RN Surgery

Responsibilities

• Leadership: Delegates nursing care activities and monitors care given by appropriate care team members in accordance with patient needs, and the team member’s professional capabilities and qualifications. Assists in creating a positive work environment by mentoring of staff/students, and working with team members to develop and facilitate initiatives to strive for positive outcomes in quality and care of patients. Complies with all policies and procedures, and guides team members with compliance. Reliable attendance is an expectation of the team member role, as well as a leader in the unit.
• Professional Growth: Assumes responsibility for continued growth in areas of competencies, lifelong learning and involvement in unit and hospital quality of care projects. Specialty certifications and continuing education are strongly encouraged. Supports use of Evidenced Based Practice and incorporates best practices into daily care routine. Participates in mandatory education and unit meetings per established guidelines. Compiles with all safety goals, infection prevention and risk management policies and procedures. Completes annual mandatory education.
• Communication: Communicates utilizing the FOCUS standards in all aspects of care and interactions with others. Verbal communication is clear and concise, and written communication is legible and done using approved abbreviations. Effectively communicates with all team members, physicians, ancillary staff and all customers.
• Collaboration: Practice indicates compliance with HIPAA, DNV, OSHA and all other regulatory agencies. Demonstrates the ability to be flexible in meeting needs of the unit as a team member. Works effectively with multidisciplinary team assessing needs of the patient/family, establishing goals for the patient/family, and also assists in development of quality improvements that may cross over from department to department.
• Delivery of Care: Delivers high quality care utilizing the nursing process, and demonstrates knowledge and clinical skills of the specialty required on assigned unit in accordance with established policies and procedures. Documentation reflects complete information and accurate legal record of patient’s care. Follows compliance requirements for federally funded programs (e.g. Medicare and Medicaid) regarding fraud, waste and abuse. Complies with established nursing Operating Room Functions.
• Operating Room Functions: Demonstrates an ability to perform all duties required of a circulating nurse in accordance with established procedures. Consistently anticipates needs of surgeon and surgical assistants in providing instruments and supplies needed in operative procedures. Directs and assists in carrying-out safe aseptic techniques and procedures as outlined in the Operating Room policy and procedure manuals; observes and reports contamination and/or breaks in antiseptic techniques. Uses the nursing process to assess, plan and evaluate nursing care to meet identified self-care deficits and ensure safe patient care. Actively participates in patient/family education and explains intraoperative procedures. Directs and assists in the maintenance and handling of special instruments and equipment. Circulating records are accurate and complete. Ensures appropriate reports and records are on a patient’s chart according to Health System policies and procedures. Delegates nursing care activities and monitors care given by team members in accordance with patient needs and the personal/professional capabilities and qualifications. Utilizes patient care and unit supplies in a manner that is both patient care and cost effective.

Qualifications

• Education: Graduate of accredited nursing program.
• Licenses/Certifications: Current licensure in good standing to practice as a Registered Nurse in Iowa. Must be BCLS certified through AHA upon hire. Completion of one hour of stroke education prior to the end of orientation and annually.
• Knowledge/Skills/Abilities: Writes, reads, comprehends and speaks fluent English. Multicultural sensitivity. Microsoft Office – basic computer skills. Customer/patient focused. Critical thinking skills using independent judgment in making decisions.