Gardner, MA - Registered Nurse, ICU, Nights

ESSENTIAL FUNCTIONS

• Assesses (and reassesses), plans, implements, and evaluates nursing interventions/plans of care/patient goals.
• Provides patient care based on standards of care, standards of practice, protocols, and established policies and procedures.
• Respects each patient as an individual; provides care that fosters the patient s sense of dignity and positive self-regard.
• Provides patient/family teaching based on identified learning needs, readiness to learn, and barriers to learning.
• Collaboratively plans and prepares patient/family for discharge incorporating support systems/resources as necessary
• Appropriately delegates and supervises nursing interventions performed by others.
• Appropriately prioritizes patient care (e.g. seeks assistance as needed from appropriate resources, reassigns personnel as necessary, recognizes need for emergency intervention, etc.).
• Provides thorough, timely, and accurate documentation of all pertinent data, therapeutic interventions and patient responses according to established standards.
• Provides timely and thorough report on assigned patients to other health care team members to ensure integration of services and continuity of patient care.
• Promotes learning for colleagues and self (e.g. functions as preceptor, instructor, trainer, attends professional development programs, etc.).
• Proactively identifies risk to patient safety and identifies opportunities to reduce medical/health care errors (i.e. appropriate reporting of errors/incidents).
• Identifies ethical issues in care and develops plan to address.
• Safely administers medications and intravenous therapy in accordance with physician s orders, protocols, policies and procedures.
• Assesses patient pain level upon admission and as necessary, depending upon diagnosis utilizing the numerical pain scale.
• Reassesses effectiveness of pain control and notifies physicians as needed, as well as, documents assessment and patients response to medication.
• Performs accurate and timely identification of cardiac arrhythmias.
• Performs accurate and timely interpretation of EKG configuration changes (i.e. PR interval, ST segment).
• Institutes, monitors, and documents thrombolytic and anticoagulation therapy standards and protocols.
• Demonstrates knowledge of mechanical ventilation (e.g. modes, settings, and adjuncts associated with mechanical ventilation.
• Demonstrates skills associated with initiation, maintenance, and care of the intubated patient including, suctioning, troubleshooting, and weaning.
• Accurately interprets arterial blood gases, pulse oximetry, and clinical features of impaired gas exchange and/or airway clearance.
• Demonstrates understanding hemodynamic monitoring procedures, sets up equipment, assists with arterial artery and central vein cannulation.
• Safely administers vasoactive medications demonstrating understanding of dosage, action, use, side effects, and titration parameters associated with maintenance of critical drips.
• Provides ongoing assessment and monitoring of the patient in the immediate post-operative phase according to established standards and protocols.
• Demonstrates appropriate interventions related to potential problems/complications during the recovery phase of general, regional, spinal, or conscious sedation.
• Responsible for obtaining supporting information and completing required documentation related to medication reconciliation for use by the Attending MD.
• Responsible for implementing components of the VAP bundle consistently and per protocol. Responsible for alerting the Nurse Manager/Director/Nursing Supervisor if there is a deviation from VAP bundle by Attending MD for case review and follow up as indication.
• Participates actively in daily multi-disciplinary rounds for planning, coordinating, implementing and evaluating patient care.

JOB REQUIREMENTS

Minimum Education

Graduate of accredited school of nursing

Minimum Experience

1 yr med-sug experience preferred

Previous telemetry experience required

ICU experience preferred

Minimum Licenses and Certifications

Current MA RN License

ACLS upon hire OR must hold an active BLS card and obtain AHA ACLS within 60 days of hire

CCRN preferred

FUNCTIONAL DEMANDS

Physical Requirements:

Exerts 20 to 50 pounds of force occasionally, and/or 10 to 25 pounds of force frequently, and/or greater than negligible up to 10 pounds of force constantly to move objects. Frequently reaches (extending hands and arms in any direction), handles (seizing, holding, grasping, turning, or working with hands), and feels (perceiving attributes of items such as size, shape, temperature, or texture by means of fingertips). Occasionally stoops (bending the body downward and forward by bending the spine at the waist), and kneels (bending the legs at knee to come to rest on knee or knees).

ORGANIZATIONAL EXPECTATIONS

Behavioral Attributes:

The following behavioral attributes are required: achievement motivation, concern for order, flexibility, initiative, self-confidence, customer service oriented, interpersonal effectiveness, teamwork, analytical thinking and information seeking.

Statement of Other Duties

This document describes the major duties and responsibilities for this job, and is not intended to be a complete list of all tasks and functions. It should be understood, therefore, that employees may be asked to perform job-related duties beyond those explicitly described.