Registered Nurse - 12 Hour - RN4

About the role

The Registered Nurse is responsible for delivering patient care through the nursing process of assessment, diagnosing, planning, implementation, and evaluation. This position is part of the Massachusetts Nurses Association Bargaining Unit at Cooley Dickinson Hospital. This position reports to the Nurse Manager/Director and operates within established organizational and departmental policies and procedures.

Responsibilities

• Deliver nursing care according to the standards of care defined within the American Nurses Association (ANA) Standards of Clinical Practice.
• Collect patient health data during admission process and throughout the patient’s stay.
• Determine the priority of data collection based on the patient’s immediate condition or needs.
• Collect pertinent data using appropriate assessment techniques.
• Involves the patient, significant others and health care providers in data collection when appropriate.
• Ensures that the data collection process is systematic and ongoing.
• Documents relevant data in the medical record according to hospital standards.
• Analyzes the assessment data in determining diagnoses/patient problems.
• Derives diagnoses/patient problems from the assessment data.
• Validates diagnoses/patient problems with the patient, significant others, and health care providers when possible.
• Documents diagnoses/patient problems in a manner that facilitates the determination of expected outcomes and plan of care.
• Identifies expected outcomes individualized to the patient.
• Derives outcomes from the diagnoses/patient problems.
• Ensures outcomes are realistic and attainable in relation to the patient’s present and potential capabilities and resources available.
• Ensures outcomes provide direction for continuity of care.
• Develops a plan of care that prescribes interventions to attain expected outcomes.
• Individualizes the plan to the patient’s condition or needs.
• Develops the plan with the patient, significant other, and health care providers, when appropriate.
• Safeguards the plan reflects current nursing practice.
• Ensures the plan reflects continuity of care.
• Implements the interventions identified in the plan of care.
• Interprets and administers medications safely.
• Administers Point of Care testing, such as glucose monitoring, bladder scans and urine dipsticks (Childbirth Center only).
• Establishes interventions that are consistent with the plan of care.
• Implements interventions in a safe and appropriate manner.
• Documents interventions according to hospital standards.
• Evaluates the patient’s progress toward attainment of outcomes.
• Ensures evaluation is systematic and ongoing.
• Documents patient’s response to interventions according to hospital standards.
• Evaluates the effectiveness of interventions in relation to outcomes.
• Utilizes ongoing assessment data to revise diagnoses/patient problems, outcomes, and the plan of care, as needed.
• Involves the patient, significant others, and health care providers in the evaluation process, when appropriate.
• Begins discharge plan at patient’s admission.
• Contributes to, updates, and communicates plan throughout hospitalization.
• Collaborates with the patient, significant others, and health care providers to efficiently utilize resources throughout hospitalization and facilitate appropriate discharge.
• Assesses patient/family learning needs and facilitates the education process.
• Identifies patient/family’s willingness and readiness to learn.
• Investigates barriers to patient/family education and develops plan to alleviate barriers in learning process.
• Develops and implements individualized patient teaching plans using appropriate patient education resources, including Care Notes.
• Adjusts teaching strategies based on age appropriateness, cultural, and gender issues.
• Incorporates patient/family understanding into practice.
• Utilizes education strategies to manage transitions across the continuum of care.
• Systematically evaluates the quality and effectiveness of nursing practice.
• Participates in quality of care activities as appropriate to the individual’s position, education and practice environment, including:
• Identification of aspects of care important for quality monitoring.
• Identification of indicators used to monitor quality and effectiveness of nursing care.
• Collection of data to monitor quality and effectiveness of nursing care.
• Analysis of quality data to identify opportunities for improving care.
• Formulation of recommendations to improve nursing care or patient outcomes.
• Implementation of activities to enhance the quality of nursing practice.
• Acquires, maintains, and applies current knowledge in nursing practice.
• Participates in and creates a culture that recognizes and supports the development of professional nursing practice at CDHC.
• Attends educational programs and other activities in order to meet licensure and regulatory compliance, as well as to keep current in nursing practice.
• Attends all mandatory in-services, staff meetings and committee meetings.
• Seeks opportunities to contribute to the organization’s success, such as participating voluntarily on committees or quality improvement initiatives.
• Collaborates with the Nurse Manager/Director to establish annual goals for upgrading own practice and acts independently to accomplish goals.
• Assists with the identification of needs for unit in-service activities.
• Contributes to development of in-service activities as appropriate.
• Mets all hospital-wide and department-specific annual retraining and competency requirements.
• Provides leadership to unit as assigned.
• Assumes charge nurse/group leader responsibilities at request of Nurse Manager/Director or designee.
• Copies assignments based on patient’s needs, staff skills, and available resources to promote continuity of care.
• Identifies priorities for patient care and unit activities.
• Serves as a resource person to other staff members.
• Communicates effectively regarding issues of patient care.
• Relates complete and pertinent information when processing patient/unit issues.
• Initiates/participates in unit and department projects to improve systems for delivery of patient care.
• Acts as a patient advocate regarding patient’s physical, psycho-social, and spiritual needs.
• Initiates/participates in unit and department projects to improve systems for delivery of patient care.
• Acts as a preceptor and assists in orientation of new personnel.
• Establishes priorities, organizes, and delegates work assignments accordingly.
• Cooperates with instructors to provide quality clinical learning experiences for affiliating students.
• Provides peers and other staff members with constructive feedback regarding their practice.
• Be open to constructive feedback from peers and other staff members.
• Seeks available resources to help formulate ethical decisions.
• Maintains established hospital and departmental policies and procedures, objectives, confidentiality, quality improvement program, compliance, safety, infection control, and environmental standards.
• Maintains professional growth and development through attendance at seminars, workshops, conferences or in-services, professional affiliations, or journals to stay abreast of current trends in field of expertise.
• Mets annual competency and retraining requirements.
• Attends meetings as required.

Qualifications

• Bachelor's Degree Nursing preferred.
• No experience in lieu of a degree.

Additional Job Details

• Physical Requirements: Standing Frequently (34-66%), Walking Frequently (34-66%), Sitting Occasionally (3-33%), Lifting Frequently (34-66%) 35lbs+, Carrying Frequently (34-66%) 20lbs - 35lbs, Pushing Occasionally (3-33%), Pulling Occasionally (3-33%), Climbing Rarely (Less than 2%), Balancing Frequently (34-66%), Stooping Occasionally (3-33%), Kneeling Occasionally (3-33%), Crouching Occasionally (3-33%), Crawling Rarely (Less than 2%), Reaching Frequently (34-66%), Gross Manipulation (Handling) Frequently (34-66%), Fine Manipulation (Fingering) Frequently (34-66%), Feeling Constantly (67-100%), Foot Use Rarely (Less than 2%), Vision - Far Constantly (67-100%), Vision - Near Constantly (67-100%), Talking Constantly (67-100%), Hearing Constantly (67-100%).