Pediatric Surgery Nurse Per Diem (NURSE PD)

Autonomous nursing care is the ability of a nurse to assess and provide nursing actions as appropriate for patient care populations based on competence, professional expertise, and knowledge. The nurse is expected to practice autonomously consistent with ANA Standards of Practice and Professional Performance. Independent judgment is expected to be exercised within the context of interdisciplinary and multidisciplinary approaches to patient care.

About the Role

The Clinical Nurse (CN) identifies and implements nursing interventions and evaluates results for a wide variety of patient populations, directs and acts as a resource to other members of the nursing team, and promotes compliance and support for policies. Responsibilities include providing total, comprehensive, continuous, and patient-centered care through assessing, documenting, planning, implementing, teaching, developing, and evaluating a comprehensive nursing plan of care; delivering direct patient care; ensuring patient satisfaction; training and delegating duties; and adhering to University policies and procedures as well as federal, state, and local regulations.

The Per Diem RN provides comprehensive, patient- and family-centered nursing care to infants, children, adolescents, and young adults with a broad range of surgical, congenital, colorectal, gastrointestinal, thoracic, oncologic, traumatic, and other complex medical conditions. Working as an integral member of a multidisciplinary pediatric surgical team, the RN coordinates care across outpatient, procedural, operative, and specialty environments. The RN serves as a clinical resource for patients, families, providers, and clinic staff, ensuring safe, timely, coordinated, and equitable access to care.

The UC Davis Health Pediatric Surgery & Specialty Clinic is a regional referral center providing comprehensive surgical and specialty care to infants, children, adolescents, and patients with congenital conditions requiring lifelong surgical follow-up. The clinic integrates highly specialized programs within the pediatric surgical practice, allowing children with complex conditions to receive coordinated care from multiple specialties.

Responsibilities

• Perform comprehensive nursing assessments of pediatric patients presenting with surgical and specialty conditions.
• Assess changes in patient condition and determine appropriate level and urgency of care.
• Provide telephone and electronic triage for patients and families, utilizing clinical judgment, established protocols, and provider guidance.
• Coordinate complex care across pediatric surgery, primary care, subspecialty services, diagnostic imaging, procedural areas, operating rooms, inpatient units, and outside healthcare organizations.
• Facilitate communication between patients, families, providers, referring physicians, and multidisciplinary team members.
• Prepare patients and families for planned surgical procedures and interventions, including preoperative education and coordination of testing and clearances.
• Provide postoperative follow-up, assess wounds, incisions, drains, tubes, ostomies, and reinforce discharge instructions.
• Provide developmentally appropriate education to pediatric patients and families regarding diagnoses, procedures, treatments, medications, wound care, nutrition, bowel management, and postoperative recovery.
• Support specialized nursing care for children with complex conditions, including anorectal malformations, Hirschsprung disease, cloacal anomalies, bowel dysfunction, congenital gastrointestinal disorders, complex airway and feeding disorders, thoracic conditions, pediatric solid tumors, vascular anomalies, and long-term surgical follow-up.
• Collaborate with specialty providers and multidisciplinary teams to coordinate individualized care plans.
• Review and assist with processing new patient referrals, obtaining and reviewing clinical records, and determining clinical urgency.
• Assist families in navigating scheduling, referrals, authorizations, and other access-related processes.
• Participate in multidisciplinary clinics, conferences, case reviews, and care planning activities.

Allocation of Responsibilities:

• 70% - Nursing Process and Practice
• 15% - Quality and Evidence-Based Practice
• 5% - Leadership
• 5% - Professional Development
• 5% - Research

Requirements

• At least three (3) years of recent RN experience in NICU, Pediatric Inpatient, Pediatric Outpatient, or PICU.
• Valid California Registered Nurse License without restriction.
• American Heart Association (AHA) or American Red Cross Basic Life Support (BLS), or UC Davis Health CPR certification.
• Graduation from an accredited school of nursing.
• Ability to read, write, speak, and understand the English language.
• Ability to utilize medical terminology appropriately.
• Knowledge of current trends in nursing.
• Commitment to excellence in patient care.
• Effective interpersonal skills and ability to adapt to change in a positive, professional, and productive manner.
• Knowledge of legal implications in clinical practice and documentation.
• Knowledge of performance improvement and evidence-based practice.
• Basic computer skills.
• Ability to assess, plan, implement, and evaluate patient care, considering protective interventions, development, and physiological characteristics specific to patients.
• Knowledge of Pediatric Surgeries and relevant nursing considerations.
• Mastery of Relational Competencies.

Preferred Qualifications

• BSN degree.
• Pediatric Surgery knowledge and experience.
• Pediatric Wound Care and/or Ostomy experience.

Specialty Programs

The RN will support patients within multiple pediatric surgical programs, including:

• Pediatric General Surgery
• Pediatric Colorectal Program (specialized care for anorectal malformations, Hirschsprung disease, cloacal anomalies, complex colorectal disorders, bowel management, pelvic and anorectal reconstruction, continence-related conditions, and long-term transition into adulthood)
• Pediatric Aerodigestive Center (multidisciplinary program for complex breathing, swallowing, airway, and gastrointestinal disorders)
• Pediatric Vascular Anomalies (hemangiomas, capillary/venous/arteriovenous/lymphatic malformations, complex vascular tumors, Klippel-Trenaunay syndrome, Kasabach-Merritt phenomenon, Kaposiform hemangioendothelioma, PHACE syndrome)
• Pediatric Surgical Oncology (surgical management for children with solid tumors)
• Pediatric Trauma & Injury Follow-Up
• Pediatric GI Motility & Complex Gastrointestinal Care
• Pelvic Reconstruction & Complex Congenital Conditions (complex anorectal reconstruction, cloacal anomalies, pelvic reconstructive surgery, long-term bowel management, multidisciplinary surgical planning, transition to adult specialty care)