REGISTERED NURSE CATH LAB FT [0341]

Registered Nurses-(Cath Lab/IR/Echo/VAT)

A-Team Solutions is seeking Registered Nurses-(Cath Lab/IR/Echo/VAT) for a six month assignment full time contract position for the VA in Las Vegas, NV.

Qualifications:

• Have and maintain current certification in Basic Cardiac Life Support (BCLS) by the American Heart Association and certification in Advanced Cardiac Life Support (ACLS).
• Graduated from a nationally accredited school of nursing.
• Minimum of 12 months experience in Cardiac Catheterization laboratory, or Critical Care unit, or Emergency Room, or Step-down Cardiology unit, or a combination of these units.
• Must have experience using pharmacological agents in patient treatment and Cardiology testing, the desired effects, side effects, and complications of their use as well as the accurate administration of the pharmacologic agent, including dosage calculations.
• Must have experience with the basic requirements for proper documentation of patient care including medications given, nursing procedures, acknowledgement of teaching, and follow up care.
• Must be able to stand while wearing up to 25 pounds of PPE for up to 4 hours.
• The RN must have worked a minimum of 12 months within the last 24 months, full time (>20hrs per week), in the Cardiac Catheterization Lab, Cardiovascular ICU, or Cardiac ICU.
• The RN must be knowledgeable of general anatomy and physiology; cardiopulmonary system structures and functions; basic pharmacology; patient care theory, procedures, and techniques; medical terminology; aseptic techniques; medical ethics; resuscitation techniques; maintaining and operating cardiopulmonary laboratory diagnostic and therapeutic equipment; medications, and medical computer systems.

Type of Work:

