Registered Nurse

Registered Nurse

Works under the supervision of the unit Supervisor/Manager/Director. A registered professional nurse is responsible for the delivery of patient care through the nursing process of assessment, planning, implementation, and evaluation. She/he is responsible for direction and guidance of patient teaching and activities of ancillary personnel while maintaining standards of professional nursing and the policies and operating instructions of Memorial Healthcare. Strives for superior performance by consistently providing a product of service to leadership and staff that is recognized as ultimately contributing to the patient and family experience. As a customer-focused Memorial Healthcare team member, he/she must be accessible, flexible, knowledgeable, and responsive.

Primary Job Responsibilities

• Assesses the physical, psychological, and social dimensions and the educational needs of the patient on admission and completes a written assessment within the time frame designated by the type of patient.
• Identifies patient needs and formulates a written care plan based on the assessment of the patient. Care plan is initiated within 24 hours of admission.
• Plan of care is implemented and documentation of effectiveness is reflected in the medical record. Revises/updates the plan as necessary or at least every 24 hours. Establishes a compassionate environment by providing emotional, psychological, and spiritual support to patients, friends, and families.
• Promotes patient's independence by establishing patient care goals; teaching patient, friends, and family to understand condition, medications, and self-care skills; and answering questions.
• Assures quality of care by adhering to therapeutic standards; measuring health outcomes against patient care goals and standards; making or recommending necessary adjustments; following hospital and nursing division's philosophies and standards of care set by state board of nursing, state nurse practice act, and other governing agency regulations.
• Resolves patient problems and needs by utilizing multidisciplinary team strategies.
• Protects patients and other employees by adhering to infection-control policies and protocols, medication administration and storage procedures, and controlled substance regulations.
• Maintains continuity of care among nursing teams and physicians by documenting and communicating actions, irregularities, and continuing patient needs.
• Maintains a cooperative relationship among healthcare teams by communicating information; responding to requests; building rapport; and participating in team problem-solving methods.
• Utilizes leadership skills through delegation to, communicate with, and evaluate team members.
• Recognizes changes in status of the patient and provides appropriate intervention and documentation.
• Provides ongoing patient and family education based on daily assessment of disease process, care requirements, and expected recovery.
• Prioritizes care based on individual patient needs.
• Demonstrates strong focus on patient education.
• Initiates appropriate referrals as identified to meet the discharge needs of patients in collaboration with case management.
• Participates in inservice and/or continuing education to maintain and improve understanding of the present and future trends in healthcare, and participates in unit and hospital-wide committees to identify needs and assists in continuous performance improvement. Attends a minimum of eight monthly staff meetings annually.
• Communicates identified unit problems following appropriate chain of command (Coordinator, Manager, Director, Vice President), and actively participates in the problem-solving process.
• Demonstrates job related aspects of patient safety to assure a safe environment, safe and effective use of equipment and technology, and decreased risk of potential adverse patient occurrences.
• Demonstrates knowledge of and supports hospital mission, vision, value statements, standards, policies and procedures, operating instructions, confidentiality statements, corporate compliance plan, customer service standards, and standards of behavior.
• Demonstrates the knowledge and skills necessary to provide care appropriate to the age of patients served on his/her assigned unit. Must demonstrate knowledge of the principles of growth and development over the life span and possess the ability to assess data reflective of the patient's status and interpret the appropriate information needed to identify each patient's requirements relative to his/her age-specific needs, and to provide the care needed as described in the unit's and division's policies and procedures.
• Performs other duties as assigned.

Job Specifications

• Education: Have graduated from an accredited school of nursing.
• Active, un-expired RN license from the State of Michigan.
• Related experience preferred, not required.
• Current certification in AHA-BLS for Healthcare Providers required or obtain within 2 weeks of hire.
• Departmental specific requirements as outlined in Attachment A.