PICU Registered Nurse

Join Our Team at Children's Hospital of Philadelphia

Children's Hospital of Philadelphia (CHOP) offers countless ways to change lives. Our diverse community of more than 20,000 Breakthrough Makers will inspire you to pursue passions, develop expertise, and drive innovation.

At CHOP, your experience is valued; your voice is heard; and your contributions make a difference for patients and families. Join us as we build on our promise to advance pediatric care—and your career.

CHOP does not discriminate on the basis of race, color, sex, national origin, religion, or any other legally protected categories in any employment, training, or vendor decisions or programs. CHOP recognizes the critical importance of a workforce rich in varied backgrounds and experiences and engages in ongoing efforts to achieve that through equally varied and non-discriminatory means.

A Brief Overview

The Pediatric Intensive Care Unit (PICU) is a 74 bed, blended acuity, multidisciplinary unit. The PICU serves critically ill children and their families who require the most advanced diagnostic and therapeutic services. These advanced technologies include, but are not limited to, a variety of high frequency ventilation devices, sophisticated neurological monitoring devices, Extra Corporeal Membrane Oxygenation (ECMO), Peritoneal Dialysis, and Continuous Renal Replacement Therapy (CRRT).

CHOP Critical Care Nurses work collaboratively with the interdisciplinary team to ensure the best outcomes using innovative technologies. The Critical Care areas are equipped to deliver therapies that are aimed toward improving survival, hastening recovery, minimizing disability, and relieving pain and suffering from critical illness and injury in a safe, humane, and respectful manner. Conditions that commonly cause critical illness and injury or require intensive care include respiratory failure, renal failure, severe infection, multi-system organ failure, trauma, extensive surgery or organ transplantation, congenital anomalies, and hematologic or immunological disorders.

Critical Care nurses across the Pediatric Intensive Care Unit are active participants in innovative unit-based research as well as organizational research initiatives. There are three distinct units within the Pediatric Intensive Care Unit (PICU).

• PICU South - 24 bed unit with a mixed medical and surgical population serving patients that require Intensive Care with a diagnosis within a variety of medical subspecialties including a specific subset of oncology receiving radioactive therapy.
• PICU Main - 26 bed unit with a mixed medical and surgical population serving patients that require Intensive Care with a diagnosis within a variety of medical subspecialties
• PICU West - 24 bed unit predominately focused on Neurocritical Care patients but also will care for all patients that would require pediatric intensive care.

This is a full-time position; however, there may be opportunities for part-time based on unit needs at the time of application. Acute care experience (adult or pediatric) is strongly preferred. Applications to this requisition include all 3 PICU units. Candidates are hired to one primary unit and can be assigned a shift in another PICU unit based on the needs of the department. This requisition will fill multiple positions.

The Clinical Nurse practices at the level of an advanced beginner to expert practitioner of professional nursing in accordance with, and guided by the CHOP Nursing Professional Practice Model. The nurse at this level demonstrates competence in caring for patients and families and progresses to caring for those with the most complex problems/highest acuity in the designated clinical area. Provides age/developmentally appropriate care. Care is delivered through RN leadership for patient care within the framework of family-centered care.

The Clinical Nurse adheres to the organizational and nursing department mission, vision, and values. Clinical Nurses practice in accordance with the ANA Code of Ethics; the ANA Standards of Clinical Nursing Practice; practice standards of applicable specialty nursing organizations; and CHOP developed standards of nursing practice. The professional nurse practices within the defined scope of practice designated by the Nurse Practice Acts of Pennsylvania and/or New Jersey, depending on the assigned work site.

What You Will Do

• Clinical Practice
• Follows the nursing process to deliver safe, compassionate, and culturally effective care.
• Gathers and recognizes/synthesizes assessment data to determine the patient/family plan of care, pertinent data to be shared with care team, and tasks to be delegated.
• Recognizes and/or seeks resources to recognize clinical changes that are indicative of patient deterioration; utilizes the CAT team when appropriate.
• Collaborates with the patient, family and multidisciplinary team to coordinate all facets of patient care.
• Develops, implements and/or revises the patient's plan of care on admission and during the course of the hospitalization. Plans of care are outcomes focused and include goals as well as required interventions. Plans are developed in partnership with the patient, family, and the interdisciplinary care team.
• Care is coordinated across the continuum – understands and utilizes case management resources.
• Consistently follows evidence based practice bundles and nursing standards/procedures to provide nursing care that eliminates preventable events of patient harm and promotes excellent patient outcomes.
• Recognizes and addresses situations which present ethical dilemmas and/or moral distress. Takes steps to actively address the situation. Seeks resources as needed to resolve the situation.
• Demonstrates competence in teaching patients/families and progresses to an expert educator of patients/families.
• Evaluates and documents the care provided on each assigned shift.
• Accountable for the rapid adoption and implementation of clinical practice changes into own practice.
• Communication
• Documents the evaluation of nursing interventions and outcomes of nursing care utilizing hospital standards, policies and procedures.
• Consistently follows safe hand-off practices as defined in patient care standards and procedures.
• Utilizes and exemplifies safety behaviors for error prevention. Identifies potential safety concerns and communicates with unit leadership as appropriate. Enters safety nets when applicable, including good catch/near miss situations.
• Effective verbal and nonverbal communication techniques and good listening skills are used to empathically communicate with patients/ families, and colleagues.
• Encourages patient/family self-advocacy.
• Collaboration
• Demonstrates effective teamwork as a member of the interdisciplinary care team, fostering and exemplifying a culture of respect. Recognizes/addresses situations where disrespectful collaboration may impact patient care and/or create non-collaborative relationships. Seeks resources as needed to resolve situations involving incivility and/or disrespect.
• Actively participates in interdisciplinary patient care rounds and/or meetings and makes recommendations to the plan of care that reflect nursing goals, interventions, and expected outcomes. Revises the plan of care according to the patient care decisions made on rounds.
• Incorporates evidence based practice into direct clinical care in collaboration with other members of the multidisciplinary team.
• Develops and implements effective partnerships with members of the ancillary staff; delegates tasks effectively to assure comprehensive nursing care is provided.
• Develops and sustains professional, well- boundary, therapeutic relationships with patients and families in which all actions are in the best interest of the patient and family and there is no personal gain at the patient/families expense.
• Professional Development
• Models appearance and behaviors that promote a positive image of professional nursing.
• Expands clinical judgment and critical thinking skills with increased experience
• Demonstrates mastery of the principles of Family Centered Care, including dignity and respect, information sharing, participation, and collaboration.
• Demonstrates understanding of optimal patient/family experiences and incorporates into care delivery. Has a working knowledge of patient/family experience results (NRC Picker) at the unit and organizational level. Participates and/or leads in initiatives to improve satisfaction scores.
• Practices within a shared decision making environment. Familiar with and participates in Shared Governance council activities at the unit and/or department level. Progresses to leading council activities at the unit and/or department levels.
• Familiar with Magnet designation and the Magnet Model of transformational leadership, structural empowerment, exemplary professional practice, new knowledge and innovations, and empirical outcomes. Participates in ongoing designation activities such as serving as a unit based Magnet champion.
• Demonstrates fiscal stewardship:
• Manages own time to accomplish direct/indirect care in a cost-effective manner
• Conserves unit and organizational resources; assures supplies are not wasted or misused.
• Does not incur incidental overtime.
• Understands the implications of the cost of staffing decisions.
• Identifies observed opportunities for cost savings.
• Well informed about the Professional Advancement Program (PEAK) and considers the opportunity to participate.