Professional Staff Nurse - Post Surgical Unit (Harrisburg Hospital)

AG7 is a 42-bed post-surgical care unit dedicated to delivering high-quality, compassionate care to a diverse adult and geriatric patient population. Many admissions are planned elective surgeries, with a smaller percentage originating from the Emergency Department or direct physician referrals.

AG7 specializes in orthopedic (bone, joint, and spine), general surgery, kidney transplant, and urology patients. Orthopedics, general surgery, and urology represent the unit’s primary areas of expertise. As part of UPMC, which has more than 40 years of transplant experience and national leadership in organ transplantation, AG7 supports comprehensive, patient-centered kidney transplant care grounded in clinical excellence and research advancement.

The unit aligns closely with UPMC’s Bone, Joint, and Spine programs, including Joint Commission–certified hip and knee replacement and spine surgery programs at UPMC Harrisburg. Patients benefit from state-of-the-art facilities, advanced diagnostics, minimally invasive techniques, and evidence-based surgical and nonsurgical treatments.

AG7 functions in a dynamic, fast-paced setting that prioritizes interdisciplinary collaboration and personalized care coordination. As part of a teaching hospital environment, team members partner closely with physicians and residents, along with physical and occupational therapy, dietary and nutrition services, care management, wound care specialists, and other multidisciplinary professionals to drive optimal patient outcomes and ensure safe, seamless transitions of care.

The unit fosters a culture of teamwork, shared decision-making, professional growth, and mutual support, while maintaining a strong commitment to employee well-being and work-life balance. Through clinical expertise, collaboration, and compassionate service, AG7 plays a vital role in delivering exceptional surgical care across the organization.

Purpose:
The Professional Staff Nurse is a Registered Nurse and a member of the care delivery team. The Professional Staff Nurse is responsible to set the standards for the level and quality of care. The Professional Staff Nurse has responsibility, authority and accountability for the provision of nursing care. The Professional Staff Nurse manages and provides patient care activities for a group of patients and their families through the application of independent judgment, communication and collaboration with all team members. The role of the Professional Staff Nurse encompasses leadership, partnership, collaboration and supervision. The Professional Staff Nurse establishes and maintains collaborative relationships with physicians, other health care providers, patients and their families, to achieve desired patient outcomes throughout the continuum of care. The Professional Staff Nurse demonstrates a commitment to the community and to the nursing profession.

Responsibilities:

• Develops and maintains productive working relationships internally and externally by demonstrating accountability for actions, enthusiasm, motivation and commitment to patients and colleagues. Demonstrates an understanding of cultural differences and holds peers accountable for healthy relationships. Maintains a conscious balance between work and personal life. Models safe work hours, time management and healthy lifestyle. Communicates with peers and management any safety hazards identified in the workplace.
• Demonstrates knowledge of adult learning principles (and/or teaching children if applicable) and applies in teaching of patients, families, students and new staff. Provides detailed and appropriate teaching to patients and families to effectively guide them through the episode of care as well as transition to another level of care and/or home. Supports the development of students, new staff and colleagues, may serve as a preceptor. Creates an environment of open dialogue, inquiry and continuous development by asking for feedback and improving practice.
• Applies the nursing process within the framework of Relationship Based Care to create a healing environment. Formulates daily goals and a plan of care for patients that involves the patient as partner and considers the individual needs of the patient in a holistic manner. Demonstrates critical thinking in the identification of clinical, social, safety, psychological and spiritual issues for the patient care within an episode of care. Practices solid communication skills, and is able to articulate and translate the patient's condition to other care providers and to negotiate and make recommendations for changes in patient care and unit practices. Patient documentation is comprehensive and promotes communication between caregivers. Incorporates national professional organization as well as business unit and health system's goals to improve patient safety, quality and satisfaction. Creates a caring and compassionate patient focused experience by building healing relationships with patients, families and colleagues.
• Demonstrates accountability for professional development that improves the quality of professional practice and the quality of patient care. Actively participates in unit-based shared governance, goal setting and supports the change and transition process to improve quality of care and the practice environment. Serves as a highly engaged and full partner on the care team and responds willingly to care team member needs for assistance and partnership. Participates in work that improves patient care and the professional practice environment. Adapts to change and demonstrates flexibility with the change process.
• Actively participates in department or unit-specific quality improvement efforts. Identifies opportunity for quality improvement to colleagues and management. Takes personal responsibility in improving patient satisfaction with the quality of care and service. Utilizes research and evidence-based practice to support improvement in clinical care: identifies research issues or articles related to clinical specialty or areas of interest, discusses opportunities for quality improvement at multidisciplinary rounds, and influences patients' plans of care.
• The individual must be able to demonstrate the knowledge and skills necessary to provide care and/or interact appropriately to the ages of the patients served by his/her assigned unit as specified below. They must also demonstrate knowledge of the principles of growth and development over the life span and possess the ability to assess data reflective of the patients status and interpret the appropriate information needed to identify each patients requirements relative to his/her age-specific needs and to provide the care needs as described in the department policy and procedures.
• Zero to two years of experience. BSN preferred.
• Ability to establish and maintain positive, caring relationships with executives, managers, physicians, non-physician providers, ancillary and support staff, other departments, and patients/families. Ability to work productively and effectively within a complex environment, handle multiple/changing priorities and specialized equipment.

• Good clinical judgment with critical thinking, analytical and problem solving abilities required as related to various aspects of patient care. Critical thinking skills necessary to exercise and to lead others in application of the nursing process. Mobility and visual manual dexterity. Physical stamina for frequent walking, standing, lifting and positioning of patients.

***UPMC offers a variety of flexible options – in addition to traditional rotating/flexible shifts, special programs exist to work primarily night shifts or weekend shifts with a premium pay differential. Employees hired as or who choose to transition into one of these programs at a later time must have at least 6 months of nursing experience to qualify and may be required to complete any necessary orientation during regular business hours. If you are interested in these programs, please alert your recruiter when you are contacted for an interview.***

Licensure, Certifications, and Clearances:
UPMC approved national certification preferred. Current licensure as a Registered Professional Nurse either in the state where the facility is located or in a state covered by a licensure compact agreement with the state where the facility is located. CPR required based on AHA standards that include both a didactic and skills demonstration component within 30 days of hire. Graduate nurses must complete licensure examination within SIX MONTHS of hire or within one year of graduation, whichever comes first. Though temporary permits are valid for one year from the date of graduation, not one year from issue of permit (or until the results of the examination are known at which time it becomes null and void), UPMC requires that GNs take the licensure examination within 6 months of their start date or they will be terminated or demoted from the GN position, at the discretion of the BU.

• Basic Life Support (BLS) OR Cardiopulmonary Resuscitation (CPR)
• Registered Nurse (RN) OR Temporary Practice Permit (TPP)
• Act 34

*Current licensure either in the state where the facility is located or, if the facility is in a state covered by the multistate Nursing Licensure Compact (NLC) agreement, a multistate license issued by a participating NLC state. Hires and current employees working on an out-of-state NLC license who later change their residency to the state where the facility is also located will have 60 days upon changing their residency to apply for licensure within that state.

UPMC is an Equal Opportunity Employer/Disability/Veteran