*STAFF NURSE II

Job Summary

Required Qualifications

• •speaking English
• •wears prescribed departmental uniform
• •wears identification name badge
• •Arrives punctually
• •uses sick time appropriately
• •Adheres to the departmental and Medical Center policies on scheduling, overtime, sick time and time off
• •Plans and implements steps to improve knowledge and skills
• •Attends assigned classes and in-services, staff meetings
• •reads all departmental communications and assigned materials
• •Maintains a safe environment
• •prevents/corrects hazardous conditions
• •reports accidents promptly
• •Uses appropriate body mechanics for all work assignments
• •Knowledgeable of the Medical Center's Environment of Care plans and programs
• •Appropriately responds to all safety and emergency signals and notifications
• •Contributes to cost containment through the wise use of both human and material resources
• •Participates in the unit, departmental and Medical Center's Quality Improvement Program, as assigned
• •Follows all unit, departmental and Medical Center Policies and Procedures
• •Demonstrates a knowledge of and competence in age-related patient care, as defined and documented in department standards
• •Interviews the patient/resident/family/significant others on admission, and as needed, and completes an appropriate, documented detailed patient/resident history (admission Database)
• •Identifies actual and/or potential discharge needs and initiates a plan in collaboration with physician(s), case manager, and other health care team members
• •Prioritizes data collection as determined by the patient's/resident's immediate condition or needs
• •Correlates findings from all body systems to determine additional signs/symptoms that should be assessed
• •Recognizes deviations in development/age-specific behaviors and plans interventions, as appropriate, towards a return in normalcy of the patient/resident
• •Consistently and proficiently performs accurate patient/resident physical assessment, incorporating bio-psychosocial, age-specific, and spiritual needs, which are based upon clinical and theoretical knowledge
• •Interprets messages and subtle cues in patient/resident/family movements, gestures, physical appearances, facial expressions, etc., and validates their meaning with the individuals in a supportive/professional manner
• •Identifies variables and relationships in data to assist in developing an individualized plan of care
• •Identifies effectiveness of patient's/resident's support systems
• •Uses analytical and critical thinking skills to assess data, symptomatology, and age-specific needs related to pathophysiologic processes to formulate nursing diagnostic hypothesis
• •Formulates a plan of care within the established time frame to specific unit, based on the identified problems as documented on the plan of care for continuous individualized care
• •Nursing diagnoses are validated with patient/resident/significant others, and health care providers, when possible
• •Develops a written individualized patient/resident plan of care using nursing diagnosis and establishes measurable expected outcomes in behavioral terms for planned nursing interventions consistent with current scientific knowledge of disease, entities and human behavior
• •Develops realistic short-term goals for each problem, involving patient/resident/family, significant others, and health care providers, when appropriate with understanding of the developmental (age-specific) needs of the patient/resident
• •Establishes priorities for care based on multi-disciplinary, teaching, discharge planning and age-specific needs
• •Outcomes are realistic in relation to the patient's/resident's present and potential capabilities
• •Outcomes are attainable in relation to resources available to the patient/resident
• •Outcomes include a time estimate for attainment
• •Outcomes provide direction for continuing care
• •Outcomes are documented
• •Orients patients/residents/families to physical environment and routines
• •ensures the documentation and safety of belongings
• •sets basic care priorities accommodating to changing needs
• •provides physical care/comfort measures
• •assists with activities of daily living
• •Processes or ensures timely processing of physicians' orders, protocols, prescribed tests, procedures and treatments
• •Schedules and coordinates patient/resident care services (i.e., tests, therapies, procedures, etc.) to avoid delays in hospitalization, waste of resources and duplication of services
• •Organized and priorities care based on individual needs and the overall activity of the unit
• •Prescribes, implements, and/or delegates, appropriate interventions (actions) to achieve stated or written measurable, expected outcomes to the identified problems in the plan of care
• •Delegation is based on consideration of health care team members competency, skills and abilities
• •Coordinates the activities of team members in completing their diagnostic and therapeutic interventions
• •Utilizes a variety of available resources (i.e. physicians, peers, other employees and administrative leaders), effectively and efficiently in providing care
