Student Professional Nurse - Med/Surg Oncology / Medicine (PRN)

PRN position at Houston Methodist West Hospital. Day shift: 7am - 7pm. Minimum requirement: 1 shift per week. Please note: you must commit to 1.2 weeks of uninterrupted training during your first 2 weeks of employment. No exceptions.

About the Role

The Student Professional Nurse (SPN) position is part of the Methodist Advancement into Professional Practice (MAPP) program. This program provides students with opportunities to follow a nursing preceptor to build clinical competency and confidence in transitioning from student to new graduate nurse. This position is accountable for nursing care administered under the direction of a Registered Nurse, demonstrating clinical knowledge and skills to carry out delegated tasks for age-specific populations within the unit's scope of service. The SPN demonstrates appropriate communication skills and interpersonal relationships, practicing Patient Family Centered Care in alignment with Houston Methodist ICARE values: Integrity, Compassion, Accountability, Respect, and Excellence.

FLSA Status: Non-exempt

Qualifications

• High School diploma or equivalent (e.g., GED, verification of homeschool equivalency, partial or full completion of post-secondary education)
• Enrolled in a school of nursing program maintaining a minimum 3.2 GPA
• Successfully completed at least one clinical rotation
• Basic Life Support (BLS) or Instructor certification from the American Heart Association (AHA)

Skills and Abilities

• Demonstrates skills and competencies necessary to safely perform the assigned job, determined through ongoing assessments
• Proficient in speaking, reading, and writing English to perform essential job functions, especially regarding patient or employee safety
• Effectively communicates with patients, physicians, family members, and coworkers in a customer service-focused manner
• Performs basic patient care activities of daily living (ADLs) within unit-specific limits, such as assistance with elimination, hygiene, comfort, safety, nutrition, and progress activity

Responsibilities

People

• Promotes a positive work environment and assists the interprofessional care team to achieve optimal department results
• Contributes to the work effort as a whole by leading and initiating problem resolution within the work unit
• Facilitates teamwork by anticipating needs and responding positively to requests for assistance
• Collaborates with all members of the interprofessional health care team through active communication and reporting of pertinent patient care information
• Teaches others to critically think by verbally expressing rationale for decisions and following up consistently
• Initiates contributions toward improving department scores for turnover, retention, and employee satisfaction

Service

• Participates in nursing care conferences and discharge planning with patients, families, and other healthcare team members
• Organizes workflow, problem-solves routine matters, and manages multiple priorities with guidance from a preceptor
• Delivers care in a kind, courteous, and honest manner
• Identifies and communicates patient problems/needs and nursing interventions to the assigned Registered Nurse
• Reinforces health care information/teaching provided by the Registered Nurse to patients and families
• Role models patient and family-centered care standards and provides direct patient care under the direction of a registered nurse
• Responds to call lights, contacts nursing personnel as appropriate, and follows through with patient needs
• Uses peer-to-peer accountability to improve department scores for patient satisfaction (e.g., bedside shift handoff/report)

Quality/Safety

• Performs direct patient care, treatments, and procedures in accordance with established policies and standards
• Legally documents delegated observations, interventions, and care administered per established policies and procedures
• Accurately reports observations, conditions, and problems of patients to licensed personnel to achieve desired outcomes
• Acts as a patient advocate by preserving privacy and prioritizing patient safety
• Rounds to ensure patient needs are met (four P’s: Pain, Potty, Positioning, Possessions)
• Supports initiatives to prevent pressure ulcers, patient falls, and hospital-acquired infections
• Reports near misses and collaborates with the interprofessional team to improve patient safety
• Contributes to corrective actions and improvement activities impacting quality and safety targets on the unit-based scorecard

Finance

• Acts as a good steward of resources by ensuring the best use of equipment and materials
• Self-motivated to manage time effectively, prioritize daily tasks, and minimize incidental overtime
• Coordinates with colleagues to meet the overall demands of the unit
• Assists with patient and staffing needs (floats) across the service line or hospital within the scope of their role or validated competencies

Growth/Innovation

• Fosters a positive and constructive patient care environment by engaging coworkers in valuable learning opportunities aligned with department objectives
• Responds positively to change by accepting and using new practices
• Completes and updates the Individual Development Plan (IDP) on an ongoing basis, including developing advanced skills
• Actively engages in evidence-based research to enhance nursing practice and patient care delivery
• Offers innovative solutions through participation in performance improvement projects and shared governance activities

Work Attire

• Uniform: No
• Scrubs: Yes
• Business professional: No
• Other (department approved): Yes

On-Call and Travel

• On-call: May be required during emergencies (e.g., disaster, severe weather events)
• Travel: May require travel within the Houston Metropolitan area (No)
• Travel outside Houston Metropolitan area: No