Outpatient Registered Nurse - RN - Dialysis

Fresenius Medical Care•Oklahoma City, OK

25d

About The Position

Functions as part of the hemodialysis health care team as a Staff Registered Nurse, providing quality patient care in accordance with Fresenius Medical Care policies, procedures, training, regulations, and its mission, vision, values, and customer service philosophy. Supports the Quality Enhancement Program and continuous quality improvement activities, including patient satisfaction and process improvement, and complies with the company’s compliance program and patient-care and administrative policies. The nurse oversees and coordinates daily dialysis care, delegates and monitors work performed by direct-care staff, assesses patient needs, and supports staff training. Provides safe hemodialysis treatment and ongoing education to patients and families about end-stage renal disease, dialysis, vascular access, diet, fluids, medications, laboratory values, treatment adequacy, transplant awareness, and treatment options. Assesses and documents patient status and response to treatment, implements physician prescriptions, communicates concerns to physicians and the care team, and takes appropriate action when treatment or access issues arise. The role also oversees accurate clinical documentation, physician orders, laboratory processes and results, medications, emergency readiness, infection control, equipment and treatment-area safety, patient admission, transfer and discharge procedures, and required quality-improvement and patient-care planning activities. The employee may provide coverage at area facilities as required by management. The work takes place in a healthcare facility with controlled air temperature and moderate noise. The role involves direct patient care and may include exposure to infectious or contagious diseases and materials. Physical demands include regular heavy lifting and moving of patients, assisting with ambulation, frequent and prolonged standing, bending, moving equipment with assistance, and lifting chemical or water solutions. Reasonable accommodations may be made to enable individuals with disabilities to perform essential functions. Ishihara color vision testing is a condition of employment; failing the test does not preclude employment, and reasonable accommodation may be considered. Fresenius Medical Care maintains a drug-free workplace and is an equal opportunity employer.

Requirements

Graduate of an accredited School of Nursing.
Current appropriate state nursing licensure and compliance with practice requirements in the state of employment.
Successfully complete a training course in the theory and practice of hemodialysis.
Successfully complete CPR certification.
Meet applicable state requirements.
Meet the requirements of the Ishihara color vision test as a condition of employment; failing the test does not preclude employment, and reasonable accommodation may be considered.
Provide coverage at any or all area facilities as required by management.
Complete ICD-9 coding training.
Complete Nurses Technical Training.

Nice To Haves

Minimum of one year of medical-surgical nursing experience preferred.
Hemodialysis experience preferred.
ICU experience preferred.

Responsibilities

Direct and oversee Patient Care Technicians and delegate tasks to direct patient-care staff, including LVNs/LPNs and Dialysis Assistants.
Assess daily patient-care needs, develop assignments, and monitor staff techniques and compliance with facility policies and procedures.
Participate in staff training, new-staff orientation, and required staff meetings.
Educate patients and families about ESRD, renal disease, vascular access, dialysis therapy, diet and fluid management, medications, laboratory values, treatment adequacy, transplant awareness, and treatment modalities.
Provide safe and effective care to patients with ESRD and implement prescribed hemodialysis treatments, including applicable sodium and ultrafiltration modeling.
Assess patient responses to treatment, adjust care as indicated by the prescribing physician, identify patient issues, troubleshoot access-flow or adequacy concerns, and communicate with the Team Leader or physician.
Conduct initial and annual nursing assessments and ongoing evaluation and documentation of patient-care needs.
Participate in pre-evaluation, treatment initiation, monitoring, termination, access homeostasis, and post-evaluation for hemodialysis patients.
Provide, supervise when applicable, and monitor hemodialysis access care.
Administer and monitor prescribed interdialytic transfusions, document patient responses, and report adverse reactions appropriately.
Review, transcribe, and enter physician orders and laboratory orders into the Medical Information System; ensure timely and accurate documentation of patient information and treatment data.
Coordinate laboratory requisitions, specimen collection and processing, packaging, delivery, follow-up on missing or insufficient specimens, and communication of abnormal or critical results to physicians.
Enforce company policies and applicable state and federal regulations and maintain safe, efficient, and effective shift operations.
Serve as a resource to staff and meet with the Clinical Manager regarding personnel and patient-care matters.
Collaborate and communicate with physicians and other healthcare-team members to coordinate and adjust patient care.
Assist patients with prescription refills in accordance with company policies.
Maintain the facility drug list, administer prescribed or protocol-approved medications, document medication assessments and justifications, and record controlled substances as required by law.
Maintain competency in emergency procedures, initiate CPR and emergency measures when needed, and verify the availability of emergency equipment.
Ensure appropriate vaccinations, immunizations, and annual tuberculosis testing.
Coordinate patient transportation when necessary.
Maintain a clean, safe, and sanitary treatment area; ensure dialysis equipment and patient stations are clean and properly arranged; and address blood spills under company policy.
Ensure staff documentation is accurate and complete, including Hemodialysis Treatment Sheets and patient records.
Implement patient admission, transfer, and discharge procedures and follow opening and closing procedures, including confirming staff and patients have safely left the premises.
Initiate, document, and complete continuous quality improvement activities, including monthly reports.
Complete monthly nursing progress notes, patient care plans, long-term program requirements, initial and annual nursing history and physical assessments, and annual standing-order reviews with physicians.
Review transplant status and follow established procedures.
Perform additional duties as assigned.