Job Description

Overview

The Registered Nurse is responsible for the management of patient care, utilizing the nursing process to assess, plan, implement and evaluate patient outcomes. The nurse directs and guides the delivery of nursing care, patient education, and all care related activities, while maintaining standards of professional nursing collaborating with other disciplines as appropriate.

Special Criteria Details *WAIVER REQUIRED

Responsibilities * Direct Patient/Family Contact

• Blood & Body Fluid Exposure
• Chemical Solutions Specific to Department
• Potential Exposure to Airborne Disease
• Use of Electrical Equipment
• Assesses patient by performing a functional health pattern/physical assessment on all patients as indicated when he/she is admitted, when a significant change in condition occurs, upon transfer to/receiving from another unit, and as defined by CVPH generic and unit-specific Patient Care Standards.
• Verifies and/or transcribes and implements physician orders.
• Develops/Revises plan of care to include discharge plan that prescribes nursing actions to achieve age-specific outcome goals for the patient(s) with various diagnosis.
• Provides nursing care to the patient requiring monitoring/intervention with \xe2\x80\x9cPoint of Care Testing\xe2\x80\x9d (e.g., fingersticks, stool/gastric testing), patient care devices (e.g., PCA, suction apparatus), input/output tubes/devices (e.g., NG tubes, urinary drains, surgical drains, enteral feeding tubes), and other such devices/treatments.
• Documents/communicates nursing care, physiological responses to other health care providers through verbal reports and patient record(s) as dictated by policy/guidelines; Reports to physician changes/deviations from expected norm.
• Provides nursing care through utilization of the electronic information system, (e.g, Order Entry for orders, retrieving of lab data, etc)
• Provides leadership and measures effectiveness of nursing care by providing supervision, delegation, monitoring/reassessment of all patient care as required.
• Performs in crisis/emergency (e.g. code 99, 66,white, pink) while maintaining a positive/ calm approach.
• Provides prioritized patient/family education.
• Provides nursing care for the patient requiring pain management (surgical, chronic and terminal) according to organization and unit standards.
• Provides nursing care to the patient requiring medication administration by the applicable routes to include controlled substances
• Provides nursing care for the patient requiring blood/blood product therapy.
• Provides nursing care for the patient requiring preventive skin care, wound management, pressure ulcer prevention/treatment and stoma care
• Provides nursing care to the patient requiring various respiratory therapy modalities such as oxygen therapy and use of the inspirometer.
• Provides nursing care for the patient with a tracheostomy and/or requiring suctioning (nasopharyngeal, oropharyngeal, or tracheal) in collaboration with Respiratory Therapy and utilizing other resources when necessary.
• Provides nursing care for the patient requiring specimens.
• Provides nursing care to the patient requiring restraints/ protective/ supportive devices, wandering/elopement, seizure and suicide precautions, and the patient on fall protocol.
• Demonstrates respect for the diversity of patient population providing comprehensive holistic care for the dying patient, including post mortem care and support of the patient\xe2\x80\x99s spirituality. Will collaborate care with Palliative Care, PCC, TRS and other units as needed.
• Provides nursing care pre and post-procedure to the patient requiring IV therapy to include various routes (e.g., peripheral, central), methods (e.g., continuous, intermittent, IVPB, IVP), and solutions/medications (e.g., TPN, PPN, lipid infusions, medicated drips).
• Provides nursing care for the patient requiring procedures/interventions to include lumbar puncture, chest tube insertion, thoracentesis, liver biopsy, bone marrow, etc, with or without sedation (conscious sedation).
• Provides care using infection control practices as outlined in Medical Center policies/procedures (e.g. Universal Standard Precautions and Isolation Techniques).
• Advocates patient rights and demonstrates a working knowledge of Advance Directive practices, organ donation and procurement as evidenced by completion of documentation as outlined by CVPH policy/procedures.
• Manages conflict/identifies ethical dilemmas and assists patients and families in resolving.
• Promote development and integration of the Couplet (newborn/parent) within the family through teaching, counseling and discharge planning.
• Participate in the educational activities of nursing students and inservice education of nursing staff.
• Initiates appropriate referral for follow up and home care.
• Keep current in newborn and maternal nursing through continuing education and review of pertinant literature.
• Safeguards the client and the public when health care and safety are affected by the incompetent, unethical, or illegal practice of any person.
• Makes appropriate patient care assignments using nursing judgment and considering the patient\'s needs and qualifications/skills of available staff.
• Supports fluctuation in patient care needs by floating within the unit to areas that are within individuals compentency and skills.
• Demonstrates commitment to continuing education by attendance at inservice nursing education programs.
• Performs technical procedures (phlebotomy, IV insertion).
• Other duties as assigned that are within competency, skills and scope of practice.

Qualifications * Graduate from an accredited School of Nursing.

• Currently licensed as a registered professional nurse in New York.
• Meets requirements of pre-employment screening and physical.
• Previous postpartum experience will be considered first.

As applicable, the individual has training/competency in attending to the special needs and/or behaviors appropriate to the age of the patients for which care is being provided.

University of Vermont Health Network