Radiation Oncology Nurse BWH

Staff Registered Nurse Radiation Oncology

The Radiation Oncology staff nurse assesses, plans, implements, and evaluates nursing care for a complex patient population. This role places particular emphasis on intraprocedural nursing care, including patient assessment, monitoring, clinical support, and timely intervention during radiation oncology procedures. The staff nurse provides patient and family education, clinical support, and psychosocial and emotional support before, during, and after treatment. Care includes patients undergoing brachytherapy procedures (preop, intraop, postop) under anesthesia, pediatric anesthesia treatments, external beam treatments, and procedural recovery. Nursing care is provided to both adult and pediatric patients of all ages. The staff nurse works as part of a multidisciplinary care team and communicates and collaborates effectively with colleagues and staff at BWH, MGB, DFCI, and collaborating institutions and agencies. This role requires clinical expertise, critical thinking, collaborative practice, excellent communication skills, and knowledge of current cancer treatment and clinical research principles and practices. The Radiation Oncology staff nurse reports directly to the Radiation Oncology Nurse Manager. The nurse is responsible for all components of the BWH Registered Nurse Job Description. Performs procedures and point-of-care testing as ordered.

The Registered Nurse is a professional nurse registered in Massachusetts who is responsible and accountable for planning and providing patient care for assigned patients in accordance with Nursing Standards of Care as set forth in the Nursing Department's Clinical Practice Manual. The registered nurse demonstrates initiative, knowledge and clinical skills in caring for the patient with complex needs. The Registered Nurse demonstrates the ability to effectively manage patients by assuming full responsibility for the assessment, plan, implementation and evaluation of patient care and is directly responsible to a designated nurse manager, or supervisor.

Essential Functions

• Clinical Practice
• Organization of Patient Care
• Accountable for assessing, planning, implementing and evaluating a plan of care for a specific patient assignment.
• Sets priorities when organizing care for patients with varying acuity.
• Maintain continuity through clear and concise (verbal and written) communication.
• Demonstrates appropriate knowledge of growth and development of the adult and geriatric patient.
• Quality of Care
• Documents patient care in a manner that is clear, complete, concise and in compliance with nursing documentation standards.
• Develops a comprehensive plan of care based on data from an initial assessment of patient and family, information from other members of the health care team, intra-agency referral and previous medical records.
• Develops a comprehensive educational plan for the patient and family, utilizing appropriate resources and documents according to the department's documentation standards.
• Develops a comprehensive discharge plan utilizing appropriate resources and referrals including community resources.
• Evaluates the effectiveness of the plan of care, and documents progress in meeting stated goals. Revises plan of care as needed to achieve desired outcomes.
• Participates actively in the unit-based and organizational quality management and/or quality improvement programs.
• Provides a safe environment for patients, staff, family and visitors.
• Administers medication safely according to established policies and procedures.
• Performs nursing procedures safely and efficiently.
• Uses equipment safely and efficiently.
• Demonstrates awareness of potential/actual risks of infection and modes of transmission.
• Utilizes universal precautions in nursing practice.
• Coordination/Collaboration
• Interacts with patients, families, and colleagues in a professional manner.
• Collaborates with other discipline(s).
• Develops, utilizes and evaluates unit-specific standards of care.
• Upholds the A.N.A. code of ethics and acts as a role model to other staff members.
• Participates in determining and implementing goals and objectives for the unit.
• Participates in determining goals and objectives in the periodic review and evaluation.
• Serves on unit-based and organizational committees and disseminates information to peers.
• Education
• Assumes responsibility for personal and professional growth through identification of own learning needs.
• Shares knowledge and experience with colleagues.
• Participates in unit-based and organizational educational programs.
• Seeks and accepts guidance for additional learning needs.
• Research
• Utilizes nursing research findings in clinical practice.
• Contributes to nursing and/or medical research endeavors by supporting investigators.
• Budget
• Utilizes time and materials in an effective and economical manner.
• Provides suggestions which support the delivery of cost-effective health care.
• Assesses patient's acuity accurately when making decisions regarding staffing, transfers and assignments.
• Demonstrates awareness of the need to manage within established budgetary boundaries.
• Personnel
• Participates in the orientation of new staff members, students and others as appropriate.
• Provides input into the clinical evaluation of other staff, as appropriate.
• Assumes responsibility for the unit in the absence of leadership personnel.
• Adheres to hospital and nursing policies and aids in their interpretation to others.
• Recommends change in policies and procedures through appropriate channels.
• Participates in the cooperative effort and peer support required for the smooth running of the unit, e.g., flexibility in relation to patient assignments, shift assignment, or work schedule.

Qualifications

• Education:
• 1. Graduate of an approved school of nursing with current registration in Massachusetts. For newly licensed nurses, a Bachelor of Science Degree in Nursing is required.
• 2. PALS Certification must be obtained within 1 year of hire.
• Experience:
• 3. Two (2) years current (or recent within 3 years) nursing experience with oncology-focused patient population required.
• 4. Intra-operative procedural or surgical experience preferred.
• 5. Radiation oncology experience strongly preferred.
• Schedule:
• 6. Department hours are 6:30 am -7:30 pm (approximately), Nurses work four 10-hour shifts, Monday Friday, rotating between any of the department operating hours.
• 7. During orientation, hours may include evenings and weekends if needed, and orienting nurses may rotate through varied procedural areas to develop the required skills for the role.

Working Conditions:

Works in a variety of patient care environments which include ambulatory clinics and sterile, procedural areas where there may be exposure to communicable diseases and hazardous materials such as chemotherapeutic agents, blood, radioisotopes, and radiation. Work entails walking and lifting.

Physical Requirements

• This position requires the ability to stand and walk for prolonged periods during the workday.
• The employee must be able to regularly, with assistance, lift items weighing up to and exceeding 50 lbs., and push and pull equipment or loads exceeding 100 lbs.
• Frequent bending, stooping, reaching, twisting, and repositioning of patients and equipment are required.
• The ability to perform these essential functions safely, with or without reasonable accommodation, is required.

Skills and Abilities Required:

The RN must show evidence of the basic analytic thinking necessary to care for a group of patients. Must demonstrate observational skills and the ability to set priorities. Must be able to function under stress with good interpersonal and communication skills. Must demonstrate effective skills in applying hospital standards in area of service, teamwork, communication, respect for others, and time/priority management.

SUPERVISORY RESPONSIBILITY

Functionally responsible for the supervision of other RN's, technical and support personnel.

Additional Job Details (if applicable)

Remote Type

Onsite

Work Location

75 Francis Street

Scheduled Weekly Hours

40

Employee Type

Regular

Work Shift

Rotating (United States of America)

Pay Range

$41.71 - $105.65/Hourly

Grade