Charge Nurse

GENERAL PURPOSE OF THE JOB:

The individual in this role supports the clinic manager daily, assuming responsibility for safe and effective delivery of patient care. The Charge Nurse provides clinical oversight and leadership to the clinic staff by providing direction, delegating appropriate tasks, and monitoring compliance. This individual provides safe, effective, and compassionate care that is consistent with State and Federal regulations and Company policies, procedures and guidelines and within his/her scope of practice.

PRIMARY RESPONSIBILITIES:
• Prepare patient care assignments and patient scheduling based on patient needs and acuity.
• Provide supervision of direct patient care staff, both licensed and unlicensed.
• Report and provide patient assessments communicating to the care team, clinic manager, and Medical Director as indicated.
• Provide daily communication with all disciplines to assure safe and effective care.
• Assure complete and accurate daily system documentation and reporting in an efficient and timely manner.
• Ensure completion of staff tasks.
• Assist with physician rounds. Complete daily charge nurse rounds.
• Check and validate prescription orders to ensure patient is getting prescribed treatment, complete orders and changes.
• Effectively and professionally communicate patient condition changes and/or problems on an ongoing basis to Clinic Coordinator and physician.
• Perform and/or delegate admission assessment on all patients as well as on-going assessment. Evaluate plan of care implemented and patient's response to treatment.
• Demonstrate competency in all facilities policies and procedures to ensure compliance with all clinical and technical issues.
• Review and verify completion of required water (machine) testing during each patient shift.
• Demonstrate appropriate emergency response following established protocols and complete all documentation in accordance with company policy.
• Oversee opening and closing of unit ensuring either that the unit is opened properly and according to procedures and policies or is closed properly and according to procedures and policies depending on assigned shift.
• Promotes and facilitates the implementation and integration of Physicians Dialysis Quality Program into the facilities' standard operating procedures.
• Promotes utilization of CQI principles to increase patient satisfaction, increase staff satisfaction, and provide overall improved organizational performance.

Secondary Duties:
• In some cases, may be required to function as alternate clinic manager in their absence.
• Take on assigned functional management responsibility (such as Anemia Management, Access Management (catheter monitoring), Transplant Management, Foot Care, Bone Management, Case Management or other functional responsibility) and manage program to drive desired outcomes.
• Assist with ordering patient medications
• Help Clinic Coordinator with training of new staff when instructed.
• Demonstrate the culture of the organization and principles outlined in the company culture program
• Assist in the implementation of QAPI improvement activities. This includes participation on committees, task forces, and work groups on a voluntary and appointed basis.

o Enforce and adhere to all HIPAA compliance policies.
• Attend all scheduled meetings.
• Perform other duties as assigned.

QUALIFICATION REQUIREMENTS:

To perform this job successfully, an individual must be able to perform each essential duty satisfactorily. The requirements listed below are representative of the knowledge, skill and/or ability required. Reasonable accommodations may be made to enable individuals with disabilities to perform the essential functions.
• Must have current and valid State professional nursing licensure
• Must obtain BLS certification within first 90 days if not already certified.
• Must have an Associate Degree in Nursing or a Nursing Diploma; prefer bachelor's degree
• Must have at least 2 years of clinical and hemodialysis experience
• Prefer CNN or CDN at time of hire or within 12 months of accepting position.
• Must have demonstrated record of and commitment to safety; and dedication to excellence.
• Must possess outstanding communication and interpersonal skills. Must be able to communicate professionally and effectively with other staff members, patients and physicians.
• Able to read and interpret documents such as safety rules, operating and maintenance instructions and procedure manuals.
• Intermediate knowledge of clinical systems, computer processing and Microsoft office (email, word, excel, etc).
• Travel is minimal in this role.

WORK ENVIRONMENT & PHYSICAL DEMANDS:

The work environment characteristics described here are representative of those an employee encounters while performing the essential functions of this job. The physical demands described below are representative of those that must be met by an employee to successfully perform the essential functions of this job.


While performing the duties of this job, the employee is occasionally exposed to work near moving mechanical parts (dialysis equipment and machinery). The employees is occasionally exposed to fumes or airborne particles and toxic or caustic chemicals. The noise level in the work environment is usually moderate.


The employee must frequently lift and/or move up to 75 pounds. Specific vision abilities required by this job include close vision, color differentiation, distance vision, peripheral vision, depth perception and ability to adjust focus. While performing the duties of this job, the employee is required to stand; walk and talk, hear and smell. The employee is frequently required to use hands to finger, handle, or feel and reach with hands and arms. He/she is occasionally required to sit; stoop, kneel, bend, crouch, or crawl. Travel in this role is less than 20%.