JOB SUMMARY
Works under the supervision of the unit Supervisor/Manager/Director. A registered professional nurse is responsible for the delivery of patient care through the nursing process of assessment, planning, implementation, and evaluation. She/he is responsible for direction and guidance of patient teaching and activities of ancillary personnel while maintaining standards of professional nursing and the policies and operating instructions of Memorial Healthcare. Strives for superior performance by consistently providing a product of service to leadership and staff that is recognized as ultimately contributing to the patient and family experience. As a customer-focused Memorial Healthcare team member, he/she must be accessible, flexible, knowledgeable, and responsive.
PRIMARY JOB RESPONSIBILITIES
- Assesses the physical, psychological, and social dimensions and the educational needs of the patient on admission and completes a written assessment within the time frame designated by the type of patient.
- Identifies patient needs and formulates a written care plan based on the assessment of the patient. Care plan is initiated within 24 hours of admission.
- Plan of care is implemented and documentation of effectiveness is reflected in the medical record. Revises/updates the plan as necessary or at least every 24 hours. Establishes a compassionate environment by providing emotional, psychological, and spiritual support to patients, friends, and families.
- Promotes patient's independence by establishing patient care goals; teaching patient, friends, and family to understand condition, medications, and self-care skills; and answering questions.
- Assures quality of care by adhering to therapeutic standards; measuring health outcomes against patient care goals and standards; making or recommending necessary adjustments; following hospital and nursing division's philosophies and standards of care set by state board of nursing, state nurse practice act, and other governing agency regulations.
- Resolves patient problems and needs by utilizing multidisciplinary team strategies.
- Protects patients and other employees by adhering to infection-control policies and protocols, medication administration and storage procedures, and controlled substance regulations.
- Maintains continuity of care among nursing teams and physicians by documenting and communicating actions, irregularities, and continuing patient needs.
- Maintains a cooperative relationship among healthcare teams by communicating information; responding to requests; building rapport; and participating in team problem-solving methods.
- Utilizes leadership skills through delegation to, communicate with, and evaluate team members.
- Recognizes changes in status of the patient and provides appropriate intervention and documentation.
- Provides ongoing patient and family education based on daily assessment of disease process, care requirements, and expected recovery.
- Prioritizes care based on individual patient needs.
- Demonstrates strong focus on patient education.
- Initiates appropriate referrals as identified to meet the discharge needs of patients in collaboration with case management.
- Participates in inservice and/or continuing education to maintain and improve understanding of the present and future trends in healthcare, and participates in unit and hospital-wide committees to identify needs and assists in continuous performance improvement. Attends a minimum of eight monthly staff meetings annually.
- Communicates identified unit problems following appropriate chain of command (Coordinator, Manager, Director, Vice President), and actively participates in the problem- solving process.
- Demonstrates job related aspects of patient safety to assure a safe environment, safe and effective use of equipment and technology, and decreased risk of potential adverse patient occurrences.
- Demonstrates knowledge of and supports hospital mission, vision, value statements, standards, policies and procedures, operating instructions, confidentiality statements, corporate compliance plan, customer service standards, and standards of behavior.
- Demonstrates the knowledge and skills necessary to provide care appropriate to the age of patients served on his/her assigned unit. Must demonstrate knowledge of the principles of growth and development over the life span and possess the ability to assess data reflective of the patient's status and interpret the appropriate information needed to identify each patient's requirements relative to his/her age-specific needs, and to provide the care needed as described in the unit's and division's policies and procedures.
- Performs other duties as assigned.
JOB SPECIFICATIONS
EDUCATION
- Have graduated from an accredited school of nursing.
- Active, un-expired RN license from the State of Michigan.
EXPERIENCE
- Related experience preferred, not required.
- Current certification in AHA-BLS for Healthcare Providers required or obtain within 2 weeks of hire.
- Departmental specific requirements as outlined in Attachment A.
ESSENTIAL PHYSICAL ABILITIES/MOTOR SKILLS
- Able to travel independently throughout all Memorial Healthcare facilities.
- Standing/Walking: Standing and walking is required for the majority of time spent in the clinical area. Standing in one position is required while performing certain aspects of patient care.
- Sitting: Sit while charting or entering data into a computer. One may also sit while receiving/giving verbal reports at the start/end of one's shift. Employees will intermittently sit throughout the day, depending on clinical assignment.
