Registered Nurse II - Emergency Department

Houston Methodist•Cypress, CA

About The Position

The Registered Nurse II (RN II) is a licensed staff nurse and experienced clinician who practices at the Competent to Proficient stage of Benner's model. The RN II provides professional nursing care to a diverse patient population, including patients with varied and complex needs. The role includes conducting nursing assessments, assisting with examinations and treatment, educating patients, and maintaining medical records. The RN II provides direct patient care, collaborates with physicians and the interprofessional health care team to coordinate compassionate, efficient, quality care, and uses clinical competence in technology, medication administration, procedures, and emergency management. The RN II also advocates for patients and families to protect patient rights. The position assumes progressive leadership responsibilities, which may include participating in or leading unit and shared governance initiatives, serving as a charge nurse or preceptor to students or new employees, and contributing to service-line or hospital-wide initiatives in partnership with management. The role is based at Houston Methodist Cypress Hospital. Scrubs are required. The work shift is evening. Employees may be required to be on call during emergencies. Travel within the Houston metropolitan area may be required; travel outside the metropolitan area is not required.

Requirements

Graduate of an education program approved by the credentialing body for the required credentials.
At least 12 months of registered nurse experience in a healthcare environment.
Texas Registered Nurse license, or compact licensure; a permanent Texas license must be obtained within 60 days if establishing Texas residency.
BLS (Basic Life Support) certification or instructor certification from the American Heart Association.
ACLS (Advanced Cardiac Life Support) certification or instructor certification from the American Heart Association.
PALS (Pediatric Advanced Life Support) certification or instructor certification from the American Heart Association, within 4 months.
NIH Stroke Scale certification through AHA or Apex Innovations, within 4 months.
Nonviolent Crisis Intervention certification or instructor certification through the Crisis Prevention Institute, within 4 months.
Demonstrated skills and competencies to safely perform the assigned job, as assessed through ongoing skills, competency assessments, performance evaluations, and departmental checklists.
Sufficient English speaking, reading, and writing proficiency to perform essential job functions, particularly those affecting patient or employee safety and security.
Ability to communicate effectively with patients, physicians, family members, and coworkers in a manner consistent with customer service and positive-language principles.
Strong assessment, organizational, and problem-solving skills, including the ability to prioritize multiple tasks and role components.
Ability to function independently and exercise judgment when interacting with physicians, the interprofessional care team, patients, and families.
Ability to use critical thinking and clinical judgment autonomously as defined by the Nurse Practice Act.
Proficient time-management skills.
Ability to maintain professional contributions as defined in the Clinical Career Path program guide.
Working knowledge of Microsoft products, including Outlook.

Nice To Haves

Magnet/ANCC-recognized certification.
Emergency Nursing Pediatric Certification (ENPC) from the Emergency Nurses Association.
Trauma Nursing Core Course (TNCC) or instructor certification from the Emergency Nurses Association.

Responsibilities

Use therapeutic communication, active listening, and teaching to build relationships with patients, families, and the interprofessional health care team and collaborate on plans of care.
Contribute to teamwork by monitoring overall unit acuity, offering assistance, responding to requests, and fostering healthy workplace relationships.
Seek and provide guidance to the interprofessional health care team and apply feedback to improve patient outcomes.
Implement staff education for patient populations and unit processes, and coach and mentor staff and students; this may include preceptorship.
Support peer accountability and improvement of unit turnover, retention, and employee engagement.
Follow patient- and family-centered care standards and professional nursing practice standards.
Conduct nursing assessments, assist with examinations and treatment, and maintain medical records.
Develop, update, and communicate plans of care, including discharge planning, with patients, families, and the interprofessional health care team.
Prioritize care according to patients’ needs, abilities, and preferences.
Advocate for patients and families to identify and resolve clinical and ethical concerns, using appropriate resources.
Teach patients according to their learning needs, plan for care after discharge, evaluate comprehension, and adapt teaching methods.
Support improvement of patient satisfaction through peer accountability to service standards.
Follow nursing-process, regulatory, and professional-practice standards.
Identify practice improvements using research-based evidence to support core measures and patient safety, with accurate documentation.
Provide and modify care for complex patients and coordinate care with the interprofessional team based on evaluation of patient condition.
Use clinical judgment and an evidence-based analytical approach.
Improve unit quality and safety through peer accountability, reporting near misses, and collaboration with the interprofessional team.
Manage time independently, document care promptly, minimize incidental overtime, and prioritize daily tasks.
Provide input on unit resource utilization, including capital and operational budget needs.
Contribute to department financial targets by supporting reduced length of stay, efficiency, and other department priorities.
Identify and present evidence-based opportunities for innovation, efficiency, and improvement in patient care or unit operations.
Offer solutions through evidence-based practice and performance-improvement projects and shared governance activities.
Champion new care pathways or service-line implementation and support initiatives based on identified trends and improvement opportunities.
Research proposed changes and present options to shared governance and leadership.