Medical Unit - Staff Nurse

Description Summary : The competent Nurse, in the

Medsurg or Telemetry clinical setting, practices independently and

demonstrates an awareness of all relevant aspects of a situation.

Provides routine and complex care, in accordance with patient

treatment plans. Continues to develop the ability to cope with and

manage contingencies of clinical nursing. Makes appropriate

assignments and delegates to other care providers as a means to

help manage the clinical situation. Responsibilities : Meets

expectations of the applicable OneCHRISTUS Competencies : Leader of

Self, Leader of Others, or Leader of Leaders. Meets expectations

for flexibility of assignment within the ministry. Proactively

provide assignment availability on a regular basis. Able to be

assigned to more than one unit. Consistent with the ANA Scope and

Standards of Practice, provides nursing care utilizing the nursing

process, including assessment, diagnosis, planning, intervention

and evaluation for assigned patients. Addresses increasingly

complex psychological, emotional, cultural, and social needs of

patient and families in accordance with their level of practice.

Using the appropriate protocol, administers medications and

treatments; monitors for side-effects and effectiveness of the

treatment prescribed. Documents patient history, symptoms,

medication, and care given. Assess learning needs and provides

education to patients, family members and / or care givers; identify

issues and resources. CORE COMPETENCIES Standard I : Utilizes the

Nursing Process Uses critical thinking skills to assess the basic

physical, psychosocial, social, cultural, spiritual, and

development needs of patient and families. Communicates findings to

appropriate healthcare team members. Develops and uses a specific

plan of care and modifies it to meet individual patient needs using

evidence-based practice. Implements patient care and therapeutic

procedures; monitors and documents progression of treatment and

teaching goals. Evaluates the care and treatment(s) provided to the

patient and the patient response to the care and treatment(s).

Performs timely reassessment and documentation. Must be able to

perform unit-specific competencies based on the specific patient

care need for the designated unit's patient population. Standard

II. Patient Throughput & Patient Flow Process Anticipates and

plans for admission / discharge / transfer needs to facilitate patient

flow. Utilizes appropriate systems of communication and tools to

facilitate the discharge process. Coaches on tools and techniques

for checking, cross checking and validating orders to ensure

accuracy. Standard III. Unit Operations Plans, directs, and

evaluates the overall nursing care and functions in a particular

nursing unit during an assigned shift. Demonstrates good

stewardship in proper use and maintenance of equipment and

Supplies. Assesses departmental staffing needs; actively

participates in resourcing efforts. Educates and trains others on

the operations, ethics, and regulations within the industry.

Standard IV. Safe Practice / Quality Care / Regulations Incorporates

patient safety practices / guidelines to promote a safe environment

resulting in positive patient outcomes. Demonstrates accountability

for nursing research and quality improvement activities. Provides

evidence-based nursing care. Communicates patient information

effectively across the continuum of care. Educates and trains

others on the operations, ethics, and regulations within the

industry. Knowledge of federal, state and local healthcare-related

laws and regulations; ability to comply with these in healthcare

practices and activities. TECHNICAL COMPETENCIES Clinical Policies

and Standards Follows a specific set of standards and associated

clinical procedures. Analyzes policy and standards documentation

and ensures organizational compliance. Provides feedback for

improvement of procedures. Assists in the development and

implementation of specific procedures. Works with control and

monitoring mechanisms, tools and techniques. Health Information

Documentation Shares experiences with maintaining paper and

electronic patient documentation. Walk through the steps and

procedures for receiving, validating and updating patient records.

Describes the flow of information between various stations or

units. Discusses the functions, features and document flow of

electronic documentation. Transcribes verbal orders; explains

techniques for ensuring their accuracy. Explains health information

documentation best practices and their rationale across health care

practices. Medical Equipment Describes experience with basic

medical equipment used in own unit or facility. Uses standard

diagnostic tools and techniques to resolves common equipment

problems. Educates patients about the appropriate use of home

medical equipment. Ensures that all equipment and related supplies

are in proper working order prior to use to ensure patient safety.

Inspects, troubleshoots and evaluates incoming equipment. Medical

Order Processing Shares experiences with processing medical orders

for one or more groups of patients or conditions. Describes

functions and features of the system used to enter, validate,

update and forward medical orders. Discusses common errors, their

sources and procedures for correcting. Explains considerations for

entering and following standing orders. Differentiates between

standing orders and preprinted orders and considerations for each.

Patient Chart Reading and Interpretation Describes experiences in

reading and interpreting patient charts for patients on unit and

under own care. Reviews patients’ charts for completion and

accuracy; identifies and alerts to mistakes or omissions.

Recognizes unexpected readings and alerts nursing or medical staff.

Relates examples of mis-readings or misinterpretations and lessons

learned. Reviews, discusses and validates own interpretation with

others. Patient Safety Shares experiences with ensuring safety for

one or more patient groups or settings. Explains key features of

safety guidelines and procedures for those groups and settings.

Listens and responds to safety inquiries from patients and family

members. Recognizes and addresses physiological and psychological

signs of problems. Describes considerations for patients who can

cause to harm to self, versus harm to others. Utilizes appropriate

systems to document misses and near misses, participates in

immediate investigating, analysis and reporting in real-time. Job

Requirements : Education / Skills ~ Bachelor of Science Degree in

Nursing, preferred Experience ~ Minimum of 2 years of combined

experience required in Medsurg and Telemetry ~5 years of experience

preferred Licenses, Registrations, or Certifications BLS required

ACLS required RN License in the state of employment or compact

required Work Type : Full Time