- Lifting: Regular lifting of medical supplies, medications, patient supplies, and patient charts, which weighing up to ten pounds is required. Also lifting CPR equipment and other medical equipment weighing up to 45 pounds is required. It is required to assist in lifting and transferring patients of varying weights and is expected to request assistance when lifting, ambulating, and repositioning patients. One must be able to support at least 75 pounds to reposition, transfer, and ambulate patients safely.
- Carrying: Frequent carrying of medical supplies and other items weighing up to 45 pounds is required, along with occasional carrying of certain medical equipment weighing up to 50 pounds.
- Pushing/Pulling: Pushing/pulling 70-100 pounds is required when administering patient therapy and care, as well as when pushing equipment such as oxygen tanks and monitors, and when transporting patients in wheelchairs, beds or gurneys. When administering CPR, enough force to compress the chest 1.5 to 2 inches, which requires 100 to 125 pounds of force. Full manual dexterity of both upper extremities is required.
- Climbing: No significant climbing is required; one may be required to climb a step stool.
- Bending: Bending is required when administering patient care. One must be able to bend to touch the floor to remove environmental hazards.
- Reaching: Reaching above one's head is required when performing aspects of care such as hanging and adjusting IV bags.
- Squatting/Kneeling: Squatting or kneeling is required when operating medical equipment and performing aspects of patient care, such as CPR.
- Twisting: Twisting at the waist is required when bathing patients and performing other procedures.
- Hearing: One must have normal hearing (aids permitted) in order to perform physical assessments, including listening with a stethoscope for bowel, heart, and lung sounds. One must also be able to hear to detect subtle, yet critical information regarding patient conditions including alarms, and to communicate with physicians and other professionals involved in patient care.
- Visual Acuity: Vision is required within normal limits (glasses or contacts permitted) for monitoring equipment, reading medical data, preparing and administering medications and injections, and performing physical assessments of patients including subtle changes in color.
- Depth Perception: Required for fine tasks such as administering injections, sterile catheter insertions (urinary, IV), nasogastric tube insertions.
- Fine Motor Skills: One must have fine motor skills of all fingers and be able to grasp and control medical equipment, and to perform precise procedures such as sterile dressing changes. Ability to grasp objects such as a pen to prepare handwritten reports is also required.
- Tactile Sensation: One must be able to assess patients through palpation with fingers and hands, and must be able to distinguish between warm/cold and be able to feel vibrations.
- Smell: One must have normal sense of smell to detect odors indicating unsafe conditions or changing patient status.
ESSENTIAL TECHNICAL ABILITIES
- Proficiency using computer applications, telephone and including technical equipment used by Memorial Healthcare.
- Ability to enter clinical documentation using electronic medical records (EMR) charting.
ESSENTIAL MENTAL ABILITIES
- Ability to adapt and maintain focus in fast paced, quickly changing or stressful situations.
- Ability to read and interpret a variety of documents including, but not limited to policies, operating instructions, white papers, regulations, rules and laws.
- Complete a history and head-to-toe initial assessment of patient’s condition for multiple systems.
- Formulate a care plan based upon the assessment and to evaluate patients' reactions to the care plan.
- Understand doctor’s orders.
- Document assessment, interventions, and evaluation.
- Calculate medication dosages and IV rates.
- Function well under pressure.
ESSENTIAL SENSORY REQUIREMENTS
- Able to see for the purpose of reading information received in formats including but not limited to paper, computer, reports, bulletins, updates, manuals.
- Able to see and hear for work-related purposes.
- Communicate receptively and expressively in English, both written and verbal, with diverse populations, including physicians, patients, families, community agencies, employees, and volunteers.
- Visually assess patient's condition and to auscultate lung, heart, bowel sounds, etc. and palpate as needed for assessment or treatment.
- Accurately hear communication by phone or in person.
INTERPERSONAL SKILLS
- Maintain confidentiality.
- Ability to interact with co-workers, hospital staff, administration, patients, physicians, the public and all internal and external customers in a professional and effective, courteous and tactful manner, at all times, physically, verbally and in all written and electronic communication.
- Required to remain calm when adversity is encountered.
- Open, honest, and tactful communication skills.
- Ability to work as a team member in all activities.
- Positive, cooperative and motivated attitude.
