Radiation Oncology Nurse BWH

Mass General Brigham•Boston, MA

1d•Onsite

About The Position

The Radiation Oncology staff nurse assesses, plans, implements, and evaluates nursing care for a complex patient population, with particular emphasis on intraprocedural care, patient assessment and monitoring, clinical support, and timely intervention during radiation oncology procedures. The nurse provides patient and family education and psychosocial and emotional support before, during, and after treatment. Care includes brachytherapy procedures under anesthesia (preoperative, intraoperative, and postoperative), pediatric anesthesia treatments, external beam treatments, and procedural recovery for adult and pediatric patients of all ages. The nurse works with a multidisciplinary care team and communicates and collaborates with colleagues and staff at BWH, MGB, DFCI, and collaborating institutions and agencies. The role requires clinical expertise, critical thinking, collaborative practice, excellent communication, and knowledge of current cancer treatment and clinical research principles and practices. The Radiation Oncology staff nurse reports directly to the Radiation Oncology Nurse Manager, is responsible for all components of the BWH Registered Nurse Job Description, and performs ordered procedures and point-of-care testing. The registered nurse is accountable for planning and providing patient care in accordance with Nursing Standards of Care and the Nursing Department's Clinical Practice Manual. The nurse manages assigned patients through assessment, care planning, implementation, and evaluation, and demonstrates initiative, knowledge, and clinical skills in caring for patients with complex needs. The role also includes coordinating care, documenting and evaluating outcomes, providing a safe environment, administering medications, using equipment safely, collaborating with colleagues, participating in quality improvement and education, supporting research, using resources economically, and contributing to unit operations and staff orientation. This is an onsite, regular, full-time position at BWH in Boston, scheduled for 40 hours per week. Nurses work four 10-hour shifts, Monday through Friday, rotating among department operating hours of approximately 6:30 a.m. to 7:30 p.m. Orientation may include evenings and weekends and rotations through varied procedural areas. Work takes place in ambulatory clinics and sterile procedural areas, with possible exposure to communicable diseases and hazardous materials, including chemotherapeutic agents, blood, radioisotopes, and radiation. The work involves walking and lifting.

Requirements

Graduate of an approved school of nursing with current Massachusetts registration.
For newly licensed nurses, a Bachelor of Science Degree in Nursing is required.
PALS certification must be obtained within one year of hire.
Two years of current nursing experience with an oncology-focused patient population, or recent experience within the past three years.
Ability to demonstrate basic analytic thinking, observational skills, and the ability to set priorities when caring for a group of patients.
Ability to function under stress and demonstrate good interpersonal and communication skills.
Ability to apply hospital standards for service, teamwork, communication, respect, and time and priority management.
Ability to stand and walk for prolonged periods; regularly lift, with assistance, items weighing up to and exceeding 50 pounds; and push and pull equipment or loads exceeding 100 pounds.
Ability to frequently bend, stoop, reach, twist, and reposition patients and equipment, with or without reasonable accommodation.

Nice To Haves

Intraoperative procedural or surgical experience.
Radiation oncology experience.

Responsibilities

Assess, plan, implement, and evaluate nursing care for assigned patients with complex needs.
Provide intraprocedural nursing care, including patient assessment, monitoring, clinical support, and timely intervention during radiation oncology procedures.
Provide care for patients undergoing brachytherapy under anesthesia, pediatric anesthesia treatments, external beam treatments, and procedural recovery.
Provide patient and family education and psychosocial and emotional support before, during, and after treatment.
Perform ordered procedures and point-of-care testing.
Set care priorities for patients with varying acuity and maintain continuity through clear verbal and written communication.
Document care and develop, evaluate, and revise patient and family care, education, and discharge plans.
Administer medications and perform nursing procedures safely; use equipment safely and efficiently.
Maintain a safe care environment and use universal precautions while remaining aware of infection risks and transmission.
Collaborate with patients, families, colleagues, and other disciplines, including staff at BWH, MGB, DFCI, and collaborating institutions and agencies.
Participate in unit-based and organizational quality management and improvement programs, committees, education, and goal setting.
Use nursing research findings in clinical practice and support nursing or medical research endeavors.
Use time and materials effectively and economically, and assess patient acuity for staffing, transfers, and assignments.
Participate in orientation of new staff and students, provide appropriate input into staff evaluations, and assume unit responsibility in the absence of leadership personnel.
Functionally supervise other RNs and technical and support personnel.