RN II Labor & Delivery

FLSA status: Non-exempt

About the Role

At Houston Methodist, the Registered Nurse (RN) II position is a licensed staff nurse and 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, including conducting nursing assessments, assisting with exams and treatment, patient education, and maintaining medical records. The RN II delivers 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. This 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.
• 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 on the unit-based scorecard.

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.
• Develops, updates, and communicates the plan of care, including discharge, in partnership with the patient, family, and interprofessional health care team, using the nursing process. 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, utilizing appropriate resources.
• Provides patient teaching based on learning needs, evaluates comprehension, and adapts teaching methods accordingly.
• Drives improvement of department scores for patient satisfaction on the unit-based scorecard 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.
• Identifies areas of practice improvement using research-based evidence to achieve core measure and patient safety outcomes, supported by accurate documentation.
• Provides and modifies care for complex patients and coordinates care with the interprofessional team, utilizing clinical judgment and evidence-based practice.
• Improves quality and safety scores on the unit-based scorecard through peer-to-peer accountability, reporting near misses, and collaborating with the interprofessional health care team.

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 on the unit-based scorecard by decreasing length of stay, optimizing efficiency, and other areas as specified.

Growth/Innovation

• Identifies and presents areas for innovation, efficiency, and improvement in patient care or unit operations using evidence-based practice literature.
• Champions new care pathways or service line implementation to improve service to the community.
• 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 the required credentials.
• Twelve months of registered nurse experience in a healthcare environment.

Qualifications

Licenses and Certifications

• Registered Nurse (RN) – Texas State Licensure (Texas Board of Nursing). Compact Licensure accepted; must obtain permanent Texas license within 60 days if establishing Texas residency.
• Basic Life Support (BLS) or Instructor (AHA) – American Heart Association.
• Advanced Cardiac Life Support (ACLS) or Instructor (AHA) – American Heart Association (within 4 months).
• Neonatal Resuscitation (NRP) or Instructor (AHA, AAP) – American Heart Association and American Academy of Pediatrics (within 4 months).
• Fetal Heart Monitoring Certification (FHMC) – Intermediate, Advanced, or Instructor (AWHONN) – Association of Women’s Health Obstetric and Neonatal Nurses (within 4 months).

Knowledge and Abilities

• 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 job 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 and role components.
• Functions independently and exercises judgment in interactions with physicians, the interprofessional care team, and patients and their families.
• Uses critical thinking skills and clinical judgment to work autonomously as defined by the Nurse Practice Act.
• Proficient time management skills.
• Maintains professional contributions as defined in the Clinical Career Path program guide.
• Working knowledge of Microsoft products, including Outlook.

Supplemental Requirements

• Scrubs: Yes
• On-call: Yes (required during emergencies such as disasters or severe weather events).
• Travel: May require travel within the Houston Metropolitan area.