RN Charge - CCU - Lakewood - FT Days (40 hrs)

Staff Nurse Leader

The Staff Nurse Leader oversees clinical functions related to the delivery of patient care, the quality of nursing practice and the standards of care for the assigned shift. Coordinates patient care activities by directing staff and functions on the unit, while maintaining clinical nursing practice skills and unit specific expertise. Performs professional nursing duties that incorporate the psychomotor and age appropriate cognitive skills of the patient/family/significant other to assess, plan, intervene and advocate for the patient on an ongoing basis throughout the continuum of care. Provides break relief coverage for the shift. Troubleshoots and resolves issues as they arise. Functions as a role model and clinical resource to staff and patients.

Essential Functions What It Takes to be Successful

• Oversee and coordinate the daily operations of the department, troubleshooting and resolving issues as the occur.
• Ensures staff adherence to all policy and regulatory requirements.
• Assist with scheduling, coaching, training, hiring, counseling and performance assessments.
• Perform as a role model and consistently demonstrate an advanced level of expertise and enhanced communication skills.
• Champions quality improvement initiatives and nursing sensitive indicators. 50%
• Collaborates with staff and members of the healthcare team, ensuring the coordination of care between other disciplines and support staff.
• Delegates patient care activities to appropriate members of the health care team, provides effective leadership and ensures that care is safe and of high quality.
• Acts as a source of information and articulately responds to questions, providing resources, guidance, and education about diagnosis and course of treatment.
• Develops and implements accurate teaching and discharge plans. 10%
• Actively empathizes with patient, expresses compassion and understanding for the situation and demonstrates care which is appropriate for the age, and cultural, religious, or ethnic background.
• Actively engages in caring behaviors, taking conscious ownership for work and takes deliberate/thoughtful actions regarding how to best carry out relationships with the patient and co-workers. 5%
• Develops long and short-term goals consistent with treatment plans, standards of practice, patient preference and the plan of care.
• Appropriately utilizes pain scale and other interventions to provide pain relief.
• Assesses and documents the patient's physical & psychosocial condition, as well as response to care.
• Reviews patient test results in a timely manner, interpreting and communicating results in a manner consistent with the age of the patient and correlates information into the plan of care.
• Consistently ensures nursing practice is evidence based, within scope of licensure and compliant with hospital wide standards of nursing care. 15%
• Administers patient medications, treatments and procedures in a safe, effective and age-appropriate manner.
• Recognizes critical deviations in patient conditions, taking appropriate action and documenting intervention.
• Effectively collaborates with the health care team to intervene, and advocate as necessary.
• Intervenes appropriately in instances of abuse, assault or neglect, or when adequate financial or social resources are not available.
• Makes appropriate referrals to resolve patient issues effectively. 20%
• Total Effort: 100%

Required Qualifications

• Current CA RN License
• Current BLS Provider
• Current ACLS
• One year nursing experience
• External candidates must have a Bachelor's Degree in nursing or above
• Minimum of 4 years recent clinical nursing experience in an adult Intensive Critical Care Unit

Preferred Qualifications

• Acute hospital experience in critical care/open heart
• Previous supervisory experience

Physical Requirements

• Position involves standing and walking for long periods of time, approximately 75% of the workday. Sitting is approximately 25%.
• Must be able to transfer and lift patients as necessary. Weight will vary from patient to patient.
• Must have the dexterity, coordination, and visual and auditory acuity to perform all job responsibilities.
• Must be able to communicate effectively, both verbally and in writing.
• Must be free from signs of illness and infections.

Technical And Job Specific Skill

• Telephone Skills: Must demonstrate hospital telephone etiquette by answering the phones promptly, courteously and by identifying department and self.
• Policy/Procedures: Is aware of and follows all hospital and department policies and procedures.
• Teamwork: Promotes positive co-worker relationships through teamwork and cooperation. Understands and supports the needs of individuals in other departments and promotes conflict resolution. Shares information, work knowledge and experience with co-workers, physicians, and students in a non-threatening manner. Offers assistance and promptly responds to requests.
• Productivity: Maintains high productivity and performs efficiently regardless of whether the work volume is high or low. Appropriately prioritizes work activities. Responds to difficult situations with self-control and a positive attitude. Makes decisions independently and knows when to ask for assistance. Exercises good judgment and arrives at sound decisions.
• Clinical Skills
• Functions independently on usual unit. Seeks guidance when new/complex situations occur.
• Demonstrates clinical competency and technical skills for general and specialty population.
• Cares for patients of varied acuity levels.
• Applies theoretical knowledge in clinical practice for the assessment of patients. Applies assessment skills to patient care.
• Consistently identifies obvious and subtle patient/ family problems.
• Develops and implements age/culturally appropriate care plan with patient and family.
• Contributes to written plan of care for actual and potential patient problems.
• Develops & implements nursing interventions with patient and family.
• Participates in interdisciplinary patient rounds.
• Interprets and reports obvious and subtle data which indicate that the patient may be at immediate physiological risk.
• Evaluate outcomes with the individual and family and revises plan of care. Evaluates patient's response to treatments, further intervenes, if necessary.
• Identifies subtle educational needs for pt/family. Individualizes and implements established teaching plans using available instructional materials. Evaluates learning and seeks consultation to modify education plan.
• Safely administers medications and IVs appropriately, according to hospital policy and procedures.
• Meets care needs for patient and family, including age specific requirements, cultural and religious needs.
• Leadership
• Delegates and supervises assigned assistants based on job description and Scope of Practice. Provides constructive feedback to assistant regarding work performance.
• Attends 50 % of Staff meetings. Participates in meetings. Supports unit goals.
• Knows and recognizes importance of hospital PI process. Participates in data collection and problem identification.
• Provides feedback to appropriate committees regarding practice issues, process improvement. Attends at least one additional meeting.
• Able to discuss current care delivery system.
• Implements hospital policies & procedures. Refers to P&P manuals or consults charge nurse or manager when unfamiliar situation occurs. Forwards concerns/issues regarding policies to appropriate leadership personnel.
• Professional Growth
• Enhances self-development in own area of practice. Identifies, develops and implements an action plan for self-development along with nurse manager or designee during evaluation process.
• Participates in learning activities to obtain skills needed for assigned unit.
• Demonstrates positive image of nursing while practicing on the unit.
• Meets minimum scheduling requirements. Willing to adjust personal schedule to meet department/ hospital need.
• Attends all mandatory courses as designated by the hospital.
• Assists in the development of LVN and unlicensed personnel. Addresses issues as identified and communicates to subordinates. If needed, obtains assistance from more experienced staff.
• Recognizes the importance of practice trends in nursing and participates in data collection.
• Patient Rights
• Assesses patient/family understanding of their rights.
• Acts to uphold patient rights.
• Treats all patients, families and co-workers in a polite and respectful manner.
• Encourage