RN - MS

Registered Nurse

Specialty: Medical Surgical

Unit has a total of 34 beds. Patient ratios are 1:5 during days and 1:6 during nights. Common diagnoses include pneumonia, chronic obstructive pulmonary disease, congestive heart failure, orthopedic surgeries, appendicitis, cholecystectomy, diverticulitis, bowel resection, and pancreatitis. Nurses are not required to titrate drips. Common drips include heparin per protocol. Charge nurses are available on both shifts. A supervisor is available on nights. Patient care technicians are present on both day and night shifts with a maximum ratio of 1:12. Chronic BiPAP and CPAP equipment is utilized. There is remote monitoring available, with monitor techs providing analysis. Nurses are not responsible for interpreting telemetry strips. Schedule includes self-scheduling, variable based on census and staffing availability. Weekend rotation is required, currently mandating 4 weekend shifts every 6 weeks. Holiday shifts are rotated based on a calendar. If a shift is canceled, there may be a call or standby requirement. Floating is within the medical-surgical scope of practice. Scrub color is navy blue. Includes one shift of clinical nursing education followed by two shifts on the unit with a preceptor. Charting system in use is Cerner. A bachelor's degree in nursing is not required. Trauma level care setting is acute.