HCSS Dialysis Registered Nurse

Competent Clinician

Competent Clinician. Possesses knowledge and skill to meet standards for competent professional nursing practice as specified in the Texas Nurse Practice Act. Experienced, knowledgeable, and skilled in specialty area. Competently functions as a member of the interdisciplinary team. Practice is characterized by predominantly interdependent decision-making. Practice is problem focused and patient centered in the manner care is provided. Able to manage unexpected or emergency situations that are commonly seen in assigned specialty population. Can manage commonly seen contingency situations that arise on the clinical unit. Provides patient care through nursing practices based upon the American Nurses Association Standards of Professional Practice, Nursing Process and UTMB's three domains for competency and advancement: Professional Practice, and Professional Performance. Values specialty unit, nursing, and institutional strategic initiatives and health system goals.

Major Duties / Critical Tasks

• Assesses, plans, implements, evaluates, and documents the daily care of assigned patients
• Identifies actual and potential nursing diagnoses/patient care needs; develops and individualizes care plan, and revises plan of care as needed
• Executes physician's orders for all assigned patients. Administers medications and treatments and delivers culturally congruent and specialty appropriate competent nursing care in accordance with UTMB's policies, procedures, and standards in a caring and compassionate manner
• Competently and independently performs routine technical procedures/skills in assigned specialty area:
• Competently demonstrates knowledge and skills to utilize equipment in assigned specialty area
• Independently capable of performing different aspect of responsibilities within the department
• Demonstrates competent knowledge and skills to interpret and respond to patient data and hemodynamic responses
• Competent in identifying cardiac rhythms, waveforms and abnormal ranges and taking appropriate intervention
• Competently demonstrates knowledge and competency in supporting, medicating, and monitoring patients throughout dialysis as well as educating them on kidney disease and the lifestyle choices that help them to manage their disease.
• Competently and consistently completes accurate, concise and documentation of the procedure event

Patient/Family Teaching & Health Promotion

• Provides uncomplicated and complex patient/family instruction and healthcare teaching based on identified learning needs (patient values, beliefs, barriers, and readiness to learn)
• Coaches others in strategies for patient/family inclusion and serves as a resource to others for patients/families with complex learning needs
• Uses Teach-Back to determine effectiveness and modifies strategies as needed

Care Coordination & Delegation

• Competently and independently plans, coordinates, and prioritizes patient care activities according to skill level and work complexity
• Maintains safety and continuity of care using methods such as bedside shift report, hand-off tools/processes, inter-disciplinary care rounds, etc.; Role models and coaches others to utilize these methods
• Demonstrates flexibility in time management to manage changing patient priorities; coaches and supports others to plan, coordinate and prioritize care
• Demonstrates competent use of technology in the delivery of patient care and serves as a resource and provides trouble shooting support to others
• Delegates appropriately; may seek guidance or clarification of non-routinely delegated tasks

Ethics (legal/regulatory), Advocacy & Culturally Congruent Care

• Identifies ethical situations and initiates appropriate communication/consultation to address
• Delivers culturally congruent care using available resources to meet the needs of patient/family; recognizes situations in which personal bias may influence
• Serves as a patient advocate; may seek guidance/assistance in difficult situations

Communication & Collaboration

• Supports healthy work environment by demonstrating respectful verbal and non-verbal communication with all members of the healthcare team; may seek support with challenging communication issues; addresses behavior that does not support respectful environment
• Recognizes colleagues when they go above and beyond in demonstrating UTMB's core values
• Plans, coordinates, and prioritizes patient care activities in collaboration/communication with inter-professional team, including consult recommendations
• Functions as an independent and supportive team member
• Prioritizes patient and departmental needs. Ability to work long hours
• Maintains professionalism and communicates effectively in high stress situations
• Functions as an experienced Nurse Clinician who leads working effectively with others towards achieving common goals including morale and teamwork
• Works effectively with others towards achieving common goals including morale and teamwork

Leadership

• Recognizes informal and formal unit/hospital leaders and can educate colleagues regarding unit/hospital leadership
• Recognizes unit, nursing, and institutional strategic initiatives and health system goals
• Recognizes the importance of financial responsibility to promote fiscal health for the patient, unit, and organization
• Demonstrates acceptable productivity and practices cost containment for the practice and the patient
• Demonstrates openness to change by actively seeking knowledge and needed information; uses positive communication and role modeling to promote understanding of change to colleagues
• Functions as a unit leader, providing direction and assistance to team members.
• Mentors others and promotes professional development of less experienced colleagues

Education, Evidence-Based Practice & Research

• Actively attends/participates in unit meetings/activities and supports the philosophy and goals of the unit/department and UTMB
• Actively participates in shared leadership at the unit level; encourages colleague participation
• Attends presentations, professional development activities; encourages attendance/participation of colleagues
• Participates in one journal club annually.
• Shares educational findings, experiences, and ideas with colleagues through shared leadership meetings, presentations, professional development activities
• Mentors others and develops learning opportunities
• Demonstrates commitment to lifelong learning (evidence-based practice, specialty certification, advanced degree)
• Demonstrates knowledge and utilization of evidence-based resources to guide patient care; coaches colleagues to utilize evidence-based resources
• Identifies learning needs of self and others; sets challenging and realistic goals and develops learning opportunities to meet goals.

Quality, Resources & Safety

• Identifies patient safety concerns, and reports appropriately; addresses immediate safety concerns appropriately
• Coaches others regarding unit quality metrics/outcomes data and improvement activities; actively engages in discussion, activities related to unit goals; Participates in systematic processes to achieve quality outcomes
• Demonstrates self-care through practices that support personal well-being, personal safety, and injury prevention
• Serves as a resource to colleagues regarding the Electronic Health Record; identifies opportunities for system improvements and communicates ideas via appropriate channels

General Requirements:

• Completes required specialty specific Competency Based Orientation (CBO) tools by the initial performance evaluation due date for placement in employee file.
• Actively participates in the initial and ongoing evaluation of competency using Competency Based Orientation (CBO) tools
• Performs and reports point of care testing (POCT).
• Prioritizes and organizes work so that required assignments are completed within a specified time frame.
• Provides and maintains a clean, safe environment and performs and/or assists others to perform proper aseptic technique, isolation procedures and infection control measures.
• Demonstrates acceptable productivity and practices cost containment for the unit/hospital and the patient.
• Competently and consistently completes accurate, concise, and legible documentation on all patient, unit and hospital records (including care delivery and telephone patient related interactions).
• Competently utilizes electronic forms of communication and documentation.
• Meets periodic UTMB and unit specific compliance requirements for health screening, training, attendance, safety, and CPR certification
• Adheres to internal controls and reporting structure.
• Perform related duties as required.

Required Education / Experience:

• RN with current license or valid permit to practice professional nursing in Texas.
• Two (2) years of inpatient hospital experience as an Dialysis RN within the last 2 years.
• Must have current BLS certification obtained