Acute Care RN-Medical Surgical Registered Nurse

About the Role

As a Registered Nurse at MercyOne, you will provide and direct safe, effective, and culturally competent care for patients with acute medical and surgical conditions. Through evidence-based practice, you will utilize critical thinking to assess, plan, implement, and evaluate outcome-based care. The Acute Care RN manages a diverse patient population with varying levels of acuity, including post-operative, medical, telemetry, and neurologic patients. You will supervise and coordinate care provided by LPNs, Patient Care Assistants, and other nursing team members, facilitate communication with physicians, patients and families, and interdisciplinary team members, and adhere to MercyOne's performance expectations and uphold the Mission, Vision, and Values of MercyOne.

Essential Functions

• Conduct an initial assessment to gather data.
• Make an initial assessment of new admissions within 30 minutes of the patient's arrival to the unit.
• Complete all areas of the admission assessment database within 24 hours of admission.
• Identify patient problems and develop them into an outcome/goal-based plan of care.
• Initiate the patient problem list and incorporate relevant medical history into the plan of care.
• Analyze and interpret assessment data to identify desired patient outcomes/goals.
• Determine nursing interventions to achieve outcomes/goals.
• Prioritize patient care needs/activities.
• Identify and make appropriate referrals (i.e., Patient/Family Services, Nutritional Services, Spiritual Care, Diabetic Educator, etc.), and education needs.
• Collaborate with other health care disciplines to plan interventions/patient outcomes/goals.
• Assign and coordinate patient care incorporating patient acuity and the skills, knowledge and abilities of the team members.
• Organize and prioritize care for the patients within the team.
• Delegate tasks appropriately to other team members.
• Implement the plan of care including procedures, treatments, physicians orders, nursing orders, education plan and medications.
• Coordinate implementation of plan of care with the Case Manager, Social Worker and other health care disciplines.
• Assist to decrease the patient's length of stay by helping the patient and family identify and secure appropriate services to satisfy health-related needs upon discharge.
• Use nursing judgment to determine the appropriate frequency and components of reassessment.
• Reassess at regular intervals to determine patient response(s) to interventions (minimum RN reassessment every 24 hours).
• Focus ongoing reassessment on actual and potential problems/needs of the patient including education and discharge needs.
• Participate in developing discharge plan.
• Document discharge instructions for patient and/or significant other and/or other care provider.
• Evaluate patient response(s) to interventions.
• Review/modify/revise the outcome-based plan of care based on ongoing reassessments.
• Update the problem list and outcomes/goals.
• Communicate relevant clinical information to the team to optimize patient outcomes/goals.
• Communicate relevant clinical information to physicians regarding the patient's condition.
• Report progress toward outcomes/goals and/or changes in condition to other health team members.
• Maintain ongoing communication with interdisciplinary team members throughout the shift, at shift change, and transfer of care.
• Communicate with other team leaders and members throughout the shift to reassess and prioritize the needs of the unit.
• Document completely, comprehensively and legibly and in accordance with policy.
• Utilize Patient Care Policies and Procedure as references to guide nursing practice.
• Assure medication safety by following the "5 Rights" of medication administration.
• Prioritize and implement intervention according to patient assessment.
• Demonstrate competency in computer systems and applications required for role.
• Receive, transcribe and process and implement physician orders per policy including dating, timing and verifying accuracy.
• Maintain communication with the manager/house supervisor and staffing office regarding admissions, unit needs, acuity numbers and significant events.
• Complete assigned shift duties and assure resolution of discrepancies.
• Manage telemetry and cardiac monitoring when applicable.
• Demonstrate clinical competency and technical knowledge in cardiac rhythm interpretation and telemetry monitoring.
• Recognize and respond appropriately to cardiac arrhythmias and other changes in patient condition.
• Must be capable of managing multiple patients requiring continuous cardiac monitoring.
• Provide appropriate interventions for patients experiencing cardiac events or changes in rhythm.
• May be required to assist with data collection and quality improvement initiatives.
• Must be willing to serve as a resource to other hospital services (nursing, pharmacy, laboratory, radiology, respiratory, etc.).
• May be asked to participate in unit-based committees and provide education to nursing staff as requested.
• Based on principles of growth and development, provide care appropriate to the age-related needs of the patients served on his/her assigned unit.
• Collect, analyze, interpret and apply age-specific data.
• Perform tasks/procedures, use equipment in an age-appropriate manner.
• Communicate and work with others in an age-appropriate manner.
• Attend required safety programs.
• Appropriately and consistently use the personal protective equipment required of the job.
• Know and demonstrate departmental emergency procedures for fire, disaster and other emergency situations.
• Report and remove unsafe equipment/furniture.
• Ask for assistance when needed to assure safety for all involved.
• Maintain a safe working environment and practice safe working habits.
• Maintain a working knowledge of applicable Federal, State, and local laws and regulations, Trinity Health's Organizational Integrity Program, Standards of Conduct, as well as other policies and procedures in order to ensure adherence in a manner that reflects honest, ethical, and professional behavior.

Schedule

PRN, as needed. Rotating shift.

Minimum Qualifications

• Associate degree in nursing required; Bachelor of Science in Nursing (BSN) preferred.
• Current Iowa RN license.
• American Heart Association Basic Life Support (BLS) required.
• American Heart Association Advanced Cardiac Life Support (ACLS) required only if the unit has telemetry monitoring capabilities.
• Proof of completion of Mandatory Reporter – Child and/or Dependent Adult Abuse training within three (3) months of hire.
• High language, intermediate to high math, high critical thinking ability.
• Basic computer skills required.

Benefits

Colleagues of MercyOne Health System enjoy competitive compensation with a full benefits package and opportunity for growth throughout the system.