Overview
Coordinates total nursing care for patients; participates in patient and family teaching; and provides leadership by working cooperatively with other team members and disciplines in maintaining standards for professional nursing practice in the clinical setting. Supervises LPNs, NAs, USs and Techs.
Responsibilities
Assesses condition on each assigned patient on an ongoing basis to include but not limited to the normal systems review, behavioral, psychological, developmental, and age-related factors. Specific ages: adolescent, adult, and geriatric.
Plans, directs, supervises and evaluates nursing care provided to patients according to problems identified. Acts in charge nurse capacity as assigned.
Collaborates and coordinates with physicians and other disciplines regarding individualized patient treatment/care plans by participating in team conferences, care planning/problem identification.
Administers medication, IV therapy and performs treatments to all assigned patients according to policy and procedure.
Plans and provides patient and/or significant other education based on physical, behavioral, psychological, developmental, and age-related factors, after identifying barriers to learning.
Follows safety practices and helps to maintain a safe, clean environment.
Reports pertinent patient observations and test results to the appropriate person (i.e., physicians, nurse manager, charge nurse and/or nursing supervisor) and records those observations accurately and concisely.
Documents all patient care assessments, evaluations, activities and/or observations according to policies and procedures.
Assigns nursing care to team members in accordance with the patient’s needs and the personnel’s capabilities and qualifications, and assigns other duties as needed.
Assists with or institutes emergency measures for sudden adverse development in-patients such as cardiac arrest.
Records vital signs to include blood pressure, pulse, respiration, and O2 saturation on recovering patients with moderate sedation.
Assists with programming and refilling of Medtronic pump patients after passing training provided by Medtronic.
Assists with programming of Medtronic dorsal column stimulators and Boston Scientific stimulators after passing training provided by Medtronic and Boston Scientific.
Works in callbacks as assigned, including taking off calls, pulling charts, completing orders, assisting with form completion, assisting physicians with chart reviews, and returning calls to patients.
Attends in-service programs (mandatory), all required training/education and unit/departmental service meetings.
Flexibility in scheduling may be necessary based on patient care needs.
DCH Standards:
- Maintains performance, patient and employee satisfaction and financial standards as outlined in the performance evaluation.
- Performs compliance requirements as outlined in the Employee Handbook.
- Must adhere to the DCH Behavioral Standards including creating positive relationships with patients/families, coworkers, colleagues and with self.
- Performs essential job functions in a manner that ensures the safety of patients, visitors and employees.
- Identifies and reduces unsafe practices that may result in harm to patients, visitors and employees.
- Recognizes and takes appropriate action to reduce risks and hazards to promote safety for patients, visitors and employees.
- Requires use of electronic mail, time and attendance software, learning management software and intranet.
- Must adhere to all DCH Health System policies and procedures.
- All other duties as assigned.
Qualifications
Current Alabama RN Licensure. Must be ACLS and BLS certified upon hire or within 90 days of start date. Must be able to read, write legibly, speak, and comprehend English.