RN Emergency Department - Night Shift - $10,000 Hiring Bonus

About the Role

The Emergency Department (ED) serves as the critical hub of the Cherokee Indian Hospital, delivering high-acuity, patient-centered care to individuals of all ages. Excellence in clinical skill and critical thinking is expected, as the ED demands rapid decision-making and expert execution under pressure. Nurses are expected to exemplify the highest standards of professionalism, consistently demonstrating a positive attitude, cultural sensitivity, and adherence to the hospital’s guiding principles. Each interaction reflects a commitment to treating patients and families with dignity, compassion, and the same level of care one would offer their own loved ones. The RN’s role directly impacts patient outcomes and supports the ED’s vital role as the core of the hospital’s mission.

Responsibilities

• Patient Care & Assessment
  • Provides nursing care per established standards.
  • Performs comprehensive, ongoing patient assessments using biological, psychological, social, and cultural data.
  • Recognizes patient needs for health promotion, prevention, maintenance, and restoration.
  • Develops and initiates individualized plans of care based on assessments and diagnoses.
  • Establishes expected outcomes that are measurable and time-bound.
• Planning & Implementation
  • Plans for basic patient needs: nutrition, hygiene, activity, rest, oxygenation, comfort, coping.
  • Implements nursing interventions aligned with care plans.
  • Revises care plans based on patient response and changing needs.
  • Provides health education and anticipatory guidance tailored to patient/family understanding.
• Medication & Documentation
  • Administers medications per protocol; documents per policy.
  • Monitors for side effects, allergies, and reports medication errors.
  • Documents assessments, interventions, outcomes, and communication accurately.
• Leadership & Coordination
  • Provides guidance and training to nursing staff.
  • Leads team when assigned; delegates based on staff competency and patient needs.
  • Coordinates referrals to support, community, and tribal services.
  • Promotes patient advocacy and maintains confidentiality.
• Quality & Safety
  • Maintains a safe, clean environment; follows universal precautions and OSHA standards.
  • Participates in quality improvement and risk management activities.
  • Ensures adequate supplies and proper equipment function.
  • Serves on committees as appointed.
• Professional Development
  • Maintains current competency through education and training.
  • Participates in nursing quality assurance and performance evaluations.
• Complexity of Duties
  • Demonstrates flexibility, emotional intelligence, and the ability to lead individuals with varied work styles and personalities.
  • Maintains professionalism, integrity, and composure in high-pressure and fast-paced environments.
  • Provides comprehensive nursing care, including:
    • Patient assessment and care planning
    • Medication administration and therapeutic interventions
    • Use of specialized medical equipment
    • Evaluation of patient outcomes
    • Physical and psychosocial support
    • Patient and family education
  • Recognizes and responds promptly to changes in patient condition; identifies, analyzes, and reports contributing factors.
  • Practices in accordance with the Nurse Practice Act, professional standards, organizational policies, and applicable regulations.
  • Delivers care through a trauma-informed, culturally responsive approach, honoring each patient’s unique background.
  • Exercises independent clinical judgment when guidelines do not fully address patient-specific situations; critical thinking skills are essential.
  • Collaborates with Nurse Manager, providers, and other clinical leaders when addressing complex or atypical scenarios.
• Geriatric Emergency Department Nurse Champion Responsibilities
  • Team Leadership & Education
    • Leads and supports the GEDA team in developing and implementing geriatric-specific care processes.
    • Provides ongoing education to nursing staff on geriatric emergency care, utilizing resources such as the Geriatric Emergency Nursing Education (GENE) course or NICHE training.
    • Assists in protocol development to ensure best practices in geriatric patient care.
  • Protocol Implementation & Workflow Coordination
    • Implements and oversees geriatric-specific protocols, ensuring adherence to accreditation standards.
    • Coordinates interdisciplinary team efforts to optimize workflow for older adult care in the ED.
  • Quality Improvement & Outcome Monitoring
    • Tracks, documents, and reports on key geriatric care metrics, ensuring continuous improvement.
    • Participates in quality assurance initiatives focused on geriatric patient outcomes.
  • Geriatric Patient Advocacy & Environment Enhancements
    • Ensures appropriate physical plant modifications to improve the geriatric patient experience.
    • Advocates for resources and policy changes that enhance geriatric care in the ED.
  • GED Accreditation Compliance & Institutional Collaboration
    • Maintains compliance with GEDA accreditation standards by documenting training, certifications, and ongoing education.
    • Acts as a liaison between ED leadership and hospital administration to align geriatric initiatives with institutional goals.

