RN (PRN)

Essential Duties

• Aid the Director of Nursing Services in directing the day-to-day functions of the nursing activities.
• Participate in developing, maintaining, and updating written policies and procedures that govern the nursing service department.
• Ensure that reference material at the nurses' stations is current.
• Recommend written material to assist the nursing service department in meeting its needs.
• Ensure that the Nursing Service Procedures Manual is current and reflects the day-to-day nursing procedures.
• Ensure that all nursing service personnel comply with the procedures set forth in the Nursing Service Procedures Manual.
• Make written and oral reports/recommendations to the Director as necessary/required.
• Periodically review the department's policies, procedure manuals, job descriptions, etc., and make recommendations to the Director.
• Coordinate nursing services with other resident services to ensure the continuity of the residents' total regimen of care.
• Adequately staff the nursing service department to ensure quality care is maintained.
• Ensure that certified nursing assistants are available to provide routine nursing care.
• Delegate administrative authority, responsibility, and accountability to Charge Nurses.
• Ensure that nursing assistant trainees are supervised by licensed nurses.
• Perform daily rounds to ensure nursing service personnel are performing their work assignments according to acceptable nursing standards.
• Monitor absenteeism and report problem areas to the Director.
• Maintain a good working rapport with inter-department personnel to ensure the provision of adequate nursing services.
• Meet with your shift on a regular basis to assist in identifying and correcting problem areas and improving services.
• Evaluate the department's workforce and make recommendations to the Director concerning employee dismissals, transfers, etc.
• Administer departmental disciplinary action fairly and without regard to race, color, creed, national origin, age, sex, religion, handicap, or marital status.
• Report occupational exposures to blood, body fluids, infectious materials, and hazardous chemicals in accordance with the facility's policies and procedures.
• Ensure that departmental computer workstations are properly logged off or the password-protected automatic screen-saver activates.

Committee Functions

• Attend various committee meetings of the facility (e.g., Infection Control, Policy Advisory, Pharmaceutical, Quality Assessment, etc.) as required.
• Prepare written and/or oral reports of the nursing service programs and activities to submit to such committee(s) as directed.
• Provide information to the Quality Assurance and Assessment Committee as requested.
• Develop the agenda for the Care Plan Committee meetings as necessary.
• Review and evaluate discharge plans and make them available to the Care Plan Committee as required or as may be necessary.
• Implement recommendations from established committees as instructed by the Director.

Nursing Care Functions

• Inform nursing service personnel of new admissions and their expected time of arrival, room assignment, etc.
• Ensure that rooms are ready for new admissions.
• Greet newly admitted residents upon admission and escort them to their rooms as necessary.
• Consult with the resident, his/her family, and the resident’s physician in planning the resident’s care, treatment, rehabilitation, etc., as necessary.
• Notify the Director when physician visits are not made in a timely manner.
• Inform the Director when there is a change in the resident’s condition.
• Visit residents on a daily basis to observe and evaluate their physical and emotional status.
• Ensure that direct nursing care is provided by a licensed nurse, a certified nursing assistant, and/or a nurse aide trainee.
• Review nurses’ notes to ensure they are informative and descriptive of the nursing care being provided, and that such care is provided in accordance with the resident’s wishes.
• Provide direct nursing care as necessary.
• Start IVs, obtain sputum, urine, and other specimens for lab tests as ordered.
• Take TPRs, blood pressures, etc., as necessary.
• Admit, transfer, and discharge residents as necessary.
• Report problem areas to the Director.
• Authorize the use of restraints when necessary and in accordance with the facility’s policies and procedures.
• Ensure that all RNs and LPNs on your shift comply with written procedures for the administration, storage, and control of medications and supplies.
• Monitor medication passes and treatment schedules to ensure that medications are being administered as ordered and that treatments are provided as scheduled.
• Inspect the nursing service treatment areas daily to ensure they are maintained in a clean and safe manner.
• Ensure that residents who are unable to call for help are checked frequently.
• Assist in arranging transportation for discharged residents as necessary.
• Inform family members of the death of the resident and call funeral homes when requested by the family.

Staff Development

• Develop, plan, conduct, and schedule in-service training classes that provide instructions on “how to do the job”.
• Aid the In-service Director/Educator in developing annual facility in-service training programs (e.g., OSHA, TB, HIPAA, Abuse Prevention, Safety, Infection Control, etc.).
• Aid the Director in planning clinical supervision for nurse aide trainees.
• Attend and participate in continuing education programs designed to keep up-to-date with changes in the profession and to maintain the license on a current status.

Safety and Sanitation

• Develop safety standards for the nursing service department as necessary.
• Evaluate and classify routine and job-related functions to ensure that tasks involving potential exposure to blood/body fluids are properly identified and recorded.
• Ensure that personnel performing tasks involving potential exposure to blood/body fluids participate in appropriate in-service training programs.
• Ensure that an adequate supply of personal protective equipment is on hand and readily available to personnel who perform procedures involving exposure to blood or body fluids.
• Ensure that personnel follow established procedures for the use and disposal of personal protective equipment.
• Monitor your shift’s personnel to ensure they are following established safety regulations in the use of equipment and supplies.
• Ensure that nursing service personnel comply with established departmental policies and procedures.
• Ensure that nursing service work areas (i.e., nurse stations, treatment areas) are maintained in a clean and safe manner.