This position is eligible for a $5,000 sign-on bonus for external candidates only. Please review details here.
The Neurosurgical ICU is a 16-bed unit caring for critically ill patients with injury or disease to the nervous system. The nurse to patient ratio is 1:2. Common diagnoses of patients include post-op craniotomies or tumor resections, interventional radiology procedures, ischemic or hemorrhagic stroke including SAH, post TPA administration, brain tumor and AVM. Care of this population incorporates a multi-disciplinary team of physicians with specialized training in neuro critical care, acute care nurse practitioners, critical care nurses with neuroscience training and critical care trained pharmacists. There is also a close involvement with physical therapists, occupational therapists, speech therapists, respiratory therapists and case managers. Nurses hired to NSICU will continue education specifically around the neuroscience patient population and will directly assist practitioners, while monitoring patients, during bedside procedures such as IVD placement, CVC insertion and intubations.
All team members are expected to be knowledgeable and compliant with Prisma Health's values: Inspire health. Serve with compassion. Be the difference.
Collects data and completes nursing assessment utilizing appropriate area and/or age specific standards/policies and tools. Completes appropriate forms. Assesses and recognizes subtle or actual changes in patients' status and patient response to intervention. Identifies nursing priorities for patient plan of care based on nursing assessment and other data as appropriate. Validates these priorities with healthcare team members and documents appropriately.
Develops an individual plan of care based on the age and assessed needs of the patient. Develops the plan in collaboration with the patient and/or family, the provider, and other members of the interdisciplinary health care team.
Updates the plan based on changes in the patient's condition and communicates changes in the plan to other members of the team.
Identifies realistic and measurable goals and outcomes to be attained prior to discharge. Validates these with the patient and/or family.
Demonstrates respect for the patient's/family cultural, spiritual, and belief system in planning for care.
Includes planning for discharge to assure continuity of care and a smooth transition post discharge from one level of care to another including appropriate referrals.
Provides direct care to assigned patients consistent with the established nursing plan.
Performs specific tasks based on organizational, departmental and/or unit policies and procedures within the RN scope of practice.
Delegates nursing tasks as appropriate to members of the healthcare team, developing written assignments (if appropriate) and ensures completion of assigned tasks.
Monitors quality of care delivered on a continual basis; ensures appropriate surveillance of assigned patients.
Provides care based on patient and unit priorities, coordinating and organizing tasks as appropriate, utilizing resources internal and external to the unit. Incorporates cost containment principles into nursing care. Utilizes appropriate technology in daily practice.
Assumes responsibility for patient safety by maintaining a safe environment to include awareness of safety procedures, protocols and adherence to patient care standards.
Utilizes performance indicators to collect data, monitor quality and effectiveness while providing nursing care.
Completes assigned hospital/unit performance improvement monitoring (audits).
Based on assessment/reassessment of patient response to interventions, evaluates plan of care for effectiveness, documents progress toward expected outcomes, and revises plan of care as needed. Reports changes in patient condition and refers unresolved problems to appropriate healthcare team members. Discusses outcomes with peers (via shift-to-shift report) and with other healthcare team members.
Evaluates opportunities for quality improvement; based upon evaluation, incorporates performance improvement recommendations into the plan of care as appropriate.
Identifies/assesses patient/family learning needs and teaches accordingly by using language and terminology that the patient/family is familiar with providing examples to clarify ideas, implementing and evaluating teaching plan (encourages patient/family involvement/participation), Computer resources and Micromedex utilization
Communicates the patient/family's need for education/teaching to others in the healthcare continuum.
Evaluates own nursing practice in relation to professional practice standard guidelines, state statutes, policies, procedures, rules/regulations and current specific knowledge. Takes personal accountability for maintaining competency through education and professional activities. Maintains professional licensure and completes required mandatory education in a timely manner. Reflects on identified areas of strength that offer opportunity for improvement.
Ensures that written documentation and oral communication focuses on pertinent information to support meeting patient/family care needs.
Serves as the patient's advocate and coordinator of care, working collaboratively with providers and other members of the healthcare team.
Performs other duties as assigned.