• Knowledge of interpersonal relationships and the ability to maintain composure and react appropriately while relating to patients, families, physicians, coworkers and ancillary staff; and, maintain positive rapport with all individuals involved in patient care.
• Knowledge of a wide range of cardiac and vascular disorders and conditions as appropriate and seen in potentially critically ill patients (e.g., Acute Myocardial events, Chest pain, decrease in circulation to various areas of the body, and respiratory distress due to poor perfusion).
• Knowledge of professional care theories, principles, practices, and procedures to perform nursing assignments of critically ill patients. Demonstrates knowledge specific to the Cardiology Clinic/Catheterization Laboratory population to include all ages from young adult to geriatrics.
• Assess patients' conditions for potential or life-threatening crises. Distinguish between normal and abnormal physical findings (from physical assessment and vital sign assessment). Plan appropriate nursing care. Notify physician if needed and carry out appropriate interventions as ordered.
• Coordinates patient care though a continuum and facilitates the achievement of optimal outcomes in relation to care, quality and cost effectiveness.
• Ability to react with alertness and skill in any emergency situation, (e.g., cardiac or respiratory arrest, hemorrhage, and shock).
• Ensures compliance with standards of care and practice in accordance with all established policies, procedures, and guidelines used in the medical treatment facility, provides care within ethical and legal boundaries.
• Assess patient/family knowledge level, implement plan of instructions and record patient/family demonstrated level of understanding.
• Provides professional nursing care to patients undergoing Cardiac Catheterization Laboratory and diagnostic cardiac testing procedures.
• Prepares and maintains Cardiac Catheterization Laboratory for all procedures.
• Establishes and utilizes a checklist to monitor the physical plan of the Cardiac Catheterization Laboratory and equipment for conformity to all national standards for ensuring safety for the patient and all personnel.
• Assembles the type and quantity of material and special equipment needed for daily procedures and possible emergencies.
• Circulates for Cardiac Catheterization Laboratory procedures.
• Effectively communicates and collaborates with a diverse group of people for the purpose of informing the healthcare team of plans/actions, for teaching/education to benefit the patient/family and organization. Effectively uses appropriate communication format in addressing professional issues.
• Obtain patient history, pertinent family history, and document in patient's medical record.
• Utilize appropriate nursing personnel to assist in delivery of care when indicated (e.g., paraprofessionals).
• Transcribe or verify transcription of physician orders.
• Carry out prescribed physician orders and document in patient medical record.
• Communicate pertinent patient data to physician as appropriate.
• Assesses patients using the nursing process as a basis for professional practice.
• Demonstrates proper preparation of patients for treatments and procedures, to include interventions.
• Provides proper care and evaluation of post procedural patients.
• Possess knowledge of a variety of pharmacological agents used in treatment of patients, the desired effects, side effects, complications and usual dosage of their use as well as the accurate administration of the pharmacologic agent, including dosage calculations as required.
• Administer prescribed medications to include multiple medication drips and intravenous push drugs (e.g., sedatives, narcotics, vasoactive medications, neuromuscular blockades, antidysrythmics, antihypertensives, thrombolytics, and emergency drugs). Administration consideration based on protocols, policy and recommendations by medical references.
• Assess and document patient response to medications administered and intervene if desired response is not achieved.
• Instruct patient/family regarding prescribed medications/therapies and invasive/diagnostic procedures that must be accomplished.
• Maintains open communication lines, both intra-departmentally and interdepartmentally, to provide for total needs of the patient.
• Conducts preoperative and postoperative visits. Discusses Cardiac Catheterization and diagnostic cardiac testing procedures with patients and informs them of what to expect during procedures. Consults with the physician performing the procedure and establishes priorities of care for each patient. Coordinates with other hospital units, which include recovery room, intensive care, and nursing units, on patients' progress and any special equipment or supplies that will be needed for the patient post procedure.
• Properly apply cardiac monitor leads and 12 lead EKG machine, analyze rhythm strips and notify Physician of any abnormal results (e.g., dysrhythmias for patient situation). Be able to interpret cardiac rhythms and their implications, intervene on emergent changes.
• Skilled in setting up, operating and monitoring specialized medical equipment such as IV infusion pumps, cardiac monitoring devices, EKG units, oxygen analyzers, nebulizers, Ventilators, pacemakers, intra-aortic balloon pumps and other unit specific equipment.
• Care for patients with a variety of hemodynamic monitors to include pressure lines/transducers, Swan-Ganz catheters, central venous lines/sheaths and arterial lines. Obtain hemodynamic parameters and interpret results. Notify physician of any parameters outside of expected results.
• Participate in Discharge Planning as appropriate.
• Excellent written communication skills to perform accurate documentation, both written and electronic, of all activity in accordance with requirements. Prepares all documentation to meet or exceed established standards of the MTF, to include, but not limited to, timeliness, accuracy, content and signature. Only MTF and Air Force-approved abbreviations shall be used for documentation of the patient health record.
• Must be knowledgeable of laboratory test values.
• Perform the procedure recovery and discharge within established criteria.
• Participates and complies with quality and process improvement activities and events, including, but not limited to, post procedure follow ups, morbidity and mortality studies, and research studies to ensure compliance with national standards and guidelines.
• Serves and participates in committees, functions and other meetings as directed. Provides relevant and timely information to these groups, and assists with decision-making and process improvement. Participates in customer service.
• Be able to initiate life saving measures in the absence of a physician.
• Document competence in managing patients enrolled in the Coumadin clinic, including, but not limited to, understanding the mechanism of action of warfarin, effectively educating patients/others involved in their care regarding reasons for therapy, dietary restrictions, interactions with other medications, side effects and possible life threatening events, assessing patients for compliance with therapeutic plan, effective titration of dose in accordance with maintaining therapeutic goal, and documentation of care given in the clinic in both the electronic medical record and clinic files.
• Demonstrate competence in the administration of blood products IAW MTF guidelines.
• Completes orientation and competency verification programs in accordance with (IAW) unit guidelines.
• Ensures a safe work environment, employee safe work habits and patient safety IAW regulatory agencies, infection control policies, and process improvement initiatives.
• Supporting any additional Cardiology, Pulmonology, or Interventional Radiology procedures performed in the CCU/Special Procedures Clinic/Radiology/Cardiopulmonary Clinic.
• Performing pre-procedure patient preparation and assessments, post-cardiac catheterization recovery