Labor and Delivery

Registered Staff Nurse

This position supports Mercy's philosophy of patient centered care by being a competent respectful and compassionate professional who is able to safely appropriately accurately efficiently and independently follow Mercy's standards along with policies and procedures while caring for patients. The Registered Staff Nurse works with the unit specific team members to identify clinical problems develop a plan and educate patients and families.

Job Duties:

• Ensures that accurate and clinically relevant information is communicated with patients their families and co-workers at hand offs and other times as needed.
• Demonstrates competent assessment planning intervention coordination and evaluation skills based on the individual patient plan of care.
• Continually assesses patient and family needs in order to provide quality care based on a patient centered care model.
• Demonstrates critical thinking skills and judgment necessary to implement a patient plan of care nursing interventions and procedures.
• Maintains accurate and real time documentation of nursing care provided to ensure the integration of information for use by the healthcare team according to hospital policy and procedure related to documentation parameters.
• Functions as a role model for current and new staff by creating a healthy work environment to facilitate the department's or unit's ability to meet identified goals and objectives.
• Demonstrates respect and regard for the dignity of all patients families visitor and fellow employees to ensure a professional responsible and courteous environment.
• Directs other licensed and non-licensed personnel in the provision of care to patients as assigned.
• Demonstrate effective and age-appropriate communication as well as the ability to understand the needs of the patient including non-verbal communication fears anxieties and language/cultural barriers.
• Responds within scope of practice to emergencies and life-threatening conditions.
• Adheres to and promotes patient safety practices throughout the patient experience.
• Communicates and collaborates effectively with all members of the healthcare team.
• Provides ongoing education to patients and families.
• Delegates to other staff registered nurse licensed practical nurses certified nursing assistants patient care technicians unit secretaries and other staff positions specific to the department.
• Remains current on Evidence-based practice as well as appropriate Protocols and Procedures.
• Follows Mercy's safety guidelines carries out job-specific safety duties and responsibilities and promptly reports any unsafe conditions situations incidents and injuries.

Department Specific Duties:

• Birthplace: Performs Surgical Assistant duties as needed.
• Postpartum Care: Demonstrates appropriate care and knowledge including assessment of and interventions for pain fundus lochial flow perineum incision vital signs blood loss teaching needs bonding and psychosocial situations.
• Breastfeeding Support: Demonstrates appropriate care and knowledge including assessment of and interventions for latch adequate feedings sore nipples and feeding cues.
• Newborn Care: Demonstrates appropriate care and knowledge which includes assessment and interventions for pain gestational age near-term infants jaundice temp instability respiratory status hypoglycemia newborn screen hearing screens Hugs signs and symptoms of sepsis and abnormalities.
• Labor & Delivery: Demonstrates appropriate care and knowledge including assessment and interventions for admission to labor labor pain management epidural management SVE's determining if a patient is in labor fetal monitor assessment signs and symptoms of risk factors PIH preterm labor pushing delivery and immediate postpartum care.
• OR Team Leader: Demonstrates appropriate care and knowledge of perioperative care including assisting anesthesia and post-anesthesia care.
• OR Circulator: Circulates in the OB OR including preparing the patient for surgery and assisting with counts.
• Lactation Consultant: Performs lactation rounds on nursing mothers daily and develops feeding plans when indicated performs outpatient visits and weight checks with appropriate interventions and responds to the lactation line in a timely and efficient manner.
• Home Visit: Completes assessment of the mother and newborn in a home setting and makes appropriate referrals as needed.
• Childbirth Education: Plans coordinates and presents prenatal education classes using adult learning principles and evidenced based curriculum. Utilizes audio/visual equipment and other educational aides including laptop and projector power point application TV/DVD player and computer-based instruction.

Knowledge Skills & Abilities:

• Sound background in basic nursing principles and procedures.
• Demonstrates competency in unit specific skills.
• Demonstrates ability to provide safe and effective basic nursing care.
• Role Models exemplary customer service skills including verbal and non-verbal skills and proper phone etiquette.
• Creates a welcoming environment for all healthcare team members.
• Committed to ongoing self-development and learning.

Professional Experience:

• Previous RN experience in an acute care setting preferred.
• Education Baccalaureate Degree in Nursing preferred.

Licensure Certification Registration:

• Current license to practice as a registered nurse in the state of Iowa or compact state required.
• Current certification in Basic Life Support in accordance with the American Heart Association required.
• Iowa Dependent Adult Abuse/Iowa Child Abuse Mandatory Reporter training required. Employee must submit certification of completed training to Human Resources prior to start or transfer date.
• Additional requirements specific to each department are noted below:
• Birthplace: The department requires Neonatal Resuscitation Program certification required within 1 year of hire/transfer.

Physical Requirements:

• Heavy: Must be able to lift up to 15 lbs. to waist and shoulder height on frequent basis. Able to lift up to 50 lbs. on occasional basis for assist with patient transfers. Rare lifting of up to 100 lbs. for controlled falls. Able to lift 15 lbs. overhead on occasional basis.
• Able to push and pull of up to 20 lbs. of horizontal force on frequent basis up to 35 lbs. of horizontal force on occasional basis and up to 50 lbs. of horizontal force on rare basis.
• Ability to administer CPR.
• Women & Children's Float Pool: Medium: Exert 20-50 lbs. of force occasionally and/or 10-15 lbs. of force frequently.

Pay Rate Type: Hourly

Mercy is an independent community-based organization supporting the Cedar Rapids area for over 120 years. Mercy is an equal-opportunity employer. We value diversity equity and inclusion and therefore evaluate qualified applicants without regard to race color ethnicity ancestry sex sexual orientation gender identity marital status civil union status parental status religion national origin age disability veteran status and other legally protected characteristics.