Nurse Clinician I, Out-Patient (Bilingual English/Spanish) - Saint Vincent's House

University of Texas Medical Branch•Galveston, TX

64d

About The Position

Novice Clinician - entry level professional nurse, who is precepted, guided and mentored; possesses a basic general knowledge base and is focused on developing knowledge and skills with guidance and direction; meets standards for professional practice as specified in the Texas Nurse Practice Act; requires assistance, direction and/or supervision in the provision of patient care; With supervision of preceptor(s), the clinician provides safe, basic nursing care in routine and predictable situations. Practice may vary widely as the novice clinician transitions from a new graduate, who requires assistance and direction, to a competent, independent clinician, providing patient care through nursing practices based upon the American Nurses Association Standards of Professional Practice and Professional Performance. Values specialty unit, nursing, and institutional strategic initiatives and health system goals. The St. Vincent's Community Nurse provides direct patient care in community clinics to an under-resourced and under-insured population, creating a welcoming and supportive environment for patients and learners. In this role, the nurse conducts comprehensive assessments, assists in care coordination for patients with chronic conditions and substance use disorders, and provides wound care, including cleaning, dressing, and monitoring healing progress. The nurse works collaboratively with providers, social workers, and community partners to address both medical and psychosocial needs, while also educating patients and families on health maintenance, medication adherence, and available community resources. Accurate and timely documentation of patient encounters is essential, along with supporting outreach and follow-up to ensure continuity of care. The nurse also plays an active role in maintaining infection control standards, managing clinic supplies, and contributing to quality improvement initiatives as part of a multidisciplinary team. All functions are guided and directed by more experienced RNs to the degree needed by the novice practitioner based upon experience, complexity, and knowledge regarding the specific function.

Requirements

GN/RN with a current license or valid permit to practice professional nursing in Texas.
Completion of an accredited basic nursing education program.
Current BLS required.

Nice To Haves

Relevant UTMB experience.
Bilingual in English and Spanish.

Responsibilities

assesses, plans, implements, evaluates, and documents the care of assigned patients
identifies patient care needs, formulates appropriate nursing diagnoses, develops and individualizes a care plan, and revises the plan of care as needed
executes physician and advanced practice providers' orders for all assigned patients; administers medications and treatments, and delivers culturally congruent nursing care in accordance with UTMB's policies, procedures, and standards in a caring, compassionate manner
performs routine technical procedures/skills in the specialty area assigned
provides basic patient/family instruction and healthcare teaching
identifies potential impact of family dynamics
learns to identify unique learning needs based on values, beliefs, barriers, and readiness to learn
learns to access evidence-based resources to provide patient/family education
learns to utilize evidence-based teaching strategies such as Teach-Back, AskMe3, return demonstration, etc.
learns to plan, coordinate, and prioritize patient care activities, progressing to more complex assignments as competencies increase
maintains safety and continuity of care using methods such as hand-off tools/processes, inter-disciplinary
learns to demonstrate effective time management skills
identifies appropriate and approved technology in the delivery of patient care
relies on preceptor(s), colleagues, and EHRs to direct them to evidence-based clinical resources to guide patient care
seeks guidance and appropriate direction when considering a decision about delegation; learning to effectively and respectfully communicate and delegate
identifies ethical situations and seeks assistance to resolve.
learns how to access available resources (ethics consultation) when ethical issues arise.
demonstrates emerging awareness of culturally sensitive care.
supports a healthy work environment by demonstrating respectful verbal and non-verbal communication with all members of the healthcare team. Seeks assistance for support with challenging communication.
learns how to recognize colleagues when they go above and beyond, demonstrating UTMB's core values.
plans, coordinates, and prioritizes patient care activities in collaboration with the inter-professional team.
identifies a potential professional mentor to develop skills and abilities.
Recognizes informal and formal unit leaders
Aware of clinic, nursing, and institutional strategic initiatives and health system goals
Learns the importance of financial responsibility to promote fiscal health for the patient, clinic, and organization.
Attends/participates in unit meetings/activities and supports the philosophy and goals of the unit department and organization
Participates in shared leadership at the unit level
Participates in unit-based quality improvement activities
Attends in-service and continuing education activities
Attends the UTMB Vizient/AACN Nurse Residency Program and completes an evidence-based practice project in order to successfully complete the program.
Demonstrates commitment to lifelong learning (evidence-based practice, specialty certification, advanced degree, etc.)
Appropriately poses questions to understand current processes and is open to change.
Relies on preceptor(s), colleagues, and EHRs to direct them to evidence-based clinical resources to guide patient care.
Learns to recognize, assess, and report patient safety concerns
Able to locate unit quality metrics/outcomes data and identify improvement activities
Learns strategies for self-care to support transition to practice, personal safety, and injury prevention
Participate in EOC audits and maintain compliance standards related to the environment of care.
Knowledgeable of Joint Commission National Patient Safety Goals.
Completes required specialty-specific Competency-Based Orientation (CBO) tools by the initial performance evaluation due date for placement in employee file.
Actively participates in ongoing self-evaluation of competency using competency-based orientation tools and e-performance nursing appraisal.
Completes the annual self-evaluation on time for competency and performance evaluation.
Performs, documents, and reports point-of-care testing (POCT).
Prioritizes and organizes work so that required assignments are completed within a specified time frame
Provides and maintains a clean, safe environment and performs and/or assists others to perform proper aseptic technique, isolation procedures, and infection control measures.
Practices basic cost containment for patients and the clinic.
Consistently completes accurate, concise, timely, and legible documentation for all patient, unit, and hospital records (including care delivery and telephone patient-related interactions).
Competently utilizes electronic forms of communication and documentation.
Meets periodic UTMB and unit-specific compliance requirements for health screening training, attendance, safety, and CPR.
Adheres to internal controls and reporting structure.
Performs related duties as required.