RN - Charge Nurse (PCU) (Monday-Friday 7a-3p)

Job Summary :

Under the direction of the Nurse Manager, this position assesses, plans, organizes and evaluates all aspects of patient care for assigned unit / patients.

Essential Job Functions :

Utilizes the nursing process to provide quality patient care according to established standards of care which includes planning, implementing, evaluating and adjusting plan of care, and discharge planning based on expected patient outcomes : admits, transfers, and discharges patients;

completes ongoing patient assessment and documents according to policy; completes nursing assessment within 2 hours of admission, or designates reason for incompleteness.

Reviews database and nutrition screen; participates in the development of patient plan of care to include patient problems, goals, evaluations, and interventions;

reports symptoms and significant changes in patient's condition to appropriate personnel; assesses, collaborates and coordinates patient's discharge planning needs and readiness for discharge with other members of the care team.

• Demonstrates appropriate application of age specific standards, policies, and procedures and guidelines in caring for adolescent, adult, and geriatric patients : follows age specific standards in administering medications based on patient's age;
• follows age specific standards of care during altered states of consciousness related to analgesia, conscious sedation or anesthesia;

uses age specific standards, policies and procedures and guidelines to perform treatments and procedures that are routine for unit / clinic based on patient's age.

Incorporates cultural and developmental needs into plan of care : in collaboration with the patient / family, and in a developmentally and culturally appropriate manner, implements the plan of care;

demonstrates competency in the provision of nursing care according to established standards of nursing practice and in developmentally appropriate manner.

Collaborates and works cooperatively with physicians and other members of the multi-disciplinary health care team in formal and informal teaching of patients and / or family about his or her disease process and wellness promotion plan and discharge planning : assesses patient / family learning needs, abilities, preferences, and readiness to learn;

utilizes a collaborative interdisciplinary process to provide appropriate patient / family education; utilizes available information to evaluate the effectiveness of teaching in producing the desired patient outcomes and makes adjustments in teaching as indicated.

• Participates in performance improvement activities which include collecting, analyzing data to identify quantifiable measures to maintain quality and the promotion of desired outcomes.
• Responsible for overall supervision of tasks and workflow of the unit (including staff assignments); communicates collaboratively with the Nurse Manager to resolve issues of assigned unit.
• Demonstrates critical thinking skills, ability to provide and delegate appropriate activities to staff based on patient assessment, complexity of the task, level of competence of staff and / or certification / licensure requirements and the requirements to deliver care in a safe efficient manner maximizing positive outcomes for the patient.
• Executes and ensures compliance with policies and procedures of the hospital and the nursing department.
• Completes leadership rounds for both environmental enhancement and patient satisfaction.
• Promotes teamwork and monitors staff members work performance, offering solutions to improve performance with regard to clinical skills, behavioral standards and / or time management.
• Coaches staff members who require redirection, documenting actions taken (in collaboration with department leadership).
• Identifies potential risks to patients : identifies risks to patients in order to reduce incidence of injury; identifies actions to eliminate, minimize or report risks;

identifies procedures to follow in the event of an incident; reports processes for common problems, failures and user errors.

Qualifications, Knowledge, and Ability :

• Graduate of a school of nursing, Bachelor of Science in Nursing preferred.
• One (1) to three (3) years recent experience as an RN; experience in orthopedic, neurosurgical, pain management specialties preferred.
• Current state license as a registered nurse; current CPR certification.
• ACLS and PALS certification.
10 days ago