Registered Nurse (RN) II Emergency Department

About the Role

The Registered Nurse (RN) II at Houston Methodist Baytown Hospital is a licensed staff nurse functioning at the Competent to Proficient stage of Benner’s model. The RN II provides professional nursing care to a diverse patient population, conducts assessments, assists with exams and treatment, educates patients, and maintains medical records. The role includes direct patient care for varied and complex needs, collaboration with physicians and the interprofessional team, and leadership responsibilities such as charge nurse duties, precepting, and participation in unit and hospital‑wide initiatives.

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.
• Foster healthy work‑environment relationships and seek or provide guidance to the interprofessional team.
• Implement staff education, coach and mentor staff and students, and serve as a preceptor.
• 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’s Professional Nursing Practice document.
• Conduct nursing assessments, assist with exams and treatment, and maintain accurate medical records.
• Practice in alignment with cultural diversity and inclusion principles.
• Develop, update, and communicate the plan 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, utilizing appropriate resources.
• Provide patient teaching tailored to learning needs and evaluate comprehension, adapting methods as needed.
• Contribute to patient‑satisfaction score improvement through peer accountability to service standards.

Quality & Safety Essential Functions

• Adhere to nursing process standards and regulatory requirements as defined in the Professional Nursing Practice document.
• Identify practice‑improvement opportunities using research‑based evidence to achieve core measure and patient‑safety outcomes.
• Provide and modify care for complex patients, coordinating with the interprofessional team and documenting accurately.
• Utilize clinical judgment with an evidence‑based analytical approach.
• Improve quality and safety scores on the unit‑based scorecard through reporting near‑misses and collaborative teamwork.

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 solutions through performance‑improvement projects, shared‑governance activities, and new care pathways.
• Champion service‑line implementations that benefit the community.
• Research change options and present them to shared governance and leadership.

Qualifications

Education: Graduate of an education program approved by the credentialing body for the required credential(s).

Experience: Minimum twelve (12) months of registered nurse experience in a health‑care environment.

Licenses & Certifications

• RN – Registered Nurse – Texas State Licensure (Texas Board of Nursing, PSV Compact). Must obtain permanent Texas license within 60 days if establishing Texas residency.
• BLS – Basic Life Support or Instructor (American Heart Association).
• ACLS – Advanced Cardiac Life Support or Instructor (American Heart Association).
• PALS – Pediatric Advanced Life Support or Instructor (American Heart Association) – obtain within 4 months.
• NIH STROKE – National Institute of Health Stroke Scale Certification (AHA) – obtain within 4 months.
• NV CRISIS – Nonviolent Crisis Intervention or Instructor (Crisis Prevention Institute) – obtain within 4 months.
• Preferred: Magnet‑ANCC recognized certification, ENPC – Emergency Nursing Pediatric Certification (ENA), TNCC – Trauma Nursing Core Course or Instructor (ENA).

Knowledge & Abilities

• Demonstrated competence to safely perform assigned duties, validated through ongoing skills and competency assessments.
• Proficient English reading, writing, and speaking for safe patient and employee interactions.
• Effective communication with patients, physicians, families, and co‑workers, emphasizing customer‑service focus and positive language.
• Strong assessment, organizational, and problem‑solving skills with the ability to prioritize multiple tasks.
• Independent judgment in interactions with physicians, the care team, patients, and families.
• Critical thinking and clinical judgment consistent with the Nurse Practice Act.
• Proficient time‑management skills.
• Working knowledge of Microsoft Office products, including Outlook.

Supplemental Requirements

• Work attire: Uniform – No Scrubs; Business professional – No; Other (department approved) – No.
• On‑call: May be required during emergencies (e.g., disaster, severe weather).
• Travel: May require travel within the Houston Metropolitan area; travel outside the area not required.

Schedule

Part‑time days, 7 a.m. – 7 p.m., 24 weekly hours. Rotating weekends and holidays. FLSA status: Non‑exempt.