Staff RN Dialysis, PER DIEM

About the role

Stamford Health is hiring a PER DIEM Dialysis RN for the Inpatient Dialysis Unit.

Responsibilities

• Planner, organizer, implementer, and evaluator of patient care for patients of all ages, adult to geriatric.
• Care coordinator, delegator, and direct provider of nursing care for patients by working cooperatively with patients, family members, and all patient care team members.
• Supervisor of patients and team members in accordance with their level of training and the patient’s acuity.
• Maintainer of accountability for the coordination and delivery of care to patients with end stage renal disease.
• Preparation and oversight of dialysis delivery systems, dialysate baths, and dialyzers, ensuring mandatory alarm tests on the dialyzers and equipment are performed.
• Reviewing physician orders for dialysis patients, collecting pre-dialysis data, and reviewing patient records prior to dialysis.
• Conducting pre-dialysis patient assessment, including obtaining patient vital signs and assessing vascular access, laboratory findings, and the patient's general health.
• Verifying patients are taking prescribed medications and performing medication reconciliation.
• Documenting findings of patient assessments and interventions and advising providers of any significant changes in the patient's condition and other pertinent information.
• Discussing patient concerns and answering questions relevant to care.
• Overseeing dialysis technicians in the performance of dialysis from start to finish, monitoring patient reactions to treatment and performance of dialysis machines, and demonstrating an in-depth understanding of the mechanics of dialysis.
• Maintaining skills necessary to perform surveillance on dialysis access (catheter, fistula, graft) for early signs of failure or infection; this includes (if needed and after receiving the appropriate training) the ability to perform arteriovenous access monitoring using ultrasound machine per protocol.
• Reviewing patient's electronic/paper records for orders as appropriate and administering dialysis related intra-venous and/or oral medications as prescribed and/or per protocol.
• Conducting post-dialysis assessment and patient discharge by evaluating treatment, documenting medication administration utilizing the appropriate protocols, assessing condition of vascular access, and documenting and recording patient treatment data.
• Providing patient education/teaching applicable to the patient's medical condition.
• Referring patient to other disciplines or services as needed (nutrition, social work, etc).
• Performing other treatments and diagnostic tests such as blood sugar testing and other tests required as part of patient treatment.
• Maintaining skills necessary to do regional heparinization, separate and store blood samples, set up oxygen, administer saline, and maintain dialysis equipment.
• Performing surveillance and testing of dialysis water treatment equipment and dialysis water (such as chlorine, hardness, conductivity, water cultures) to ensure that these machines are operating within the parameters set in the facility's written protocols.
• Demonstrating a working knowledge of dialysis laboratory tests and dialysis medications.
• Demonstrating an in-depth understanding of infection control and prevention of transmission of blood borne pathogens.
• Participating in quality improvement activities to include collection of data for the dialysis unit Quality Assurance Performance Improvement (QAPI) plan.
• Responding appropriately and providing assistance in emergency situations.
• Providing leadership in improving patient care, maintaining standards of care, directing and teaching personnel in a variety of settings, and providing charge nurse responsibilities as needed.
• Works closely with others on the dialysis team and participates in interdisciplinary team meetings.
• Will be required to cross-train to Medical Surgical Units to provide nursing support when Dialysis patient volume is low.

Qualifications

• Graduate of an accredited school of nursing.
• Valid license as Registered Nurse in CT.
• BLS Certification.
• Excellent customer service / communication skills.
• Knowledge of medical terminology.
• Must have 2 years of Acute Care Dialysis experience.
• Must be able to read, write and speak the English language.
• Previous experience with adult and pediatric clinical assessments preferred.