Registered Nurse - Emergency Room

Emergency Department Registered Nurse position in an acute-care hospital setting.

Qualifications

• Associate Degree in Nursing (ADN) required; Bachelor of Science in Nursing (BSN) preferred.
• Current Texas Registered Nurse license in good standing.
• Minimum of three years of work experience as an Emergency Room nurse in an acute care hospital setting.
  • Candidates with less than 3 years of acute care hospital experience will have an education plan in place during the orientation period.
• Certifications:
  • Basic Life Support (BLS) – required.
  • Advanced Cardiac Life Support (ACLS) – required.
  • Pediatric Advanced Life Support (PALS) – required within orientation period.
  • TNCC (Trauma Nursing Core Course) – preferred.
  • ENPC (Emergency Nursing Pediatric Course) – preferred.
  • NIH Stroke Scale Certification – required within orientation period.

Responsibilities

Clinical Care

• Performs comprehensive nursing assessments and triage of patients presenting to the Emergency Department.
• Prioritizes patient care utilizing the Emergency Severity Index (ESI) or facility-approved triage system.
• Develops, implements, and evaluates individualized plans of care.
• Administers medications, blood products, IV therapies, and treatments safely and accurately.
• Monitors patient response to treatment and promptly communicates changes in condition to the provider.
• Provides care to patients across the lifespan, including pediatric, adolescent, adult, and geriatric populations.
• Assists with emergency procedures including trauma resuscitation, stroke alerts, STEMI activations, code blue responses, rapid responses, and disaster management.
• Initiates and maintains IV access and assists with advanced airway management as needed.
• Performs and interprets patient monitoring including cardiac telemetry, pulse oximetry, capnography, and hemodynamic monitoring.

Patient Throughput and Coordination

• Collaborates with physicians and multidisciplinary teams to facilitate timely patient evaluation, treatment, admission, transfer, or discharge.
• Coordinates patient care activities to support efficient patient flow and reduce length of stay.
• Ensures appropriate documentation and communication during patient handoffs.
• Participates in transfer processes and stabilization of patients requiring a higher level of care.

Documentation

• Documents assessments, interventions, patient responses, and outcomes accurately and timely within the electronic medical record.
• Maintains compliance with regulatory, legal, and accreditation requirements.
• Completes required quality and safety documentation.

Patient and Family Education

• Provides education regarding diagnoses, medications, procedures, discharge instructions, and follow-up care.
• Assesses patient understanding and readiness to learn.
• Promotes patient engagement and shared decision-making.

Quality and Safety

• Adheres to infection prevention and control practices.
• Identifies and reports safety concerns, adverse events, and near misses.
• Participates in performance improvement, patient safety, and quality initiatives.
• Maintains compliance with hospital policies, CMS, Texas Department of State Health Services, and accreditation standards.

Professional Practice

• Demonstrates professional communication and collaboration with patients, families, physicians, and staff.
• Serves as a patient advocate.
• Participates in departmental meetings, education, and competency validation.
• Maintains required certifications and licensure.

Emergency Department Specific Responsibilities

• Rapid assessment and stabilization of critically ill or injured patients.
• Care of patients presenting with:
  • Cardiac emergencies
  • Stroke symptoms
  • Trauma injuries
  • Respiratory distress
  • Sepsis
  • Behavioral health emergencies
  • Medical and surgical emergencies
  • Any other patient condition presenting to the ED
• Participation in disaster preparedness and emergency management activities.
• Assists with procedural sedation and emergency procedures within scope of practice.
• Supports EMTALA compliance requirements.
• Responds to hospital emergency codes as assigned.

• Other responsibilities as directed by leadership.

Skills

• Strong critical thinking and clinical judgment skills.
• Ability to prioritize and manage multiple patients simultaneously.
• Knowledge of emergency nursing principles and standards.
• Ability to recognize and respond to rapidly changing patient conditions.
• Effective communication and teamwork skills.
• Proficiency in electronic medical record documentation.
• Ability to maintain composure and effectiveness during high-stress situations.

Physical Requirements

• Frequent standing, walking, bending, lifting, pushing, and pulling.
• Ability to lift and move patients and equipment with appropriate assistance.
• Ability to respond quickly to emergency situations.
• Visual and auditory acuity sufficient for patient assessment and monitoring.

Performance Expectations

• Demonstrates commitment to patient safety, quality outcomes, customer service, and regulatory compliance.
• Maintains competency in emergency nursing skills and hospital-required competencies.
• Supports departmental goals related to patient satisfaction, throughput, quality metrics, and clinical outcomes.
• Upholds the hospital's mission, vision, and values while providing compassionate, safe, high-quality care to every patient, every time.