Clinical Nurse II

Alameda Health System•San Leandro, CA

About The Position

Under general supervision, the Clinical Nurse II provides nursing care to patients, including medication administration and treatment. The role plans, implements, and evaluates patient care and performs related duties. This is the journey-level classification for nurses with the required professional experience who can independently perform the full range of clinical nursing services involving patient care. Clinical Nurse II employees may supervise professional and paraprofessional staff assigned to their unit. The nurse gathers and assesses patient information, develops and modifies nursing care plans, provides and evaluates care, documents care, and monitors patients for significant or critical changes. The role may include assisting physicians with procedures and diagnostic tests, coordinating patient information with physicians and departments, educating patients and families, preparing patients and areas for procedures, and using equipment related to the assigned area. Depending on assignment, the nurse may oversee telemetry monitoring and serve as a team leader or charge nurse.

Requirements

Graduate of an accredited nursing program.
Six months of experience as a Clinical Nurse I with AHS, or the equivalent of one year of recent full-time experience at a comparable level in a hospital with at least 100 beds or in the area of specialty. If experience is not recent, completion of an approved refresher course may be acceptable.
Valid license to practice as a Registered Nurse in the State of California.
BLS (Basic Life Support) certification issued by the American Heart Association.
ACLS (Advanced Cardiac Life Support) certification issued by the American Heart Association may be required according to facility or unit/department specialty and patient-care policies.
Other advanced life-support certifications may be required according to unit/department specialty and patient-care policies.
Chemotherapy certification must be acquired within one year of hire for certain positions.
ONS certification must be acquired within one year of hire for inpatient medical telemetry/oncology positions.
Certification as a Public Health Nurse in California is required for certain positions.
Completion of Perinatal Safety Modules within three months of hire, with evidence of completion and continuing annual competency maintained in the employee file or AHS learning management system, is required for certain positions.
Coronary Care Unit certification is required for certain positions in Fairmont Hospital's Monitoring Unit.
TEAM Training is required for all positions at John George Psychiatric Pavilion and for certain Emergency Department positions.
NRP (Neonatal Resuscitation Program) certification from the American Heart Association is required according to unit/department specialty and patient-care policies.
PALS (Pediatric Advanced Life Support) certification from the American Heart Association is required for Emergency Department positions or for positions regularly overseeing or providing pediatric care.

Nice To Haves

Bachelor's degree in Nursing.
TNCC (Trauma Nurse Core Course) for Emergency Department positions.
CCRN (Critical Care Registered Nurse) certification.
CEN (Certified Emergency Nurse) certification for Emergency Department positions.

Responsibilities

Accompany, assist, and represent patients' needs to other providers.
Provide accurate care, including medication administration, skin and wound care, activities of daily living, and other essential patient-care activities.
Develop, implement, evaluate, and modify nursing care plans; prepare required records and reports.
Gather and assess information about patients to meet nursing needs; assist and consult with physicians during procedures and diagnostic tests; contact physicians or other departments to obtain or provide patient information.
When assigned, oversee staff monitoring telemetry systems, alert the primary nurse to rhythm changes and life-threatening arrhythmias, interpret and post telemetry strips at specified times, and admit or discharge patients with telemetry units as appropriate.
Organize and supervise care, make adjustments, and accept responsibility for the quality of care provided by coworkers during a work period; serve as a team leader or charge nurse when assigned.
Promote a healthful, safe, and therapeutic environment for patients and families, and establish and control the environment needed for infection control.
Participate in implementing patient-care and infection-control standards and quality-assurance criteria; assist with studies and participate in unit and other meetings.
Provide and evaluate patient care in accordance with established standards, criteria, and the nursing care plan.
Monitor patients for significant and critical changes and initiate procedures as required; document care according to standards and required intervals.
Explain procedures, regimens, and services to patients and families; teach health-care and disease-prevention techniques.
Prepare patients or areas for procedures and operations, assist physicians, and use instruments and equipment related to the assigned area.