• •Performs general and specific nursing technical skills to individuals and groups of patients/residents utilizing equipment safely and properly and to avoid complications leading to additional services and/or prolonged hospitalization
• •Proficiently performs all procedures related to the area of practice
• •Applies the principles of counseling, therapeutic communication, and teaching/learning in patient/resident interactions
• •Creates relationships that acknowledge and support patients'/residents' rights to self-determination
• •Identifies strategies in creating and maintaining positive patient/resident interactions while respecting their social/cultural values in therapy
• •Assess patients'/residents' condition on an ongoing basis for changes and the appropriateness of the plan of care
• •Communicates significant changes in the patients'/residents' condition to the appropriate health team members in a timely manner
• •Assesses patient/resident (and family if appropriate) learning (age-specific) needs, abilities, and readiness to learn and gives consideration to the patients'/residents' family, cultural, religious, emotional, motivational, psychosocial, physical, cognitive and language status
• •Assesses patient/resident and family interpretations of health and illness, in order to develop and appropriate teaching plan aimed at facilitating adaptation to illness/injury/limitations
• •Provides an interpretation of conditions and gives rationale for procedures to patients/resident including expected and/or potential changes
• •Negotiates with patients/residents, families, and health care team members in planning patient/resident-teaching strategies and in formulating a realistic discharge plan
• •Collaborates with other health care team members to identify patient/resident and family needs for teaching to achieve expected outcomes
• •Records indicate that the patient's/resident's (and family's if appropriate) learning needs concerning the following are identified and addressed: Safe use of medication, Use of medical equipment, Diet and nutrition, Rehabilitation (if needed), Referral Services, Follow-up care and how it's obtained, The patient's/resident's and family's responsibilities in the provision of care
• •Provides pre-operative/pre-procedure and post-operative/post-procedure teaching and documents responses and understanding of patient/resident and family
• •Assesses outcome data to determine effectiveness of education/counseling
• •Minimizes barriers to patient/resident education and/or health behavior changes by modifying teaching methodologies based on ongoing assessment of patient/resident comprehension of material
• •Evaluates the plan of care according to the current condition and changing needs of the patient/resident
• •Involves the patient/resident, family's significant others and health care provider in the evaluation process
• •Accurately and concisely documents on the appropriate medical record forms, the patients'/residents' status and responses, including age-specific responses, to interventions given by all health care team members in reaching expected outcomes
• •Evaluates the plan of care for patients/residents on a 24-hour basis or more often as indicated
• •Modifies the plan of care as needed based on changing patient/resident needs as determined by continuing assessment
• •Teaches in accordance with established policies and procedures and serves as a preceptor/resource for new staff, orientees, and students
• •Provides formal/informal in-service programs to staff, students, and faculty, e.g., demonstrates rationale and use of complex/new equipment and/or procedures
• •Alerts faculty and students to educational opportunities and experiences that become available
• •Readily acknowledges limitations of knowledge/skills and seeks assistance from appropriate resources in self-development including new equipment and products used in performance of job
• •Demonstrates awareness of legal implications in matters of patient/resident care and unit operations
• •Documentation is legible, timely, comprehensive, and accurate
• •Follow established written policies and procedures
• •Consults others for validation and guidance in decision making, as necessary
• •Takes control of crisis situations, e.g., acting out, combativeness, withdrawn/suicidal patient/resident behaviors; internal disaster situation sin department, etc. Initiates appropriate actions and mobilizes others in situations of multiple and conflicting stimuli
• •Demonstrates appropriate leadership skills in the delegation of tasks and duties to other health care team members in order to promote quality patient/resident care
• •Identifies problems, offers solutions and uses sound judgement and ethical principles in their resolution
• •Gives constructive feedback to co-workers regarding care policies
• •Actively participates in achieving patient/resident, unit and Nursing Department goals/objectives
• •Develops/updates/revises general teaching plans (as needed) for different patient/resident populations