RN - Med Surg Peds (Days)

Registered Staff Nurse (RN)

The Registered Staff Nurse (RN) provides holistic care to patients and families. The focus is on independent, collaborative and delegated nursing functions as described in standards and competencies specific to the assigned service area. The scope of practice may include the care of neonates, infants, children, young adults, adults, and older adults throughout the life cycle. The RN executes the Standards of Nursing Practice including assessment; nursing diagnosis; outcome identification; planning; implementation; and evaluation. The RN develops and revises the patient's plan of care; coordinates care among disciplines and delegates activities to other patient care providers as appropriate. The RN participates in shared accountability and decision-making for nursing practices. Duties may vary based on the assigned customer care unit. This may include differences in the specific clinical skills required of the RN. Unit based skill lists outline expectations beyond the house wide RN requirements.

The following duties are intended to provide a representative summary of the major duties and responsibilities. Staff may not be required to perform all duties listed and may be required to perform additional, position-specific duties.

Patient Care and Assessment

1. Assessment: Conduct initial and ongoing assessments of patients' physical, psychosocial, environmental, and self-care needs, incorporating data from the patient, family, and the healthcare team.

2. Care Planning: Develop, implement, and evaluate individualized patient care plans based on assessments, medical diagnoses, and incorporating the multidisciplinary plan of care.

3. Direct Patient Care: Provide direct nursing care, including administering medications, performing treatments, monitoring vital signs, and assisting with activities of daily living.

4. Patient Education: Assess learning needs and educate patients and families on health conditions, treatment plans, post-discharge care, medication management, and preventative health maintenance.

5. Discharge Planning: Establish goals and strategies for meeting the discharge needs of the patient and family, coordinating care with other healthcare providers.

Communication and Collaboration

1. Interdisciplinary Teamwork: Collaborate with physicians, therapists, social workers, and other healthcare professionals to develop and revise comprehensive patient care plans.

2. Communication: Communicate effectively with patients, families, physicians, and other healthcare team members, ensuring a clear understanding of patient status, concerns, and treatment plans.

3. Shift Reports: Provide organized and concise shift reports to ensure seamless continuity of care.

Documentation and Quality Improvement

1. Documentation: Maintain accurate and timely patient records, documenting all aspects of the nursing process and ensuring compliance with health care regulations and standards.

2. Quality Assurance: Participate in quality improvement initiatives, contributing to the enhancement of clinical protocols and patient outcomes.

3. Adherence to Standards: Assure quality of care by adhering to therapeutic standards, measuring health outcomes against patient care goals and hospital or regulatory standards.

Professional Development and Leadership

1. Professional Development: Continuously enhance nursing knowledge and skills through ongoing education and professional development activities.

2. Mentorship and Supervision: May assist in the orientation and mentorship of new staff and students, and supervise the care provided by other nursing personnel.

Attends, participates and completes all required in-services, mandatory meetings, and education.

Meets/Maintains all licensure/certification requirements for the position.

Meets all employee health requirements as required by OSHA, State, and Boone County Hospital policies.

Accepts and performs Charge Nurse responsibilities, following orientation to the role and completion of the skills checklist, as delegated by the unit director or designee.

Accepts other duties as assigned to promote the accomplishment of organizational goals.

Demonstrate and maintain skill proficiency, including improvement or updates to skills where deemed necessary.

Basic Qualifications

Education: Graduate from an accredited school of nursing required. Bachelor's degree in nursing preferred.

Experience: Minimum of 6 months acute care RN experience preferred, new grads welcome.

Knowledge, Skills and Abilities: Demonstrated leadership, verbal, written and interpersonal communication skills. Additional certification preferred, as appropriate, for chosen area(s) of nursing practice (i.e., CEN, CCRN). Knowledge of professional nursing principles and practice. Knowledge of nursing ethics.

Communication/Teamwork: Excellent communication and customer service skills. Work well within a team.

Certificates, Licenses, and Registrations: Current licensure as RN in State of Iowa. Basic life support certification (BLS). Advanced cardiac life support (ACLS). Mandatory Reporter adult and child within 3 months of hire.

Physical Activity Requirements

Frequently lift, carry, move, push, and pull equipment, supplies, and patients. Ability to lift up to 50 pounds and exert up to 50 pounds of push/pull force. Frequent standing, walking, reaching, bending, stooping, twisting, and patient handling activities. Ability to perform floor-to-waist, waist-to-shoulder, and horizontal lifting and transferring tasks. Occasional squatting, kneeling, and work in low-level positions. Frequent use of hands and arms for grasping, manipulating medical equipment, supplies, computers, and related materials. Must be able to safely assist with patient movement and positioning and perform repetitive physical activities throughout the workday.

Working Conditions

Clean, well lit, heated and air-conditioned area. Exposure to unpleasant sights, smells and infectious diseases, blood, and body fluids, and occasionally to radiation. Work schedule is 12 hours shifts 7 am to 7:30 pm or 7 pm to 7:30 am. Full time is 60-72 hours every two weeks. Overtime dependent upon needs of department. Hours may vary depending on departmental staffing needs. Holiday and weekend work is required. Vision must be correctable to view computer screens and read printed information. Specific vision abilities required by the job include close vision, distance vision, color vision, peripheral vision, and ability to adjust focus. Hearing must be in the normal range for telephone contacts and other conversations. Reasonable accommodations may be made to enable individuals with disabilities to perform the essential functions of the job.

Ethics and Compliance

Employee performs within the prescribed limits of the hospitals/departments Ethics and Compliance Program. Is responsible to detect, observe and report compliance variances to their immediate supervisor, or upward through the chain of command, the Compliance officer or hospital hotline.

Culture/Religious Aspects

Ability to interact with customers of diverse cultural and/or religious backgrounds.

The above is intended to describe the general content of and requirements for this job. It is not intended to be a complete statement of duties, responsibilities, or requirements.