RN- Med Surg

Quality Position Function and Duties

• Ensures quality of care by adhering to therapeutic standards, measuring health outcomes against patient care goals and standards.
• Making recommendations for adjustments in patient care as necessary.
• Adheres to Infection Prevention standards, consistent in hand hygiene practice before and after each patient interaction.
• Adheres to infection prevention precautions.
• Holds team members to IP and hand hygiene standards and room/patient IP precaution measures to prevent infection or the spread of infection.
• Follows Huggins Hospital's mission, vision and philosophy of care.
• Participates in quality review, performance improvement and patient satisfaction initiatives within the department (such as hourly rounding, collateral duties, and chart audits).

Professionalism

• Adheres to standards and applicable codes of conduct that govern behavior among peer and colleagues to create and environment promoting cooperation, respect and trust.
• Maintains professionalism by conforming to the Huggins Hospital dress code.
• Continues professional growth by maintaining education hours for license renewals and participating in hospital committees, clinical council, and professional organizations.
• Maintain ACLS and BCLS certification.
• Participates in orientation of new employees as well as mentoring of less experienced staff members.
• Maintains a clean & safe work environment, organizing stocking & ordering supplies, equipment, cleaning & maintenance.
• Reviews acuity, code cart & narcotic sheets for completion, etc.
• Flexibility of work schedule: covering sick calls, requests, shortages, etc.

Intensive Care Nursing Competency

• Maintains a strong critical care knowledge base with emphasis on the cardio-vascular & respiratory systems.
• Continually seeks educational opportunities to refresh & build on knowledge base.
• Demonstrates critical care knowledge relating to all ages and medical / surgical conditions: Anticipates & assesses for potential complications, identifies abnormal findings and determines appropriate nursing intervention.
• Evaluates patient's response and communicates status & needs to the physician and other appropriate personnel.
• Effectively organizes work and prioritizes care in a logical sequence based on sound judgement while collaborating with other health team members involved in providing care to the patient with multiple needs, tests & procedures.
• Continually monitors ICU and Telemetry cardiac rhythms, posting rhythm strips, responding to alarms, correctly identifying dysrhythmias and intervening appropriately.
• Able to cardiovert and/or defibrillate & assist with emergent intubation when needed.
• Maintains ACLS certification.
• Demonstrates thorough knowledge of operation of all equipment utilized in ICU: CVP monitoring, CO2 monitoring, temporary pacemakers, external pacemakers, defibrillators, Arterial pressure monitoring and implements standards for environmental health and safety for both the patient and staff.
• Demonstrates ability to initiate & titrate a variety of IV drips utilized in the ICU and the knowledge base for assessing patient response and intervening appropriately.
• Able to set up and assist with the insertion of A-lines, temporary intravascular pacemakers & Central lines independently or with minimal assist.
• Demonstrates ability to work independently assuming charge of the ICU while maintaining patient safety.

Patient Advocacy

• Develops and/or implements an individualized plan of care, including developmental and cultural needs.
• Utilizes appropriate resources for non-English speaking patients, healthcare illiterate patients, hearing and sight impaired patients and caregivers.
• Clear communication of patient plan of care and education at a level the patient, family, and caregiver can comprehend.
• Takes proactive steps to recognize and report suspected abuse/neglect, including, child abuse, elder abuse, sexual abuse, and spousal abuse.
• Reporting identified cases to supervisor and appropriate authorities.

Organizational Expectations

• Attendance: Attendance is an essential job function; employee comes to work daily, on time, and completes scheduled shift.
• HIPAA: facilitates to maintain patient confidentiality.
• Internal communication: contributes to positive team performance and a culture of service excellence through effective communication, active listening, and respect.
• Interpersonal relationships: maintains appropriate interpersonal relationships with staff, patients, and visitors at all times.
• Works as a team member with other departments.
• Safety: Practices workplace safety daily.

Employee Engagement

• Actively participates in all hospital Service Excellence initiatives and trainings.
• Attends and participates in a minimum of 50% department staff meetings and signs off on review of 100% department staff meeting minutes.
• Completes all required annual education on or before the due date.

Knowledge Skills and Abilities

• Individuals must possess these knowledge, skills, and abilities or be able to explain and demonstrate that they can perform the primary functions of the job, with or without a reasonable accommodation, using some combination of skills and abilities and possess the necessary physical requirements, with or without a reasonable accommodation, to safely perform the essential functions of the job.
• Minimal physical effort required with occasional light lifting to a maximum of 25 pounds; stooping; and pick, pinch, type, or otherwise work primarily with fingers.
• Ability to effectively manage considerable mental stress.
• Ability to express or exchange ideas by means of the spoken word.
• Ability to receive detailed information through oral communication.
• Ability to communicate effectively with co-workers and convey information in a clear, concise and accurate manner.
• Familiarity with computer and other business machines.

Qualifications

• Graduate from an accredited nursing program, BSN preferred.
• One (1) year of Medical Surgical nursing, One (1) year of Critical Care experience preferred.