Clinical Nurse Coordinator, RN - ICU

Independence Health System Careers•Greensburg, PA

About The Position

The Clinical Nurse Coordinator (CNC) is a front-line care provider, coordinator, and leader for the healthcare team. The CNC applies the nursing process at the point of care to assess, diagnose, intervene, and evaluate the unit as a whole, guiding systematic improvements in quality and safety. The role emphasizes effective interdisciplinary communication and coordination, helping patients and families navigate the healthcare system, advocating for patients, families, and healthcare providers, and improving care delivery within the assigned setting. The CNC focuses on maximizing safe, high-quality, evidence-based care within complex healthcare systems. The CNC leads and supports staff, helps implement departmental strategy, contributes to process improvement, and assists the manager with departmental operations. The role oversees daily clinical practice, evaluates documentation and care quality, rounds with patients and physicians, assigns care according to staff competency, and provides direct patient care as assigned. The CNC supports patient and family education, discharge planning, collaboration among care providers, patient safety, and emergency response. The Registered Nurse also provides direct oversight of designated care-team members, including initial assessment, interpretation of assessment findings, development of the interprofessional plan of care, and supervision of delegated duties within the care team’s scope and capability. The position has no direct supervisory responsibilities but may coach and mentor other employees. Scheduling is based on operational need and may include rotating shifts, standby, and on-call work. Local travel between system locations may be expected. Duties may change, and additional related responsibilities may be assigned.

Requirements

Graduate of an accredited nursing program.
At least one year of relevant nursing experience.
Current license to practice as a Registered Nurse in Pennsylvania.
Current Basic Life Support (BLS) certification through an American Heart Association-approved CPR and AED program.
Act 33 clearance with renewal.
Act 34 clearance with renewal.
Act 73 FBI clearance with renewal.
Current NIH Stroke Scale certification, or completion within six months of hire or transfer into the department.
Current ACLS certification, or completion within one year of hire or transfer into the department.
Rapid Response Team responder experience, to be obtained within six months of hire or transfer.
Experience caring for patients recovering from cardiovascular surgery, to be obtained within six months of hire or transfer.
Training in care of patients with an intra-aortic balloon pump (IABP), Impella, and continuous venovenous hemodialysis (CVVHD), to be obtained within six months of hire or transfer.
Strong leadership ability and organizational skills.
Independent and critical-thinking skills, sound judgment, and knowledge of the legal aspects and liability of nursing practice.
Ability to communicate complex and/or controversial topics and concepts to a wide and diverse audience.
Ability to meet the physical requirements of the position, including patient care and lifting demands; assistance or a transfer device is required for lifts exceeding 50 pounds.

Nice To Haves

National certification in the area of specialty.
Charge nurse experience.

Responsibilities

Lead, motivate, and support change in a complex care environment; promote professional growth and development and model the organization’s behavioral standards.
Assume the Nurse Manager’s role in their absence and assist the manager with departmental activities and committee representation.
Align departmental work with organizational strategy and recommend at least one departmental process-improvement initiative annually.
Participate in root-cause analysis of recurring problems and take appropriate action.
Support staff accountability for attendance, safety, infection control, confidentiality, mandatory education, competencies, and regulatory readiness.
Participate in departmental decision-making, problem-solving, budgeting, cost reduction, revenue enhancement, hiring, performance appraisals, and corrective action processes as applicable.
Investigate and help resolve safety occurrence reports and incident reports; prioritize urgent work and provide clear direction.
Recommend and, when appropriate, draft department policies and procedures.
Coach staff toward performance goals, seek staff input in decisions, and help maintain department communication resources.
Train and develop employees, mentor staff, serve as a resource, and foster teamwork, trust, empowerment, and shared decision-making.
Oversee daily clinical practice to ensure care complies with the Pennsylvania Nurse Practice Act, hospital policies, procedures, protocols, and professional standards.
Review patient charts for compliance with the nursing process and for complete, accurate, and timely documentation.
Conduct daily patient rounds to assess patient status and care quality, except where not applicable.
Monitor care to ensure it is planned and provided through an interdisciplinary effort; communicate with physicians during rounds to address treatment questions and issues.
Assign patient care based on staff competency and provide direct patient care as assigned.
Develop and coordinate education for patients, families, and staff, including medication safety, pain management, available resources, access to further care, and patient responsibilities.
Plan and implement patient and family teaching, monitor documentation of education, and provide and review written discharge instructions supporting continuity of care.
Maintain collaborative relationships with physicians and other healthcare providers and communicate pertinent information for interdisciplinary care, handoffs, and transfers.
Proactively identify and resolve patient needs and promote patient safety, including use of two patient identifiers and involvement of patients and families in safety practices.
Minimize restraints and monitor and document their use according to assessed need and policy when applicable.
Perform the appropriate role during code situations, mock codes, rapid response events, and internal or external emergencies as applicable.
Provide direct oversight of designated care-team members, including conducting the initial comprehensive assessment, interpreting it to initiate the interprofessional plan of care, and supervising appropriate delegation.
Perform other related duties as assigned.