REGISTERED NURSE, RN - PCU

Assess, plan, implement, and evaluate care for a designated group of patients. Coordinate, direct, and actively participate as an effective member of the interdisciplinary health care team to promote efficient unit operation and positive patient outcomes.

Responsibilities

• Maintain professional and technical knowledge by attending education workshops, reviewing professional publications, establishing personal networks, and participating in professional societies.
• Assure quality of care by adhering to therapeutic standards, measuring health outcomes against patient care goals and standards, making or recommending necessary adjustments, and following system/hospital and nursing division’s philosophies and standards of care set by state board of nursing, state nurse practice act, and other governing agency regulations.
• Protect patients and employees by adhering to infection-control policies and protocols, medication administration and storage procedures, and controlled substance regulations.
• Document patient care services by charting in patient and department records.
• Maintain continuity among nursing teams by documenting and communicating actions, irregularities, and continuing needs using Nurse Knowledge Exchange techniques.
• Maintain patient confidence and protect operations by keeping information confidential.
• Identify patient care requirements by establishing personal rapport with potential and actual patients and other persons in a position to understand care requirements.
• Establish a compassionate environment by providing emotional, psychological, and spiritual support to patients, friends, and families.
• Promote patient’s independence by establishing patient care goals, teaching patient/family to understand condition, medications, and self-care skills, and answering questions.
• Maintain safe and clean working environment by complying with procedures, rules, and regulations; calling for assistance from health care support personnel.
• Resolve patient problems and needs by utilizing multidisciplinary team strategies.
• Maintain a cooperative relationship among health care teams by communicating information, responding to requests, building rapport, and participating in team continuous quality improvement and problem-solving methods.
• Ensure operation of equipment by completing preventive maintenance requirements by following manufacturer’s instructions, troubleshooting malfunctions, calling for repairs, maintaining equipment inventories, and evaluating new equipment and techniques.
• Maintain nursing supplies inventory by checking stock to determine inventory level, anticipating needed supplies, placing and expediting orders for supplies, verifying receipt of supplies, and using equipment and supplies as needed.
• Provide direct oversight of GN, LPN, Technical Partner, ALS Technician, Nurse Extern, and Unit Clerks, including conducting the initial comprehensive assessment, interpreting the assessment to initiate the interprofessional plan of care, and supervising delegation of duties within the scope and capability of the care team.
• Demonstrate the ability to interpret and treat arrhythmias, review rhythm strips, and utilize appropriate protocols for administration of drugs for treatment of arrhythmias.
• Other related duties as assigned.

Requirements

• Graduate of an accredited Nursing Program.
• Strong leadership ability, good organizational skills, independent and critical thinking skills, sound judgment, and knowledge of legal aspects and liability of nursing practice.
• Strong ability to communicate complex and/or controversial topics and concepts to a wide and diverse audience.
• A Nursing refresher course may be required if employee hasn’t worked in an acute care setting for their most recent three consecutive years of professional employment.
• Current licensure to practice as a Registered Nurse in the State of Pennsylvania.
• Current Basic Life Support (BLS) approved curriculum of the American Heart Association (CPR and AED) program.
• Act 33, Act 34, and Act 73 FBI Clearance with renewal.
• Current ACLS or completion within one (1) year of hire/transfer date into department.
• Current NIH Stroke Scale or completion within six (6) months of hire/transfer into department.

Preferred Qualifications

• One (1) year medical-surgical, PCU, or critical care experience.
• Bachelor’s Degree in Nursing (BSN).

Work Environment

• Effective March 2020 or during pandemic: goggles, face shield, and mask are required according to CDC guidelines.
• When lift requirement is in excess of 50#, lift assistance (2 person) and/or transfer device is required.
• Exposure to blood/body fluids, chemicals, latex, cytotoxic (chemo) agents, ethylene oxide, non-ionizing radiation, and ionizing radiation.
• Direct patient care responsibilities.
• May require use of respirator protective equipment, eye protection, hand protection, and other personal protective equipment.
• Travel between system locations may be expected locally.
• Rotating shifts, standby, on-call, overtime, and 8-12 hour shifts may be required.

Physical Demands

• Frequent bending (stooping), walking, standing, hand/arm coordination, keyboard/computer operation, and fine finger manipulation.
• Occasional sitting, kneeling, squatting (crouching), twisting/turning, reaching above shoulder level, reaching forward, lifting (floor to knuckle, seat pan to knuckle, knuckle to shoulder, shoulder to overhead), carrying, pushing/pulling (up to 50 lbs. of force), and transferring/pushing/pulling patients.
• Rare climbing stairs, climbing ladders, pulling/pushing objects overhead, and use of vibrating tools.
• Constant gross grasp and seeing near with acuity.
• Essential physical conditions include feeling (sensation), color vision, and hearing clearly.