Registered Nurse (RN) II - Neuro Med/Surg

At Houston Methodist, the Registered Nurse (RN) II position is a licensed staff nurse, an experienced clinician, functioning at the Competent to Proficient stage of Benner's model of clinical practice. This role provides professional nursing care to a diverse patient population, conducts nursing assessments, assists with exams and treatment, patient education, and maintenance of medical records.

About the Role

The RN II provides direct patient care effectively and efficiently, which may include patients with varied and complex needs. This position communicates and collaborates with physicians and the interprofessional health care team to facilitate, coordinate, and maintain compassionate, efficient, quality care and achievement of desired treatment outcomes. The RN II demonstrates clinical competence in care, using technology, administering medications, performing procedures, and managing emergencies while acting as a patient and family advocate.

The role assumes leadership responsibilities with progressive accountability, including participating in or leading unit and shared governance initiatives, serving as charge nurse or preceptor to students or new employees, and contributing to service line or hospital-wide initiatives in partnership with management.

Responsibilities

People

• Uses therapeutic communication, including active listening and teaching, to establish relationships with patients, families, and the interprofessional health care team to collaborate on the plan of care.
• Contributes to teamwork by awareness of overall unit acuity, consistently offering assistance, and responding positively to requests for assistance.
• Collaborates to foster healthy relationships in the work environment, seeking and offering guidance to improve patient outcomes.
• Implements staff education specific to patient populations and unit processes; coaches and mentors other staff and students, including preceptorship.
• Uses peer-to-peer accountability to improve department scores for turnover, retention, and employee engagement.

Service

• Follows patient and family-centered care standards as outlined in the Houston Methodist Professional Nursing Practice document.
• Conducts nursing assessments, assists with exams and treatment, and maintains medical records.
• Practices in a manner congruent with cultural diversity and inclusion principles.
• Develops, updates, and communicates the plan of care, including discharge, in partnership with the patient, family, and interprofessional health care team.
• Prioritizes care based on the patient’s needs, abilities, and preferences.
• Advocates on the patient/family’s behalf to identify and resolve clinical and ethical concerns.
• Provides patient teaching based on learning needs, evaluates comprehension, and adapts teaching methods accordingly.
• Drives improvement of department scores for patient satisfaction through peer-to-peer accountability to service standards.

Quality/Safety

• Follows standards of care related to the nursing process as outlined in the Houston Methodist Professional Nursing Practice document.
• Adheres to regulatory requirements and professional practice standards.
• Identifies areas for practice improvements using research-based evidence to achieve core measures and patient safety outcomes.
• Provides and modifies care for complex patients and coordinates with the interprofessional team, supported by accurate documentation.
• Utilizes clinical judgment through an evidence-based analytical approach.
• Improves quality and safety scores on the unit-based scorecard through peer-to-peer accountability and collaboration.

Finance

• Displays self-motivation to manage time effectively, document care timely, minimize incidental overtime, and prioritize daily tasks.
• Provides input into unit resource utilization, including capital and operational budget needs.
• Contributes to meeting department financial targets through decreasing length of stay, optimizing efficiency, and other areas.

Growth/Innovation

• Identifies and presents areas for innovation, efficiency, and improvement in patient care or unit operations using evidence-based practice literature.
• Offers innovative solutions through evidence-based practice and performance improvement projects.
• Champions new care pathways or service line implementation to improve community service.
• Identifies trends for improvement opportunities or practice changes and supports initiatives.
• Researches changes and presents options to shared governance and leadership.

Requirements

• Graduate of an education program approved by the credentialing body for registered nursing.
• Twelve months of registered nurse experience in a healthcare environment.

Qualifications

• Demonstrates skills and competencies necessary to safely perform the assigned job, determined through ongoing assessments and evaluations.
• Proficient in speaking, reading, and writing English to perform essential job functions, especially regarding patient or employee safety.
• Effectively communicates with patients, physicians, family members, and coworkers in a customer service-focused manner.
• Strong assessment, organizational, and problem-solving skills, with the ability to prioritize multiple tasks.
• Functions independently and exercises judgment in interactions with the interprofessional care team and patients.
• Uses critical thinking skills and clinical judgment to work autonomously as defined by the Nurse Practice Act.
• Proficient time management skills and maintains professional contributions as defined in the Clinical Career Path program guide.
• Working knowledge of Microsoft products, including Outlook.

Certifications, Licenses and Registrations

• Required: Texas RN license (or Compact Licensure with permanent Texas license obtained within 60 days if establishing residency).
• Required: BLS (Basic Life Support) or Instructor certification from the American Heart Association.
• Required: NIH Stroke Scale Certification (AHA) within 4 months of hire.
• Preferred: ANCC-recognized Magnet certification.

Schedule

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.