Charge Nurse (PACU)

GENERAL SUMMARY :

The registered professional nurse, level II, uses critical thinking skills, professional judgement and leadership to anticipate, plan, direct and evaluate the care of the patients provided by a team of ancillary personnel, and serves as a resource in a specific specialty area.

Duties and Responsibilities :

• Uses the nursing process to assess the needs of the patient, plan and implement individualized interventions and evaluate the effectiveness of the plan of care. Includes the patient and family in planning and implementing care and develops and maintains a therapeutic relationship throughout the healthcare continuum.
• Demonstrates effective communication, feedback, and conflict resolution skills. Promotes collaboration among healthcare team members. Assumes a leadership role in the care team and delegates appropriately to unlicensed personnel.
• Promotes a culture of safety through identifying threats to patient safety and intervening to prevent patient harm. Reports patient safety events and near misses in a timely manner. Seeks to identify potential safety issues and assists in the implementation of corrective actions.
• Participates in quality / process improvement initiatives to improve the functions of the department and the patient care experience.
• Anticipates and recognizes significant changes in the patient’s condition, status, and need for care. Provides ongoing assessment of the patient and takes appropriate actions when changes occur. Anticipates and alters the plan of care as needed, mobilizes appropriate resources, and collaborates with other health care team members to coordinate patient centered care.
• Implements strategies to reduce patient risk and increase patient safety. Assesses patient and family readiness to learn and individualizes the approach as necessary. Works collaboratively to develop strategies to meet the learning needs of the patient and family.
• Provides ongoing evaluation of patient, team, and unit outcomes and is empowered to take appropriate action when changes are needed. Supports shared governance activities and initiatives to improve processes and patient outcomes.
• Applies ethical decision making, demonstrates respect and understanding for peers, and other clinical disciplines. Participates as an effective member of the patient care team to formulate an integrated, unbiased, individualized approach to care.
• Must be able to demonstrate knowledge and skills necessary to provide care appropriate to the age of the patients served. 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 department's policies and procedures. Age-specific information is developed further in the departmental job standards.
• Actively coordinates the discharge plan utilizing an interdisciplinary approach. Applies evidence-based practice to deliver patient care. Consistently incorporates nursing and regulatory standards of care into practice.
• Participates in professional activities which contribute to personal professional development and the development of others. Seeks opportunities to be taught, coached, and mentored. Attends required meetings / educational programs and completes annual competencies in a timely manner.
• Participates in the professional advancement system by meeting all the requirements for Level I as well as the following :
• Demonstrates critical thinking and problem solving skills independently.
• Synthesizes information and resources to care for complex, higher acuity patients.
• Completes designated unit specific competencies.
• Completes at least 16 hours of continuing education, in addition to mandatory in-service requirements, within the last year that is specific to daily clinical practice.
• Participates in interdisciplinary rounds and facilitates discharge planning and patient education.
• A Level II nurse must also demonstrate three of the six criteria below :
• Demonstrates ability to function as charge nurse.
• Actively participates as a member or co-chair of organizational and / or unit specific committees.
• Acts as a resource for specific specialty area by providing in-service education, validating competence of peers or unlicensed personnel, and / or precepts new nurses.
• Provides constructive input for evaluation of unit process and unlicensed personnel.
• Maintains membership in a professional organization.
• Participates in volunteer or community outreach.

Additional Duties and Responsibilities :

Ensures that care is provided for all patients utilizing the attributes of Careful Nursing.

Trustworthy collaboration

Health education

Perfect skill in fostering safety and comfort

Participatory - authoritative management

Carries out other duties related to patient care and unit operations as assigned.

Required Knowledge, Skills and Abilities :

Knowledge :

Completion of an accredited or approved program in Nursing.

Demonstrates progression to provide holistic patient care and the ability to view clinical situations from a patient and family focus.

Demonstrates progression to recognize situational changes that require unplanned or unanticipated interventions, and responds to situations with confidence, timeliness and flexibility.

Proficient computer skills, use of electronic mail and electronic medical records systems.

Excellent communication (written and verbal), listening and interpersonal skills.

Demonstrates human relation skills with the ability to develop rapport and maintain positive, professional relationships with a variety of patients, team members and physicians. Ability to take initiative and work collaboratively with others.

Demonstrated ability to effectively make critical, independent decisions.

Excellent organization, prioritization and problem-solving skills.

Demonstrates time management skills with an ability to multi-task and prioritize in an environment with frequent interruptions.

Demonstrates coordination, collaboration, delegation and team building skills.

Skills :

2 years of experienced preferred

Current CPR certification required

ACLS certification required

Registered Nurse license issued by the state in which the team member practices, and

Basic Life Support (BLS) for Healthcare Providers certification issued by the American Heart Association (AHA).

Abilities :

Ability to quickly recognize changes in condition and needs of patients.

Knowledge of patients’ growth and development needs.

Ability to maintain a high degree of accuracy in carrying out work duties.

Benefits :

401(K)

401(K) matching (4%)

Dental insurance

Health insurance

Life insurance

Vision insurance