Registered Nurse

PRN-Night Shift PRN only, must be willing to work weekends

Provides direct and indirect patient care in the emergency care setting. Provides professional nursing care within the Emergency Department and coordinates care planning with other disciplines. Provides care that reflects initiative, flexibility and responsibility indicative of professional expectation with a minimum of supervision. Is able to triage safely, rapidly and accurately, every patient that enters the emergency care system.

Determines priorities of care based on physical and psychosocial needs, as well as factors influencing patient flow through the system. Communicates with Emergency Department physicians about changes in patient’s status, symptomatology and results of diagnostic studies. Is able to respond quickly and accurately to changes in condition or response to treatment.

Requirements

Knowledge & Experience

Skills-

• Demonstrates unit-appropriate fundamental nursing skills.
• Demonstrates ability to give and follow instructions accurately.
• Demonstrates effective interpersonal skills necessary to interact with various levels of health care personnel.

Knowledge-

• Advanced Cardiac Life Support concepts and measures within 3 months of hire date preferred.
• Pediatric Advanced Life Support concepts and measures within 3 months of hire date preferred.
• Basic Life Support.
• TNCC preferred within the first year.

Education-

• Graduation from an accredited School of Nursing.
• Current registration as a Registered Nurse with the state of Indiana Health Professions Bureau.

Experience-

• A minimum of two years of previous acute care nursing experience preferred.
• A minimum of 1 year of previous emergency nursing experience preferred.

Authority and Accountability

• Extensive exposure to confidential information or matters.
• Frequent contact with various persons or groups within and outside of the hospital including employees, department managers, physicians, patients, volunteers, visitors and outside agency personnel.
• Must be able to work with and communicate with different types of people.

Aptitudes

• Must be able to prioritize, utilize critical thinking, and adjust to change.
• Must be able to reason and use logical problem-solving skills.
• Performs duties that require some latitude for independent judgment and initiative in handling situations out of the ordinary.

PHYSICAL AND MENTAL EFFORT

The physical and mental demands described here are representative of those that must be met by an employee to successfully perform the essential functions of this job. Reasonable accommodations may be made to enable individuals with disabilities to perform the essential functions.

• Regular requirement to walk, stand, use hands, reach with hands or arms, talk, and hear.
• Frequent requirement to stoop, crouch, kneel, bend, sit.
• Regular requirement to lift and/or move up to 25 lbs., frequently lift and/or move up to 50 lbs. and occasionally lift and/or move up to 100 lbs.
• Specific vision requirements include close vision, distance vision, color vision, peripheral vision, depth perception, and the ability to focus.
• Speaking and listening skills are essential.
• Time management and multiple task management skills are essential.
• Must be able to work under a moderate amount of stress.
• Must be able to read, write and do simple calculations; follow written and oral instructions.

ENVIRONMENTAL AND WORKING CONDITIONS

The work environment characteristics described here are representative of those an employee encounters while performing the essential functions of this job. Reasonable accommodations may be made to enable individuals with disabilities to perform essential functions.

• The noise level in this work environment is usually moderate.
• Work is performed in a clean, well-lighted and ventilated building.
• Could be subject to infectious diseases, cuts, abrasions, burns, and punctures.
• Work schedule may vary.

ACCOUNTABILITY

• Directly reports to the Director of the Emergency Department.
• Accepts direction from the Charge Nurse.
• May be assigned to perform Charge Nurse duties.

