Charge RN II - Level III NICU

At Houston Methodist, 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.

About the role

In addition to fulfilling the duties and responsibilities of a clinical nurse, the Charge Nurse position is a role model and coach to department personnel and assists in developing their skills and knowledge. This position provides nursing care to a diverse patient population. The Charge Nurse assumes leadership responsibilities with high-level contributions at the bedside, unit, service line, and across the institution.

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 health care team.
• 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.
• Foster staff engagement by demonstrating active listening, requesting and acknowledging feedback, and supporting organizational goals.
• Role model inter-professional communication, assist with staff stress management, and improve departmental scores for turnover/retention.
• Provide input into staff performance reviews and function as a mentor/resource to unit staff.
• Lead patient and family-centered care standards and 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.
• Model the standards of care related to the nursing process and participate in improving nurse-sensitive quality indicators and patient safety goals.
• Coordinate nursing care considering patient acuity, staff skill level, and safety.
• Facilitate seamless patient flow and ensure the patient plan of care is accurate and timely.
• Respond to Rapid Response/CERTs and emergency codes.
• Participate in initiatives to improve quality and safety scores.
• 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 staffing grid and provide input into unit resource utilization.
• Foster identification and implementation of innovative solutions for practice changes to improve patient care or unit operations.
• Support change initiatives and expand individual nursing knowledge while coaching staff to grow in knowledge, abilities, skills, and attitudes.
• Develop and disseminate informational/educational resources and programs designed to improve quality and professional practice.

Requirements

• Graduate of an education program approved by the credentialing body for the required credential(s).
• Twenty-four months of clinical nursing experience with demonstration of progressive leadership skills.

Qualifications

• Licenses and Certifications:
  • RN - Registered Nurse - Texas State Licensure (Texas Board of Nursing PSV Compact Licensure - Must obtain permanent Texas license within 60 days if establishing Texas residency).
  • BLS - Basic Life Support or Instructor (AHA) - American Heart Association.
  • NRP - Neonatal Resuscitation or Instructor (AHA, AAP) - American Heart Association and American Academy of Pediatrics.
  • Preferred: Magnet - ANCC Recognized Certification.

Skills and Abilities

• Demonstrates skills and competencies necessary to safely perform the assigned job, determined through ongoing skills, competency assessments, and performance evaluations.
• Proficient in speaking, reading, and writing the English language to perform essential functions impacting patient or employee safety or security.
• Effectively communicates with patients, physicians, family members, and co-workers with a customer service focus.
• Strong assessment, organizational, and problem-solving skills with the capacity to prioritize multiple tasks.
• Ability to function independently and exercise judgment in interactions with healthcare teams and patients.
• Uses critical thinking skills and clinical judgment to work autonomously as defined by the Nurse Practice Act.
• Proficient time management skills.
• Highly developed assessment skills; contributes to policies, procedures, and protocols.
• Knowledge of Nursing Unit's Dashboard and Hospital Consumer Assessment of Healthcare Providers and Systems (HCAHPS) scores.
• Expertise in operating the electronic medical record.
• Maintains professional contributions as defined in the Clinical Career Path program guide.

Supplemental Requirements

• Work Attire: Scrubs (Yes), Business professional (No).
• On-Call: Employees may be required to be on-call during emergencies (e.g., disaster, severe weather events).
• Travel: May require travel within the Houston Metropolitan area.

Houston Methodist West Hospital is committed to leading medicine in West Houston, Katy, and surrounding communities by delivering exceptional safety, quality, service, and innovation.