Nurse Extern, Cardio/Pulmonary, Per Diem, Nights

Nurse Extern

The Nurse Extern delivers high quality, patient-centered care by performing a variety of delegated basic patient care services related to common nursing functions and activities of daily living. Under the supervision of the registered nurse (RN), the Nurse Extern assists the nursing staff in providing patient care in accordance with the Nurse Extern's skills/training and the needs of the Department, and consistently assists the patient care team with maintaining a clean, well-organized, and safe patient care environment. The Nurse Extern is currently enrolled and in good standing in an accredited school of nursing and can perform higher-level procedures once competency is achieved.

The Nurse Extern participates in the implementation of nursing care plans by performing direct and indirect patient care under the supervision of the licensed nurse. Obtains and records initial and ongoing patient information throughout the cycle of care, including admissions data, vital signs, height and weight, blood pressure, oxygen saturation, blood glucose levels, intake and output, and calorie counts. Documents observations, interactions, patient responses to performed activities, and any physical or behavioral changes at time of occurrence. Reports observations of individual patients to the RN/Team Leader.

Assists with mobility by regular turning and positioning, dangling, and ambulating patients. Assists with use of walkers, crutches, canes, and wheelchairs. Transfers patients to and from other units, departments, or entities. Assists with discharges. Demonstrates proper body mechanics. Provides or assists with non-medicated support care, including non-sterile dressing changes, skin protection, application of heat or ice, oxygen delivery, and venous compression devices.

Performs non-medicated support tasks, including oral suctioning, enema, catheterization and foley catheter removal, drain maintenance, and basic wound care. Increases variety and difficulty of tasks as competency is verified through nursing program. Obtains or assists in the collection of specimens for diagnostic or waived tests. Ensures accuracy of all labels and timely transfer of specimen. Retrieves medication from pharmacy, storage room, or tube system and delivers to licensed staff member as instructed. Assists with patient preparation for surgery or other procedure.

Assists patients with activities of daily living to include eating and drinking, bathing, shaving, oral care, grooming, and elimination. Changes bed linens as needed. Performs hourly rounding and responds promptly to call lights and patient requests. Strives to anticipate patient needs and resolve them proactively. Follows patient and employee safety/security policies and protocols, including hand hygiene, use of universal precautions, use of personal protective equipment, and adherence to isolation procedures. Prepares and maintains clean, hazard-free patient rooms. Empties trash and removes soiled linens.

Assists with patient/family/caregiver learning needs, abilities and readiness to learn. Identifies barriers to learning, such as language or culture. Integrates this information into the patient's plan of care. Translates complex medical terminology to ensure patients/families/caregivers understand patient medical condition, patient status, treatment plan, medications and possible side effects, and follow-up measures. Educates patients/families/caregivers on healthy diet and exercise, disease prevention, and/or lifestyle changes that may be needed once a patient leaves the hospital. Prepares patients and families/caregivers for future self-management. Provides teaching material as needed (pamphlets, video, etc.) to enhance understanding. Documents each teaching episode. Assists with post-mortem care. Assists in the setup, removal, and cleaning of equipment. Identifies malfunctioning equipment and initiates repairs.

Performs clerical work as needed, including greeting customers, filing, answering and transferring phones, and relaying messages. Prepares and maintains chart, MAR and Kardex on each patient admitted. Adds documentation forms to chart as needed. Ensures each form is properly labeled. Assists provider in obtaining medical records and diagnostic results. Serves as Monitor/Telemetry Tech for the unit as needed. Promotes consistent, positive patient interactions that advance the agenda of unparalleled patient service. Demonstrates caring and empathy in all interactions and advocates for patient- and family-centered approach in all decisions and actions. Demonstrates excellent communication skills, including active listening. Ensures patients, physicians, and colleagues have a clear understanding of all communications. Engages in evidence-based best practices that enhance the patient experience, including SAFETY rounding, communication fundamentals/AIDET, Teach-Back, Narrating Care, etc.

Participates as an active member of the health care team and positively promotes the rest of the team to patients/families/caregivers and other colleagues. Maintains a professional appearance and demonstrates behaviors consistent with established policies/procedures. Uses job knowledge and proficiency of skills to successfully assist in orientation of new employees. Shares new knowledge with peers and mentors those with less experience. Attends and actively participates in unit meetings. Seeks opportunities to impact the growth of the organization by promoting excellence in patient experience and providing high quality care to the patients served. Identifies and assists with opportunities for performance improvement activities on the unit and with other service areas. Fulfills the duty and responsibility to maintain competence and to continue personal and professional growth. Creates and implements a personal career development plan, reviewed regularly by supervisor and/or preceptor. Maintains supplies, forms and necessary requisitions for the unit. Demonstrates cost effective use and maintenance of unit supplies. Demonstrates fiscal responsibility by taking ownership of time management, decreasing waste of time and/or supplies, and promoting cost effectiveness while maintaining patient safety and quality of care.

Performs other duties as assigned. Previous PCT/PCI experience is preferred. High school diploma required. 1 + years of nursing school completed or as mandated by state of practice preferred. Ability to analyze, organize and prioritize work accurately while meeting multiple deadlines. Ability to communicate effectively in both oral and written form. Ability to handle difficult and stressful situations with critical thinking and professional composure. Ability to understand and follow instructions. Ability to exercise sound and independent judgment. Knowledge and skill in use of job appropriate technology and software applications. American Heart Association and any additional applicable life support certification for Healthcare Providers may be required at the unit level upon hire with at least 6 months validity and maintenance at JHS for the duration of employment. AHA Basic Life Support (BLS) with 6 months validity. Environmental Conditions - Jobs in this group are required to function in a fast paced environment with occasional high pressure or emergent and stressful situations. Frequent interaction with a diverse population including team members, providers, patients, insurance companies and other members of the public. Function is subject to inside environmental conditions, with occasional outdoor exposures. Exposure to various environments such as: communicable diseases, toxic substances, medicinal preparations and other conditions common to a hospital and medical office environment. May also be exposed to needle sticks, airborne infections, medical gases, X-Ray, chemical exposures and other potential hazards. Must wear Personal Protective Equipment (PPE) when exposed to infectious/clinical hospital environment. Reasonable accommodations can be made to enable people with disabilities to perform the described essential functions. Additional information and provision requests for reasonable accommodation will be provided by the home unit/department in collaboration with the Reasonable Accommodations Committee (RAC). Physical Requirements - Job function requires extended standing or walking. Must be able to carry objects weighing 21 to 50 pounds. Able to lift or move objects weighing 51 to 100 pounds with the use of appropriate devices. Jobs in this group require frequent visual acuity to perform activities related to extended use of computers. Additional information and provision requests for reasonable accommodation will be provided by the home unit/department in collaboration with the Reasonable Accommodations Committee (RAC).