Requirements

• Associate Degree in nursing from an accredited program required.
• Unrestricted Registered Nurse license valid to practice within the state of North Carolina.
• Basic Life Support (BLS) required within 90 days of hire.
• Advanced Cardiac Life Support (ACLS) and Pediatric Advanced Life Support (PALS) must be acquired within 6 months of hire (can be acquired through the facility).
• Trauma Nursing Core Course (TNCC) and Emergency Nursing Pediatric Course (ENPC) within a year of hire date.

Qualifications

• Preferred
  • Graduated from an accredited Bachelor of Science in Nursing program.
  • Critical care experience preferred.
  • Proficiency rated at 1 year for an RN with one-year clinical nursing experience.
• Job Knowledge
  • Clinical Nursing Knowledge
    • Understands nursing principles, practices, and theories across all age groups—from infants to elderly.
    • Proficient in the nursing process and applying it to patient care.
    • Understands disease processes, signs of complications, and appropriate interventions.
    • Knowledgeable in medication effects, dosages, side effects, and complications.
  • Scope of Practice & Legal/Ethical Standards
    • Clear understanding of RN, LPN, and CNA roles.
    • Familiar with legal and ethical standards in nursing.
    • Experienced in documentation using problem-oriented medical records.
  • Patient-Centered Care
    • Skilled in teaching and counseling patients/families on health maintenance and disease prevention.
    • Culturally competent with awareness of patient population needs.
    • Knowledge of community health resources and programs.
  • Clinical Judgment & Equipment Use
    • Able to analyze medical data and apply appropriate interventions.
    • Skilled in using medical equipment (monitors, suction, oxygen, etc.).
  • Teamwork & Leadership
    • Understands roles of the multidisciplinary team.
    • Capable of leading, organizing, and prioritizing work in high-pressure settings.
    • Experience in setting, evaluating, and revising nursing standards.

Supervision & Work Context

• Supervision Received

  The nurse independently plans, schedules, and provides nursing care in coordination with the medical care plan and attempts to solve problems only within established procedures. This is done under the supervision of the Emergency Department Nurse Manager or their designee. The work is evaluated for technical soundness and adherence to professional standards.

• Responsibility for Accuracy

  The incumbent has a positive effect upon the recovery of the patient and is responsible for following policies and procedures, which serve as hospital guidelines and prevent errors from occurring. Errors can have a negative patient outcome since the incumbent’s performance affects the health, recovery, and rehabilitation of patients, and the quality of care provided. Evaluations and observations are used to modify and develop clinically appropriate treatment plans. Work can be verified or checked by the immediate supervisor, other health care providers, or systems checks, but usually, the responsibility for accuracy relies solely on the incumbent.

• Contact With Others

  Contacts are with patients, families, hospital personnel, and community agencies. Contacts with patients, families, and hospital personnel are to exchange, provide, and obtain information concerning the patient’s physical and psychosocial health care problems and needs. The nurse uses teaching and counseling methods to influence and motivate patient and family behavior. Contacts with other health care or related disciplines within the hospital are for the purpose of collaboration and consultation.

• Confidential Data

  The incumbent has access to highly confidential patient medical and personal information. The Privacy Act of 1974 mandates that the incumbent shall maintain complete confidentiality of all administrative, medical, and all other pertinent information that comes to his/her attention or knowledge. Violations of such confidentiality shall be cause for adverse action.

• Mental/Visual/Physical

  Work in the various services within the nursing department requires considerable walking, standing, bending, pushing