Registered Nurse (RN) II - Surgical ICU

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, delivers patient education, and maintains medical records.

Responsibilities

• Provide direct patient care effectively and efficiently, including patients with varied and complex needs.
• Communicate and collaborate with physicians and the interprofessional health care team to facilitate, coordinate, and maintain compassionate, efficient, quality care and achievement of desired treatment outcomes.
• Demonstrate clinical competence in patient care, using technology, administering medications, performing procedures, and managing emergencies while acting as a patient and family advocate.
• Assume leadership roles with progressive responsibility, 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.
• People:
  • Use therapeutic communication to establish relationships with patients, families, and the interprofessional team to collaborate on the plan of care.
  • Contribute to teamwork by maintaining awareness of unit acuity, offering assistance, and responding positively to requests.
  • Collaborate to foster healthy work relationships, seek and offer guidance, and apply feedback to improve patient outcomes.
  • Implement staff education specific to patient populations and unit processes; coach and mentor staff and students, including preceptorship.
  • Use peer-to-peer accountability to improve department scores for turnover, retention, and employee engagement.
• Service:
  • Follow patient and family-centered care standards as outlined in the Houston Methodist Professional Nursing Practice document.
  • Conduct nursing assessments, assist with exams and treatment, and maintain medical records.
  • Practice in a manner congruent with cultural diversity and inclusion principles.
  • Develop, update, and communicate the plan of care, including discharge, in partnership with the patient, family, and interprofessional team.
  • Prioritize care based on patient needs, abilities, and preferences.
  • Advocate for patients and families to identify and resolve clinical and ethical concerns.
  • Provide patient teaching based on learning needs, evaluate comprehension, and adapt methods accordingly.
  • Drive improvement of department scores for patient satisfaction through peer-to-peer accountability to service standards.
• Quality/Safety:
  • Follow standards of care related to the nursing process and regulatory requirements as outlined in the Houston Methodist Professional Nursing Practice document.
  • Identify areas for practice improvement using research-based evidence to achieve core measures and patient safety outcomes, supported by accurate documentation.
  • Provide and modify care for complex patients and coordinate with the interprofessional team, supported by accurate documentation.
  • Utilize clinical judgment through an evidence-based analytical approach.
  • Improve quality and safety scores on the unit-based scorecard through peer-to-peer accountability, reporting near misses, and collaborating with the team.
• Finance:
  • Manage time effectively, document care timely, minimize incidental overtime, and prioritize daily tasks.
  • Provide input into unit resource utilization, including capital and operational budget needs.
  • Contribute to meeting department financial targets on the unit-based scorecard by decreasing length of stay and optimizing efficiency.
• Growth/Innovation:
  • Identify and present areas for innovation, efficiency, and improvement in patient care or unit operations using evidence-based practice literature.
  • Offer innovative solutions through evidence-based practice, performance improvement projects, and shared governance activities.
  • Champion new care pathways or service line implementation to improve community service.
  • Identify trends for improvement opportunities or practice changes and support initiatives.
  • Research changes and present 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 skills, competency assessments, and performance evaluations.
• Proficient in speaking, reading, and writing English to perform essential functions, especially activities impacting 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, patients, and families.
• Uses critical thinking skills and clinical judgment to work autonomously as defined by the Nurse Practice Act.
• Demonstrates proficient time management skills.
• Maintains professional contributions as defined in the Clinical Career Path program guide.
• Working knowledge of Microsoft products, including Outlook.

Skills

• Required:
  • RN – Registered Nurse – Texas State Licensure (Texas Board of Nursing) or Compact Licensure (must obtain permanent Texas license within 60 days if establishing Texas residency).
  • BLS – Basic Life Support or Instructor (AHA) – American Heart Association.
  • ACLS – Advanced Cardiac Life Support or Instructor (AHA) – American Heart Association (within 4 months).
  • NIHSTROKE – National Institute of Health Stroke Scale Certification (AHA) – American Heart Association (within 4 months).
• Preferred:
  • Magnet – ANCC Recognized Certification.
  • NVCRISIS – Nonviolent Crisis Intervention or Instructor (CPI).

Schedule

• Non-exempt (hourly) position.
• On-call during emergencies (e.g., disaster, severe weather events).
• May require travel within the Houston Metropolitan area.

Work Attire

• Scrubs: Yes.
• Business professional: No.
• Other (department approved): No.