Registered Nurse II - Mother/Baby

About the Role

At Houston Methodist Sugar Land Hospital, the Registered Nurse (RN) II is a licensed staff nurse and experienced clinician operating at the Competent to Proficient stage of Benner’s model. The RN II provides professional nursing care to a diverse patient population, conducts nursing assessments, assists with exams and treatment, delivers patient education, and maintains medical records. The role involves direct patient care for patients with varied and complex needs, collaboration with physicians and the interprofessional health‑care team, and advocacy for patient and family rights. RN IIs also assume leadership responsibilities such as participating in or leading unit and shared‑governance initiatives, serving as charge nurse or preceptor, and contributing to service‑line or hospital‑wide projects.

Qualifications

• Graduate of an education program approved by the credentialing body for the required credential(s).
• Twelve months registered nurse experience in a health‑care environment.

Licenses and Certifications

• Required: RN – Registered Nurse – Texas State Licensure (Texas Board of Nursing) with PSV Compact Licensure; must obtain permanent Texas license within 60 days if establishing Texas residency.
• Required: BLS – Basic Life Support or Instructor (American Heart Association).
• Required: NRP – Neonatal Resuscitation or Instructor (American Heart Association, American Academy of Pediatrics) within 4 months of hire.
• Preferred: Magnet – ANCC Recognized Certification.

Knowledge and Abilities

• Demonstrates skills and competencies necessary to safely perform assigned duties, validated through ongoing assessments and performance evaluations.
• Proficient in speaking, reading, and writing English, especially for activities impacting patient or employee safety.
• Effective communication with patients, physicians, families, and co‑workers, emphasizing customer‑service focus and positive language.
• Strong assessment, organizational, and problem‑solving skills; able to prioritize multiple tasks.
• Independent judgment in interactions with physicians, interprofessional care team, patients, and families.
• Critical thinking and clinical judgment in accordance with the Nurse Practice Act.
• Proficient time‑management skills.
• Professional contributions aligned with the Clinical Career Path program guide.
• Working knowledge of Microsoft products, including Outlook.

Essential Functions

People Essential Functions

• Use therapeutic communication, active listening, and teaching to establish relationships with patients, families, and the health‑care team.
• Contribute to teamwork by monitoring unit acuity, offering assistance, and responding positively to requests.
• Collaborate to foster healthy workplace relationships and seek or provide guidance to the interprofessional team.
• Implement staff education specific to patient populations and unit processes; coach, mentor, and precept staff and students.
• Engage in peer‑to‑peer accountability to improve turnover, retention, and employee engagement scores.

Service Essential Functions

• Follow patient‑ and family‑centered care standards as outlined in Houston Methodist Professional Nursing Practice.
• Conduct nursing assessments, assist with exams and treatment, and maintain accurate medical records.
• Practice in a culturally diverse and inclusive manner.
• Develop, update, and communicate plans of care, including discharge planning, in partnership with patients, families, and the care team.
• Prioritize care based on patient needs, abilities, and preferences.
• Advocate for patients/families to resolve clinical and ethical concerns using appropriate resources.
• Provide patient teaching tailored to learning needs and evaluate comprehension, adapting methods as needed.
• Contribute to improving patient‑satisfaction scores through peer accountability.

Quality/Safety Essential Functions

• Adhere to nursing process standards and regulatory requirements as defined in Houston Methodist Professional Nursing Practice.
• Identify practice‑improvement opportunities using research‑based evidence to achieve core measures and patient‑safety outcomes.
• Provide and modify care for complex patients, coordinating with the interprofessional team and documenting accurately.
• Utilize evidence‑based clinical judgment and analytical approaches.
• Improve quality and safety scores through reporting near misses and collaborating with the care team.

Finance Essential Functions

• Self‑motivate to manage time effectively, document care promptly, minimize incidental overtime, and prioritize daily tasks.
• Provide input on unit resource utilization, including capital and operational budget needs.
• Contribute to meeting department financial targets by decreasing length of stay, optimizing efficiency, and other specified initiatives.

Growth/Innovation Essential Functions

• Identify and present opportunities for innovation, efficiency, and improvement in patient care or unit operations using evidence‑based literature.
• Offer innovative solutions through performance‑improvement projects and shared‑governance activities.
• Champion new care pathways or service‑line implementations to benefit the community.
• Identify trends for improvement and support related initiatives.
• Research changes and present options to shared governance and leadership.

Work Attire

• Uniform: No Scrubs
• Business professional: No
• Other (department approved): 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.
• No travel required outside the Houston Metropolitan area.