RN - ICU

ICU Travel Nurse PositionShift: Rotating, 0545a - 0615p, 0545p - 0615a Weekly Hours: 36-48 Description: Assess, plan, and evaluate nursing care for a wide variety of patients, to include newborns, children, adolescents, adults, elderly, and disabled, to include visually and hearing impaired; and individuals of varying ethnic and religious backgrounds, to include those who do not speak or understand English. Implement the Nursing process (assessment, planning, diagnosis, intervention and evaluation) to include holistic approach. Possess knowledge of critical care medication usage and administration, to include a variety of pharmacological agents used in treatment of critically ill 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 critical care medications safely and provide proper documentation of patient condition, disease progress, patient teaching, and follow-up care. Assume full responsibility for assigned patients and ancillary personnel. Delegate tasks, direct critical care and specialty technicians, and provide counseling, guidance, and patient education. Recognize medical emergencies and react with alertness and skill in any emergency situation, (e.g., cardiac or respiratory arrest, hemorrhage, shock, severe physical trauma and psychiatric reaction). Be able to initiate life saving measures in the absence of a physician. Initiate Cardio-Pulmonary Resuscitation (CPR), if required. Assist medical team in administering advanced cardiac life support (ACLS) measures, when necessary. Serves as member of the Rapid Response Team (RRT) and Code Blue resuscitation/response team. Establish and maintain good interpersonal relationships with co-workers, families, peers, and other health team members. Become oriented/trained on the use of all MTF equipment available for patient care. Ensure all equipment is properly cleaned and stored at the end of each work shift. Ensure preventive maintenance and routine cleaning are performed as directed. Ensures properly cleaned and stored equipment and work area. Ensure a safe work environment and employees safe work habits. Perform Charge Nurse Duties when designated by the Flight Commander/Medical Director. Contractor personnel shall complete all job specific training as required by the MTF. All patient charting is included as part of the patient visit and must be completed within department standards. There is an adequate amount of administrative time scheduled for each Contractor personnel, with the expectation that patient charting be completed during the normal duty day. Maintain accurate and current notes in both the patient hard copy chart records and electronic inpatient medical records of all patients seen, as appropriate, and produces reports of evaluation and/or treatment, as required. Assess patient condition for potential or life-threatening crises. Distinguish between normal and abnormal physical findings (from physical assessment, vital sign assessment and lab values). Plan appropriate nursing care, notify physician if needed and carry out appropriate interventions as ordered. Reassess patient condition and revise plan of care based on identified nursing problems. Assess patient/family knowledge level, implement plan of instructions and record patient/family demonstrated level of understanding. Effectively communicate and collaborate 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 use appropriate communication format in addressing professional issues. Obtain patient history, pertinent family history, and document in patient medical record. Utilize appropriate nursing personnel to assist in delivery of care when indicated (Licensed Practical Nurse (LPN)/paraprofessionals). Transcribe or verify transcription of physician orders Communicate pertinent patient data to charge nurse and/or physician as appropriate. Administer prescribed critical care medications to include multiple critical care medication drips and intravenous push drugs (e. g., sedatives, narcotics, vasoactive medications, neuromuscular blockades, antidysrhythmic, antihypertensives, thrombolytics, and emergency drugs). Administration consideration based on protocols, policy and recommendations by medical references. Administration of blood products. Assess and document patient response to medications administered and intervene if desired response is not achieved. Instruct patient/family regarding prescribed medications/therapies and surgical/diagnostic procedures that must be accomplished. Administer inhalation therapy treatments, with knowledge of medications utilized in this treatment and reactions; coordinates care with Respiratory Therapy as indicated. Properly apply cardiac monitor leads and utilize 1 2 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 intervene on emergent changes. Care for patients with a variety of hemodynamic monitors to include pressure lines/transducers, Swan-Ganz catheters, cardiac output monitoring, balloon pumps, Impella and arterial lines. Obtain hemodynamic parameters and interpret results. Notify physician of any parameters outside of expected results. Care for patients with other invasive medical therapies, to include Hypothermia Temperature Management treatment and ' Ekos' EkoSonic Endovascular System. Participate in Discharge Planning as appropriate. Demonstrate use and operation of defibrillator to include emergency defibrillation, cardiac pacing, and synchronized cardioversion. Manages patients on SLED (Sustained Low-Efficiency Dialysis), and completes annual training to maintain skill. Manages and monitors patient's immediate post-operative recovery (PACU), and ensure proper recovery from anesthesia, monitors vital signs, treats pain and nausea as appropriate, updates patient' s medical record appropriately. Interpret results, notify physician of abnormal results and anticipate intervention as appropriate. Perform the Postoperative Recovery and discharge within established criteria, IAW department protocols. Perform Moderate Sedation for invasive procedures performed in ICU. Draw blood from invasive monitoring lines, lab value interpretation and intervene as appropriate (follow hospital protocols) when applicable and/or notify physician. Care of patients on ventilators to include knowledge of the modes of ventilation, Ventilator Associated Pneumonia Bundle. Operate infusion pumps, enteral feeding pumps, and Patient Controlled Analgesia pumps, epidural pumps, electronic thermometers, wound vacs, and chest tubes. Assist with orientation, training, and mentoring of newly assigned and inexperienced personnel. Participate in in-services, continuing education programs, peer reviews and chart audits to maintain quality standards.Requirements: Associates Degree of Nursing Graduate from a college or university accredited by Accreditation Commission for Education in Nursing (ACEN), the Commission on Collegiate Nursing Education (CCNE). General Knowledge: Minimum of two years (24 months) of ICU experience within the last 3 years. Be able to lift and move equipment weighing up to 40 pounds, assist with patient transport as needed. Must be able to stand while wearing up to 25 pounds of Personal Protective Equipment (PPE) for up to four hours. Certifications: Basic Life Support (BLS) Advanced Cardiac Life Support (ACLS) Pediatric Life Support (PALS) Licensure: Current, full, active, and unrestricted license to practice as a RN