QUALITY ASSURANCE-KEY RESPONSIBILITIES

• Provides direct patient care, evaluates outcomes, consults with other specialists as required and adjusts nursing care processes as indicated.
• Demonstrates ability to perform a head-to-toe assessment on all patients and reassessments per policy or as patient condition warrants; this includes neonatal, pediatric, adolescent, and geriatric patients and the general patient population.
• Documents a pain level on all patients and follows policy for repeating vital signs; assesses, plans, implements and educates patient/family on appropriate pain management.
• Demonstrates ability to monitor hemodynamic status of patient and correctly interpret the results.
• Demonstrates knowledge of cardiac monitoring; identifies dysrhythmias and treats appropriately per physician order; knows correct use of the cardiac monitor including cardiac pacing, synchronized cardioversion, as well as defibrillation.
• Accurately performs triage function and assigns triage categories in a timely and appropriate manner; initiates medical screenings in a timely and appropriate manner.
• Knows the documentation involved with suspected adult or child abuse; knows the forms involved in filing a violent crimes report or animal bite report – demonstrates proper use of these forms.
• Demonstrates knowledge and proper of use of transfer documentation, transfer procedures and COBRA forms.
• Maintains accurate and continued nursing documentation including patient histories, conditions, treatments, responses, pain management and assessment of changes.
• Completes the patient medical record with appropriate documentation commiserate with the correct charges being applied to the patient.
• Demonstrates knowledge of the principles of growth and development over the life span and the skills necessary to provide age appropriate care to the patients served.
• Able to interpret data about the patient’s status in order to identify each patient’s age specific needs and provide care needed by the patient group.
• Demonstrates knowledge of prescribed medications and their correct administration based on age of assigned patients and their clinical condition.
• Demonstrates knowledge and use of the department’s medication and condition specific protocols, policies, and procedures.
• Prepares, hangs, monitors and discontinues IV fluids and blood/blood components as ordered.
• Demonstrates ability to initiate peripheral intravenous therapy access for patients within 2 attempts.
• Demonstrates ability to request assistance with patient IV access as needed.
• Demonstrates use of ultrasound for peripheral intravenous access.
• Performs checks every shift in order to assure everything is stocked and ready for the next shift.
• Maintains a safe, comfortable and therapeutic environment for patients and families in accordance with department and hospital standards.
• Demonstrates knowledge of where all supplies and equipment are located in department and assists with the replacement of supplies and items as needed.
• Assists in cost containment through the appropriate ordering, use of, and conserving of supplies and equipment.
• Keeps all work areas neat and orderly; assists in keeping the lounge area neat and orderly – i.e. empties trash cans, etc.
• Takes contaminated supplies to unprocessed Central Sterile area and retrieves the sterile supplies without reminders.
• Utilizes the EHR and documents appropriately, uses alternative methods of documentation if EHR unavailable.
• Performs crash cart and other checks as determined by department policy.
• Responds promptly to changes in workload, adjusting assignment as necessary to achieve optimal productivity and efficiency; adjusts to reassignments to other patient care units as appropriate.
• Initiates and implements nursing interventions to patients following approved nursing standards.
• Delegates responsibilities appropriate to the licensure, education and experience of staff receiving assignments; provides supervision to these staff members.
• Communicates appropriately and clearly to Director, Charge Nurse, co-workers, physicians and other members of the healthcare team.
• Demonstrates team attitude; offers assistance to co-workers to provide optimal patient care; solicits assistance from co-workers when necessary.
• Demonstrates efforts to maintain patient confidentiality as appropriate and per policy.
• Transcribes written and verbal patient orders correctly and in a timely manner by completing laboratory and other ancillary department requisitions appropriately.
• Assists in orientation process for nursing staff members.
• Initiates and completes incident reports as necessary when extraordinary or unusual patient care or other situations occur.
• Serves as a change agent, assisting all staff in understanding the importance, necessity, impact, and process of change.
• Performs other duties as assigned.
• May assist with Emergent transport team as long as EVOC training completed for the transfer of all emergent and non-emergent transfer patients under the direction of the emergency room physician as directed in the protocol.

PUBLIC RELATIONS

• Maintains effective channels of communication with other employees and patients.
• Takes appropriate action in problem situations to offset adverse effects.
• Projects a professional and positive attitude regarding the hospital.

OTHER RESPONSIBILITIES

• Attends 70% of departmental meetings held during the year.
• Completes mandatory education and meets deadlines for job requirements.
• Observes hospital dress guidelines and wears ID badge.
• Provides proper notification for absence and tardiness and is punctual for start of scheduled work time.
• Maintains equipment assigned to department and reports malfunctions appropriately.
• Participates in emergency procedures, fire drills, evacuation procedures and internal/external disaster plans and procedures in accordance with departmental responsibilities.

CONTINUOUS QUALITY IMPROVEMENT

• Participates in the Continuous Quality Improvement Program (CQI) under the direction of Nursing Leadership to meet stated goals and objectives of the CQI Program by:
• Bringing potential problems to nursing leader’s attention.
• Assisting in data collection.
• Suggesting solutions to problems.
• Emphasizing, supporting and committing to CQI practices and processes.
• Taking action to assure CQI within areas of responsibility.
• Participates in peer-review functions as directed.