Charge Registered Nurse II Emergency Department

At Houston Methodist Willowbrook Hospital, the Charge Nurse position is a licensed professional Registered Nurse (RN) who, as an experienced clinician, functions at the Competent to Proficient stage of Benner's model of clinical practice. This position creates an environment for the management and delivery of safe patient care. In addition to fulfilling the duties and responsibilities of a clinical nurse, the Charge Nurse serves as a role model and coach to department personnel, assisting in developing their skills and knowledge while providing nursing care to a diverse patient population.

Responsibilities

• Conduct nursing assessments, assist with exams and treatment, and maintain medical records.
• Coach and mentor department staff in areas of clinical and professional practice.
• Role model compassionate communication with physicians and the interprofessional healthcare team.
• Assume leadership responsibilities with high-level contributions at the bedside, unit, service line, and across the institution.
• Lead unit and shared governance activities, assess unit needs related to practice and improvement opportunities.
• Serve as a clinical resource for both unit and hospital staff.
• Coordinate unit and hospital-wide education in partnership with management.
• People:
  • Foster staff engagement through active listening, feedback, and equitable decision-making.
  • Anticipate and proactively address staff needs, role model inter-professional communication.
  • Improve departmental turnover/retention scores on the unit-based scorecard.
  • Coach staff on effective communication to establish and maintain a team environment.
  • Provide input into staff performance reviews and mentor new employees.
  • Resolve organizational conflicts using appropriate tools.
• Service:
  • Lead patient and family-centered care standards as outlined in the Houston Methodist Professional Nursing Practice document.
  • Mentor others regarding specialty populations and audit plans of care.
  • Practice in a manner congruent with cultural diversity and inclusion principles.
  • Maintain ongoing interactions with patients, families, and staff to improve patient care through leader rounding.
  • Ensure effective collaboration with other departments regarding patient process issues.
  • Drive department service standards to improve patient satisfaction scores.
• Quality/Safety:
  • Model standards of care related to the nursing process, actively participating in improving nurse-sensitive quality indicators and patient safety goals.
  • Promote a continuous improvement environment through situational awareness and teachable moments.
  • Coordinate nursing care considering patient acuity, staff skill level, and safety.
  • Facilitate seamless patient flow and ensure accurate, timely patient plans of care.
  • Proactively respond to Rapid Response/CERTs and emergency codes.
  • Participate in initiatives to improve quality and safety scores through peer-to-peer accountability.
  • Role model situational awareness and assist with audits as needed.
• Finance:
  • Implement department strategies to achieve financial targets through timely documentation, decreasing length of stay, and optimizing efficiency.
  • Attend daily care coordination rounds to facilitate patient progression.
  • Manage productivity in accordance with the staffing grid.
  • Provide input into unit resource utilization, including capital and operational budget needs.
  • Oversee shift-by-shift resource utilization through staff allocation and supply management.
• Growth/Innovation:
  • Foster identification and implementation of innovative solutions for practice changes to improve patient care or unit operations.
  • Investigate and incorporate evidence-based practices, presenting findings to shared governance and leadership.
  • Support change initiatives and adapt to unexpected changes.
  • Expand individual nursing knowledge and coach staff to grow in skills and abilities.
  • Develop and disseminate informational/educational resources to improve quality and professional practice.

Requirements

• Graduate of an education program approved by the credentialing body for RN licensure.
• Twenty-four months of clinical nursing experience with demonstrated progressive leadership skills.

Qualifications

• Licenses and Certifications:
  • Required:
    • RN - Registered Nurse - Texas State Licensure (Texas Board of Nursing). Compact Licensure – Must obtain permanent Texas license within 60 days if establishing Texas residency.
    • BLS - Basic Life Support or Instructor (AHA).
    • ACLS - Advanced Cardiac Life Support or Instructor (AHA).
    • PALS - Pediatric Advanced Life Support or Instructor (AHA).
    • NIHSTROKE - National Institute of Health Stroke Scale Certification (AHA).
    • NVCRISIS - Nonviolent Crisis Intervention or Instructor (CPI) within 4 months.
  • Preferred:
    • Magnet - ANCC Recognized Certification.
    • ENPC - Emergency Nursing Pediatric Certification (ENA).
    • TNCC - Trauma Nursing Core Course or Instructor (ENA).
• Knowledge and Abilities:
  • Demonstrates skills and competencies necessary to safely perform the assigned job, determined through ongoing assessments.
  • Proficient in speaking, reading, and writing English to perform essential job functions impacting patient or employee safety.
  • Effectively communicates with patients, physicians, family members, and coworkers in a customer-service-focused manner.
  • Strong assessment, organizational, and problem-solving skills with the ability to prioritize multiple tasks.
  • Ability to function independently and exercise judgment in interactions with healthcare teams and patients.
  • Uses critical thinking and clinical judgment autonomously as defined by the Nurse Practice Act.
  • Proficient time management skills and highly developed assessment abilities.
  • Contributes to policies, procedures, and protocols.
  • Knowledge of Nursing Unit’s Dashboard and HCAHPS scores.
  • Expertise in operating the electronic medical record.
  • Maintains professional contributions as defined in the Clinical Career Path program guide.

Schedule

• Non-exempt (FLSA status).
• On-call requirements during emergencies (e.g., disasters, severe weather events).
• May require travel within the Houston Metropolitan area.

Work Attire

• Uniform: Yes (Scrubs).
• Business professional: No.