ER Registered Nurse

Emergency Department Nurse

Portland, Oregon – A City of Neighborhoods The Community – Portland is known for the vibrancy and uniqueness of its many neighborhoods, each with a distinct sense of place, and – in quicky Portland fashion – spread across six so-called "quadrants." Locals will tell you that you haven't truly been to Portland until you've connected with its diverse communities. Some of the best things are coming up quickly to take place and celebrate in the area, such as the "Spirit of Halloweentown," just 45 minutes from Portland which celebrates Halloween all month long with haunted tours, costume contests and more. All around the region, you'll find the best spots for fall color with autumnal beauty abounding in and around Portland. And! There are plenty of prime places to revel in leaf-crunching relaxation. With the arrival of autumn also comes Portland's fill of its calendar with cultural, wine and holiday events with a seemingly endless array of things to do, see and experience. Autumn is the prime time to explore Portland's independent theater, big musical productions, opera, ballet, and symphony scenes. In addition to celebrations of the spookiest season, Portland starts gearing up for the holidays. The city's lack of sales tax means built-in savings when you shop. Fall heralds the return of Portland's NBA team, the Trail Blazers, along with locally beloved annual events like Portland Open Studios, the Queer Film Festival, and the Portland Book Festival (just to name a few). Explore more of what Portland has to offer here.

About the Facility – Portland VAMC

The Portland VA is a 160-bed, acute care medical facility opened in 1929 by the Oregon Department of Veterans' Affairs, located on Marquam Hill in Portland and adjacent to Oregon Health and Sciences University. Services at the 160-bed medical center's campus include primary care, radiology, speech and language pathology, social work, prosthetics, rehabilitation, emergency care, a pharmacy, and laboratory services, among others. The acute care medical center is accredited by The Joint Commission and has approximately 80,000 visitors' annually. The 128-ft main building has nine stories above ground plus a penthouse, and two underground floors. The steel and concrete high-rise building has a total of 684,985 square feet of space. The 660-foot ling pedestrian bridge linking the medical center to OHSU Hospital was constructed with 2.4 million pounds of steel and is supported by two towers, each 150 feet tall. Facility Address: 3710 SW US Veterans Hospital Rd, Portland OR 97239

Requirements

(Duties include but are not limited to)

• Have an understanding of triage to make quick and accurate assessments about incoming Emergency Department (ED) patients, including both physical, infectious, and mental health conditions.
• Proficient with Emergency Severity Index.
• Obtains patient history and pertinent family history.
• Check for any allergies and current medications.
• Obtain height, weight, body temperature, heart rate and blood pressure.
• Establish, monitor and recognize cardiac rhythms.
• Takes blood samples, cleaning and bandaging wounds, administers medications and Intra-venous (IV) therapies.
• Possesses knowledge of Infection Control practices when triaging and/or caring for patients presenting with potential diagnosis of Infectious Diseases (i.e. COVID Positive cases).
• Knowledgeable of utilizing appropriate Infection Control practices (i.e. donning and doffing practices) as needed.
• Documents plan of care and care given in patient's medical record.
• Verifies transcription of physician's orders. May accept a verbal order if in compliance with the facility policy.
• Carries out prescribed Physician's orders and documents inpatient medical record.
• Communicates pertinent patient data to the Charge Nurse and/or Physician as appropriate.
• Re-assesses patient's condition and revises plans-of-care based on problems that the Nurse Identifies.
• Possesses knowledge of actions and usual dosages of the most commonly used emergency drugs and their location on the crash cart.
• Assesses and documents patient responses to medications that have been administered.
• Reorganizes and initiates the appropriate measures in emergencies/therapies and surgical/diagnostic procedures that must be accomplished.
• Instructs patients and their families regarding prescribed medications/therapies and surgical/diagnostic procedures that must be accomplished.
• Assesses patient/family knowledge level, implements a plan of instructions, and records the patient's family's demonstrated level of understanding.
• Operates defibrillator, electrocardiogram (EKG) machines and cardiac monitors, and other technical emergency equipment.
• Cares for patients with Swan-Gans catheters, arterial lines, and mechanical ventilators.
• Participates in discharge planning.
• Can initiate life-saving measures in the absence of Physicians.
• Assures the content and correctness of a prepared report and signs the document to validate its content.
• Maintains a neat personal appearance and maintains professional decorum.
• Consistently applies the VA's customer service standards, always demonstrating helpful, courteous, and respectful conduct.
• Respects patient's rights, including but not limited to visual and auditory privacy.
• Intake and output of fluids assessed every shift, and more frequently if indicated by specific standard nursing drug care
• Reviews all laboratory data, and electronic medical records.
• Can titrate medications.
• Performs urinary catheter care by using soap and water cleaning technique every 12 hours, or as required.
• Ensures that medication orders from the previous shift have been noted and either carried out or transcribed onto the medical records.
• Maintains proper supplies of medical equipment, and Point of Care Testing.
• Transports/moves patients as needed to units.
• Discharge patients if necessary.