Charge Nurse Outpatient Clinic

Shepherd Center•Atlanta, GA

1d•Onsite

About The Position

Shepherd Center provides world-class clinical care, research, and family support for people experiencing complex conditions, including spinal cord and brain injuries, multi-trauma, traumatic amputations, stroke, multiple sclerosis, and pain. It is recognized as one of the nation's top hospitals for rehabilitation and as both Spinal Cord Injury and Traumatic Brain Injury Model Systems. The center is unique for having an on-site intensive care unit, allowing for earlier rehabilitation. The culture at Shepherd Center emphasizes hope, humor, and hard work, fostering career growth, strong relationships among co-workers, and robust leadership support, which contributes to a high retention rate among staff. The Charge Nurse ensures that nursing practice adheres to the ANA scope and standards of practice and the code of ethics for nurses. This role is expected to promote high-quality care, positive outcomes, nursing research, and evidence-based practice, while contributing to a strong environment that facilitates collaboration with the transdisciplinary healthcare team. The Charge Nurse also interacts with and contributes to the professional development and image of all unit staff within an Open Governance model of nursing practice, driving progress in the nursing department. The primary accountabilities for this role include effective clinical and personnel management of the unit for a given shift. Specifically, the intrathecal infusion RN (Charge Nurse) addresses the needs of patients with implanted intrathecal pump (ITP) devices through comprehensive patient assessments, nursing interventions, pump refills, dose adjustments, and patient education. This RN demonstrates professional leadership by providing nursing care under the direct supervision of a physician within the clinic setting, with care reviewed and adapted based on physician and patient goals. The role is accountable for coordinating nursing care, including direct patient care, patient/family education, and transitions of care, supporting professional nursing practice across various settings and the continuum of care. The Charge Nurse functions within the nursing care model, taking responsibility for planning, implementing, evaluating, and communicating all phases of nursing care for assigned patients.

Requirements

BSN from an accredited school of nursing is preferred (listed under Required Minimum Education).
BLS required.
ACLS required for the Pain Clinic within twelve months of start date.
Active Georgia RN license or NLC/eNLC Multistate License.
Basic computer skills.
Skillful in mentoring and teaching.
Basic competencies are expected in nursing practice, patient and employee safety, infection control, performance improvement, practice innovation, professional nursing practice, standards of clinical nursing practice, and systems for patient safety.
Demonstrates competency in time management, organization, prioritization and critical thinking by planning and organizing work assignments and prioritizing the specific needs of the patient.
Ability to assess patient and family needs and coordinate appropriate nursing plan of care.
Takes responsibility for growing professionally and seek opportunities for improving skills.
Communicates effectively using timely verbal, non-verbal and written communication.
Willingly adapts to changing work demands and work environment.
Demonstrates critical thinking skills and makes sound judgments to monitor and respond to patient needs or changes in condition.
Maintains congenial working relationships with RNs and others.
Completes orientation and initial assessment of competency successfully by determined due date.
Completes mandatory education and annual competency assessment requirements by determined due date.
Strong clinical background to demonstrate a mastery of standard protocols vs. urgent responses & interventions.
Ability to quickly assess and react to changes in patient conditions, signs and symptoms of overdose or withdrawal from intrathecal therapy.
Recognizes other secondary complications of ITP therapy including medication adverse interactions, infection, catheter displacement, and other neurologic implications.

Nice To Haves

Previous experience with patients with Spinal Cord Injury, Traumatic Brain Injury, and/or behavioral health preferred.

Responsibilities

Ensure that the ANA scope and standards of practice and the code of ethics for nurses are the foundation for nursing practice.
Promote high quality care, outcomes, nursing research and evidence-based practice.
Contribute to building and maintaining a strong environment that facilitates collaboration with the transdisciplinary healthcare team to achieve quality outcomes.
Interact with and contribute to the professional development and image of all unit staff practicing in an Open Governance model of nursing practice.
Contribute to driving progress in the nursing department of Shepherd Center.
Have primary accountabilities for effective clinical and personnel management of the unit for a given shift.
Meet the needs of patients with implanted intrathecal pump (ITP) devices through comprehensive patient assessments, nursing interventions, pump refills, dose adjustments, and patient education.
Demonstrate professional leadership while providing nursing care under the direct supervision of the physician within the clinic setting.
Coordinate nursing care, including direct patient care, patient/family education and transitions of care.
Support professional nursing practice across practices settings and across the continuum of care to meet the needs of the patient and family.
Function within the nursing care model, which includes accountability for planning, implementing, evaluating, and communicating all phases of nursing care for assigned patients.
Provide leadership through activities such as preceptor role, informal leadership roles, and quality improvement efforts.
Delegate patient care according to skill level, experience, patient acuity, fiscal accountability, and adequacy of resources.
Communicate patient care, departmental issues, and staff concerns to the appropriate leaders.
Serve as a resource for guidance and assistance to the staff.
Collaborate and support the plan of care as established by the interdisciplinary team and prescribes interventions to attain the expected outcomes.
Perform consistent with Shepherd Center standards, clinical policies, and procedures.
Practice proper safety techniques in accordance with Center and departmental policies and procedures.
Responsible for the reporting of employee/patient/visitor injuries or accidents, or other safety issues in the occurrence notification system.
Actively participate in center-wide efforts that affect nursing practice.
Adhere to patient/family centered principles using the communication and engagement tools (OARS/AIDECT).
May participate on committees or projects.
Monitor and ensure compliance with all regulatory requirements, organizational standards, and policies and procedures related to area of responsibility.
Identify potential risk areas within area of responsibility and supports problem resolution process.
Perform other duties as required/requested/assigned.
Responsible for all elements of the nursing process including assessment, nursing diagnosis, outcomes/planning, implementation, and evaluation.
Provide telephonic support and other nursing needs of the department.
Act as a resource for patients, caregivers, clinical staff, external case managers, and the overall healthcare team.
Collaborate with the prescribing physician/APP, patient, and caregiver(s) to ensure orders for intrathecal therapy are appropriate and actionable.
Perform job duties in a manner consistent with the American Nurses Association and all applicable State Board of Nursing standards.
Successfully complete the assigned training program & associated competencies upon hire to include serial observations and return demonstrations.
Promote integrative care techniques to assist the patient with symptom management to improve quality of life and safety.
Maintain patient records in compliance with Shepherd Center policies as well as state and regulatory bodies.
Monitor and update EHR as well as manufacturer’s device portal for intrathecal pump therapy.
Ensure close monitoring of all outpatients receiving ongoing intrathecal therapy, which includes scheduled pump refills, interrogations, and dosage adjustments as directed by the physician.
Round monthly across all inpatient, post acute, and outpatient areas to confirm uploads of our interrogators have occurred.
Educate patients and caregivers and promote informed decisions and integrative care to assist the patient with symptom management while collaborating with physician/APP to achieve overall goals of intrathecal drug therapy.
Tailor education to demonstrate age and cultural competence.