Registered Nurse (RN) I - Pediatric Intensive Care Unit (PICU)

Children's National Hospital

4d • $36 - $37 • Onsite

About The Position

The Pediatric Intensive Care Unit (PICU) is a 46-bed unit, expanding to 60 beds in 2027. It serves as a regional referral center and a designated Level I Trauma Center, providing comprehensive care to pediatric patients and their families. The PICU Patient Care Management Team coordinates interdisciplinary patient assessment and care, delivered by pediatric intensivists and specialty nurses in conjunction with multiple specialty services. Patients are admitted from the ED, Trauma Services, the Operating Room, and from in-house units and other institutions via the Pediatric Transport team. Trauma patients constitute about 10%-15% of PICU patients, often with multiple injuries or severe head trauma. The PICU is also a Pediatric Burn Center. Other complex patients requiring general surgery, ENT, craniofacial, neurosurgical, and other surgical subspecialties are cared for in the PICU. Medical patients make up 50%-60% of the patient population, including children with respiratory failure, meningitis or seizures, sepsis, multi-system organ failure, and chronically ill children. Children with cancer also require PICU care for complications related to their disease, chemotherapy, or bone marrow transplantation. Services are provided 24 hours a day. The Division of Critical Care Medicine (CCM) provides services and care to all patients admitted to the PICU, as well as patients within the hospital by request, during emergencies and resuscitations, and in the ED for “medical alerts” and “trauma stats”. The scope of services includes resuscitation, life support, monitoring, and treatment for life-threatening events and related diagnostic issues. Patients may be admitted to and discharged from the PICU based on pre-established guidelines. The department utilizes a multi-disciplinary approach, involving physicians, nurse practitioners, nurses, respiratory therapists, social services, and other necessary support services. Attending physicians are board-eligible or certified in Pediatric Critical Care. The PICU provides CAT (Rapid Response Services) and Code Blue team leadership for in-house clinical emergencies, with an attending or fellow, ICU nurse, and Respiratory Therapist responding to assist in clinical rescues. This service can also be activated by a concerned parent.

Requirements

• BSN Graduated from an approved school of nursing.
• None Required (Minimum Work Experience)
• The licensed Registered Nurse will successfully complete the hospital and nursing orientation at Children’s National.
• Keep knowledge base current with new information or changes in specialty area.
• Registered Nurse in District of Columbia
• Registered Nurse licensed in the District of Columbia, Maryland or Virginia dependent upon location of practice.
• Cardio-Pulmonary Resuscitation (CPR) Required

Nice To Haves

• BSN (Preferred)

Responsibilities

• Provides specialized, high-acuity care to critically ill and injured infants, children, and adolescents requiring continuous monitoring and advanced life support.
• Collaborates closely with pediatric intensivists, nurse practitioners, respiratory therapists, and multidisciplinary specialty teams to assess, plan, implement, and evaluate patient care.
• Manages complex medical and surgical patients, including those with respiratory failure, sepsis, multi-system organ failure, seizures, meningitis, severe trauma, burn injuries, cancer-related complications, and post-operative needs.
• Performs comprehensive patient assessments, monitors hemodynamic status, administers medications and blood products, manages ventilators and invasive lines.
• Responds to emergencies and resuscitations.
• Provides family-centered education and support.
• Participates in rapid response and Code Blue events throughout the hospital, helping stabilize critically ill patients.
• Ensures the highest standards of safety, quality, and compassionate care 24 hours a day.
• All nursing practice is based on the legal scope of practice, national and specialty nursing standards, Children's National Policies and Procedures, and in accordance with all applicable laws and regulations.
• Responsible and accountable for their own practice.
• Supports the development of RN relationships within the community, specifically those associated with the health and well-being of the community at large.
• Contributes to Magnet re-designation as evidenced by independent updating of professional profile and initiation of council involvement, committees, task forces and/or community outreach.
• Demonstrates critical thinking skills by problem solving appropriately during patient care.
• Communicates to reflect development of plan of care and ability to advocate to meet patients’ needs.
• Independently initiates escalation of issues utilizing chain of command.
• Demonstrates proper use of the currently identified hand off processes.
• Demonstrates a collegial and respectful relationship with ancillary staff.
• Participates in implementing change and supports management decisions.
• Role models behavior that reflects empathy, concern and a desire to help others.
• Independently maintains regulatory requirements (e.g., license, BLS).
• Plans for attendance at mandatory education and professional activities to enhance nursing practice.
• Demonstrates professional review of peers through timely participation in evaluations.
• Seeks out opportunities to participate in enhancing departmental goals by ensuring adherence to national safety standards and service excellence standards; supports advancement of education and certification as well.
• Collaborates with members of the healthcare team and role models professional behavior and teamwork with coworkers.
• Utilizes resources as needed and knows when to escalate to the next level.
• Utilizes assessment data gathered from patient and family to ensure completion of data base and plan of care within identified timeframes.
• Demonstrates clinical skills with complex patients that reflect analysis of patient status and appropriate interventions.
• Role models skill in prioritization and organization for complex patients with rapidly changing needs.
• Documentation exemplifies adherence to the highest standards of practice.
• Anticipates and proactively plans for educational needs verified with patient and family throughout the hospital/outpatient stay and prior to discharge.
• Role models organizational skills, adjusts for changes and is able to complete assignment on time.
• Demonstrates caring in all encounters with patient and family as evidenced by feedback from parents and an increase in patient satisfaction scores.
• Speaks up when team members appear to exhibit unsafe behavior or performance.
• Continuously validates and verifies information needed for decision making or documentation.
• Stops in the face of uncertainty and takes time to resolve the situation.
• Demonstrates accurate, clear, and timely verbal and written communication.
• Actively promotes safety for patients, families, visitors, and coworkers.
• Attends carefully to important details - practicing Stop, Think, Act and Review in order to self-check behavior and performance.
• Identifies ways to improve operations through quality improvement and assists in implementation of solutions.
• Identifies self-learning needs and takes initiative to meet those needs.
• Ensures care is based on evidence with the literature and benchmarking.
• Partners in the mission and upholds the core principles of the organization.
• Committed to diversity and recognizes the value of cultural and ethnic differences.
• Demonstrates personal and professional integrity.
• Maintains confidentiality at all times.
• Anticipates and responds to customer needs; follows up until needs are met.
• Demonstrates collaborative and respectful behavior.
• Partners with all team members to achieve goals.
• Receptive to others’ ideas and opinions.
• Contributes to a positive work environment.
• Demonstrates flexibility and willingness to change.
• Identifies opportunities to improve clinical and administrative processes.
• Makes appropriate decisions, using sound judgment.
• Uses resources efficiently.
• Searches for less costly ways of doing things.

Benefits

• Comprehensive health coverage, including medical, prescription, infertility, and transgender health services.
• Generous paid time off, including vacation accrual from day one, sick leave, holidays, and a personal day.
• Financial wellness support, including a 401(k) plan and healthcare and dependent care spending accounts.
• Employer-paid life, AD&D, and long-term disability coverage, with optional supplemental plans.
• Additional perks, including tuition assistance, fitness resources, employee assistance, commuter benefits, and more.

What This Job Offers

• Job Type: Full-time
• Career Level: Entry Level