Registered Nurse RN Observation Unit (Part Time/Nights)

About the role

Penn Medicine is dedicated to our tripartite mission of providing the highest level of care to patients, conducting innovative research, and educating future leaders in the field of medicine. Working for this leading academic medical center means collaboration with top clinical, technical and business professionals across all disciplines.

Schedule

• Part Time (24 hours per week)
• Night shift (7 pm–7 am)
• Every third weekend and rotating holidays

Work environment

The Observation Unit is a fast-paced 52-bed unit for both medical and surgical patients needing short-term care. Patients here have an anticipated discharge of about 24–48 hours; enough time to receive treatments and procedures before being discharged. Top diagnoses on the unit include chest pain, Afib, hypertension, PE/DVT, abdominal pain, trauma, TI/CVA, CHF, asthma/COPD, vertigo, AFR/electrolyte abnormalities, syncope, hypoglycemia/hyperglycemia, and pre/post procedure (cardiac cath, OR, pacer, ablation, etc.). This unit requires strong assessment and critical thinking skills, as patient’s condition can change rapidly.

Responsibilities

• Assume responsibility and accountability as defined by the American Nurses Association standards of nursing practice
• Practice as a full partner on the health care team and consistently demonstrate safe practice within the organizational professional practice model
• Independently provide patient care through the application of the nursing process and accept accountability for the nursing care of assigned patients (age range: infancy to elderly)
• Incorporate the Lancaster General Health mission, vision and values into planning patient care
• Function as an independent and interdependent member of the health care team as defined in unit-based Plan for Provision of Care
• Perform patient assessments focusing on physiologic, psychological, and cognitive functions; evaluate progress toward outcomes and adapt the plan of care based on recognized trends and changes
• Collect and manage comprehensive data pertinent to the patient’s health or the situation; analyze assessment data to determine diagnosis or issues
• Formulate age-appropriate and culturally and ethically sensitive plan of care
• Implement care in a knowledgeable manner and coordinate patient care across several disciplines and among caregivers
• Provide leadership to other members of the team by effectively communicating expected standards of care and encouraging and supporting team members and their contributions
• Demonstrate an understanding of and a commitment to the values of privacy, quality, respect, service and teamwork
• Assign, delegate, and supervise other employees and intervene as appropriate to assure that the plan of care is carried out, continuity of care is provided and that established outcomes are achieved
• Educate patients about healthy practices and treatment modalities
• Systematically enhance the quality and effectiveness of nursing practices; utilize technology where appropriate
• Consider factors related to safety, effectiveness, cost and impact on practice in the planning and delivery of nursing services

Requirements

• RN licensure issued by the PA Board of Nursing
• Bachelor of Science in Nursing (BSN) or higher-level nursing degree
• Completion of the Nurse Residency Program or more than 15 months of practice
• CPR Certification – American Heart Association AHA Basic Life Support (formerly Healthcare Provider); AHA Heart Saver courses for CPR are not accepted
• Must be a health care provider in good standing with Medicare, Medicaid, and other federal and state health insurance programs (i.e., not excluded from participation)