Critical Care Nurse - Intensive Care Unit (Open & Promotional)

Critical Care Nurse

San Mateo County Health's, San Mateo Medical Center has opportunities for experienced Critical Care nurses in our Intensive Care Unit. Under direction, the incumbents will perform varied professional nursing duties with a primary emphasis on professional nursing care for hospital or clinic patients; treat and educate patients, their families, and the public about various medical conditions; record medical histories and symptoms; perform diagnostic tests and analyze results; operate medical machinery; administer treatment and medications; assist with patient follow-up and rehabilitation; and perform other duties as assigned and required by assigned clinical setting.

Currently, we have one Regular part-time 0.8 FTE critical care nurse vacancy in the ICU. The ideal candidates will possess the following:

• Competence to independently perform a full range of professional nursing duties and procedures that require the exercise of a high degree of clinical judgment.
• Two years of experience working in acute care hospital units providing care to patients with serious, complex and acute illnesses or injuries that require very close monitoring and extensive medication protocols and therapies. Intensive Care setting preferred.
• Experience working with diverse, underserved populations.
• Knowledge of current regulatory requirements.

The eligible list generated from this recruitment may be used to fill future extra-help, term, unclassified, and regular classified vacancies. Extra-help are at-will assignments, paid on an hourly basis. Extra-help hours are dependent on the business needs of the department and therefore work hours may vary from week to week. Extra help employees shall not exceed 1,040 hours of work per fiscal year. Some extra help positions are eligible for benefits under the Affordable Care Act. Extra help employees are not guaranteed permanent status at the end of the assignment.

Duties may include, but are not limited to, the following:

• Complete patient assessments, triage, and record patient histories, symptoms and observations.
• Establish and implement nursing care plans for each patient through assessment, development, activation and evaluation.
• Participate in patient case conferences and rounds.
• Organize, assign and supervise duties and responsibilities of other staff members as a team leader.
• Orient and teach new staff members of the nursing team and students.
• Perform nursing care following prescribed rules, policies, protocols, and procedures.
• Identify problems, assist in data gathering, propose solutions and participate in the evaluation of quality assurance issues.
• Work with patients and their families to provide in-hospital and after-hospital follow-up through teaching and referral.
• Participate in educational programs to maintain the level of expertise.
• Participate in non-clinical assignments, which may include maintaining records, preparing reports and/or serving on special committees.
• Operate a variety of medical machinery and equipment.
• Administer treatment and medications.
• Maintain knowledge of outpatient resources.
• Develop discharge plans for patients.
• Perform related duties as assigned and required by the assigned work setting, as described below.

Critical Care Nurse: Duties for nurses in this series may also include the following:

• Record, assess, and observe patient progress, reactions, and symptoms.
• Monitor patient rehabilitation.
• Monitor life support equipment.
• Attend to wound dressings.
• Monitor patients in restraint and seclusion and maintain patient safety.
• Determine medical or psychiatric emergency needs and provide intervention.
• Recognize symptoms of major psychiatric diagnosis.
• Perform related duties as assigned.

Licensure/Certification:

• Possession of a California license as a Registered Nurse.
• A valid Basic Life Support (BLS) certification.
• Possession and maintenance of a valid Advanced Cardiac Life Support (ACLS) certification.

Knowledge of: Nurse Practice Act; current nursing and related medical theory and skills necessary to administer nursing care within assigned clinical setting; safety and infection control practices; and clinical systems, supplies and equipment. Skill/Ability to: Nurse Practice Act; perform nursing procedures required for assigned clinical setting; comply with clinical procedures and policies; maintain professional nurse-patient relationships; communicate with and educate patients, families, and the public who come from a diverse background; work harmoniously with other personnel; follow safety practices; assist in the instruction of other nursing and paraprofessional personnel; bend, kneel and squat as needed; occasionally use upper extremities to exert force to push and pull patients/objects weighing up to 50 pounds or more; and work in a busy environment.

Open and Promotional. Anyone may apply. Current County of San Mateo and County of San Mateo Superior Court of California employees with at least six months (1040 hours) of continuous service in a classified regular, probationary, Confidential and Management extra-help/limited term, and SEIU or AFSCME represented extra help/limited term positions prior to the final filing date will receive five points added to their final passing score on this examination. The examination process will consist of an application screening (weight: pass/fail) based on the candidates' application and responses to the supplemental questions. Candidates who pass the application screening will be invited to a panel interview (weight: 100%), which may include an additional exam component given prior to or during the interview. Depending on the number of applicants, an application appraisal of education and experience may be used in place of other examinations, or further evaluation of work experience may be conducted to group applicants by level of qualification. All applicants who meet the minimum qualifications are not guaranteed advancement through any subsequent phase of the examination. All examinations will be given in the County of San Mateo, California, and applicants must participate at their own expense. This is a continuous recruitment which may close at any time. The final filing date will be posted 5 days in advance in the County of San Mateo Human Resources Department.