource and mentor to staff. Functions as a resource of organizational and department policies, procedures, and protocols. Utilizes professional standards of care in practice, particularly those specialized to the patient population/department.
• Shared Decision Making: Supports/ encourages patient/family rights to make decisions about care. Provides clinical consultation and guidance as needed to facilitate patient care. Plays a key role in developing a partnership with care providers and patients/families. Advocates for patients/families wishes and collaborates with others to resolve any ethical conflicts.
• Nursing Core Values: Exhibits respectful, professional relationships with families, staff, and other disciplines. Maintains confidentiality of patient and staff information. Exemplary Practice - Ensures the environment is supportive of ethical reasoning while providing professional/therapeutic boundaries.
• Maintains current knowledge in specialty/patient population of department along with issues and trends relative to the profession. (Ex. professional organization membership, conference attendance, journal club). Holds certification in area of expertise. Facilitates assignments that support learning for the orientee or nurse learner. Acts as a resource and role model to fellow staff members. Participates and encourages others to actively participate in organizational educational offerings.
• Shared Decision-Making - Works with staff to meet the changing needs of patients/families, self and others on team.
• Empowered to Improve - Acts as a change-agent and assists in implementing and educating on new patient care and staff development initiatives or programs.
• Willingly accepts any other assignment that may be requested.
• Utilizes hospital resources and time respectfully and accountably. Participates in Lean Board meetings and encourages same in staff.

PHYSICAL REQUIREMENTS

• Note: Reasonable accommodations may be made for individuals with disabilities to perform the essential functions of this position.
• Light lifting, pushing and pulling is required for 10-20 lbs occasionally and frequent moving of objects of less than 10 lbs is required. Frequent sitting with some walking, standing, squatting, bending and reaching is required. Keyboard/computer use and/or repetitive motions may be required. 

Come work where you can make a difference every day.