Charge Nurse (RN) - Pediatric Behavioral Health

Pediatric Behavioral Health is a 16-bed child/adolescent unit with an average daily census of 14. The unit collaborates with providers, nursing teammates, recreational therapy, music therapy, social work, chaplaincy, and several child-friendly volunteer groups. The average length of stay is 5-7 days, and the unit utilizes the CPI de-escalation program. It was recently voted twice as a unit to "likely recommend for care" by patients and families.

Responsibilities

• Unit Management:
  • Facilitates the organization and management of the unit to ensure safe, quality patient care.
  • Prepares shift assignments utilizing knowledge of staff education, experience, job description, and patient acuity.
  • Monitors unit activities to ensure assignments are completed in a timely, neat, and appropriate manner.
  • Collaborates with the Patient Care Supervisor and/or Director of Patient Care to adjust schedules/assignments for safe and smooth unit functioning (e.g., calling in additional staff, sending staff home, reassigning staff).
  • Receives and records calls for absences in the absence of staff.
  • Supervises and delegates patient care as needed, maintaining awareness of physician notifications for changes in patient conditions.
  • Notifies Director of Patient Care or Patient Care Supervisor of unusual occurrences or changes in patient conditions.
  • Evaluates, monitors, and documents patient situations, intervening appropriately to prevent or minimize crises.
  • Observes all patients at least twice per shift and makes rounds with physicians when indicated or delegates to staff nurses.
  • Assists in coordinating patient admissions, transfers, and discharges.
  • Initiates appropriate action to correct disciplinary problems and documents/communicates actions to the Director of Patient Care.
  • Assists Director of Patient Care with employee performance evaluations.
  • Conducts monthly meetings with shift employees from a prepared agenda and submits minutes to the Director of Patient Care.
  • Directs staff during emergency situations and/or drills.
  • Reviews safety and emergency procedures with staff at least twice per year and documents compliance.
  • Participates in developing and/or revising Rehabilitation Nursing Standards and Nursing Policies and Procedures.
  • Attends and participates in at least 80% of Nurse Management and Performance Improvement Meetings.
  • Voluntarily accepts additional responsibilities.
• Patient Care:
  • Contributes to safe, quality patient care utilizing the nursing process for assigned patients.
  • Assessment:
    • Performs and documents patient assessments on admission and throughout the stay, including patient/family goals and responses to the rehabilitation program.
    • Formulates nursing diagnoses based on data collection, overt and covert needs, and anticipated or predicted needs.
    • Utilizes lab, radiologic, medical, and departmental reports to anticipate or predict changes in patient health status.
  • Plan of Care:
    • Develops, reviews, and revises individualized Rehabilitation Nursing Plans of Care from admission through hospitalization, congruent with interdisciplinary treatment plans, including goals and discharge plans.
  • Implementation of Patient Care:
    • Utilizes individual nursing care plans to prevent complications and maintain or restore physical and psychosocial function at realistic and optimal levels.
    • Ensures nursing actions align with the interdisciplinary care plan and Rehabilitation Nursing Standards to achieve patient goals.
    • Demonstrates ability to set priorities and knowledge of complex health problems, diagnoses, and symptoms based on pathophysiology principles.
    • Trained and competent to treat patients of any diagnosis and age, demonstrating age-appropriate knowledge and skills.
  • Evaluation:
    • Documents achievement of mutual goals identified by the patient, family, and primary nurse.
    • Reviews, revises, and prioritizes interventions consistently as patient needs change.
    • Utilizes appropriate resources to resolve difficult problems and documents objective solutions.
    • Documents patient/family understanding of post-discharge procedures on the Education Form and Discharge Summary.
• Safety:
  • Complies with hospital policies and procedures relating to safety for self, patients, visitors, and staff.
  • Promotes a safe environment and adheres to Universal Precautions/Body Substance Isolation.
  • Instructs patients and families on safety rules during admission and as needed (e.g., side rails, safety belts, wheelchair brakes, smoking).
  • Consistently documents safety instructions and patient/family responses.
  • Identifies high-risk factors through patient/family verbalization, observation, and assessment, intervening to minimize risks.
  • Utilizes principles of body mechanics and seeks assistance for transferring heavy, agitated, or impulsive patients.
  • Wears and monitors nursing staff use of Back Savers braces.
  • Instructs staff, patients, families, and visitors on infection control/Body Substance Isolation principles.
  • Identifies and reports environmental factors non-compliant with fire codes and initiates equipment repairs or replacements as needed.
  • Attends annual mandatory in-services (fire, safety, disaster, infection control, body mechanics, guest relations) and maintains current CPR certification.
  • Demonstrates knowledge and competence in response to codes and emergencies, documenting properly (e.g., code sheets, variance reports, patient charts).
  • Initiates and completes variance reports and employee injury forms when indicated, documenting incidents in patient charts as appropriate.
• Performance Improvement:
  • Participates in Performance Improvement activities as scheduled, recognizing and reporting deviations from standards.
  • Monitors and initiates audits of medication and crash carts, reporting discrepancies to the Director of Patient Care.
  • Initiates and completes at least one additional PI study per year.
  • Documents patient use of chargeable items.
• Education:
  • Provides teaching to patients, families, and staff to assist in the learning process.
  • Prioritizes and documents knowledge deficits of actual, potential, or possible health problems.
  • Evaluates and documents the effectiveness of patient/family learning.
  • Serves as a professional role model and mentor to nursing staff.
  • Practices within the scope defined by the Georgia or North Carolina Nurse Practice Act.

Requirements

• Current licensure as a professional registered nurse by the State of North Carolina.
• Current certification in CPR.
• Certification in rehabilitation nursing (CRRN) preferred.
• Graduate of an accredited school of nursing with a baccalaureate, associate degree, or diploma.
• Two to four years of progressive nursing experience in a healthcare environment.
• Demonstrated clinical competency as a professional nurse and leadership skills or advanced education in leadership.

Skills

• Verbal ability and communication skills for interpersonal relations (patients, visitors, employees, medical staff) and presenting information, instructions, recommendations, and ideas.
• Ability to objectively assess and analyze situations and employees in actual job duties.
• Ability to function effectively under stress and make sound judgments in critical situations.

Physical Requirements and Working Conditions

• Must be able to use visual near and distance acuity.
• Must have verbal ability to communicate in person and over the phone or radio.
• Must assist co-workers in transfers and transport supplies, patients/residents, or equipment using good body mechanics.
• Must have functional range of motion of the cervical, thoracic, and lumbar spines, upper and lower extremities with a grip strength of 60-80 pounds.
• Must be able to forward reach, overhead reach, bend, squat, kneel, and change positions rapidly.
• Must be able to lift 25-60 lbs. and carry 25-50 pounds.
• Must tolerate high noise, busy atmospheres, and noxious odors.
• Must work in noisy environments and remain self-directed to complete tasks as ordered.
• Must remain calm under stressful situations and assess/respond to multiple situations simultaneously.
• Must assist co-workers in multiple overlapping tasks and prioritize job tasks efficiently.
• If job class is identified as falling under POPE C, must pass the cardiac recovery test.

This job description indicates the general nature and level of work expected. It is not designed to cover or contain a comprehensive listing of activities, duties, or responsibilities. The incumbent may be required to perform other related duties.