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

Children's National Hospital

4d • $33 - $60 • 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 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 also cared for. 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 also 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.
• 1-year RN experience required.
• 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

• Graduated from an approved school of nursing. (Preferred)

Responsibilities

• Provides specialized, high-acuity care to critically ill and injured infants, children, and adolescents requiring continuous monitoring and advanced life support.
• Collaborates 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, and manages ventilators and invasive lines.
• Responds to emergencies and resuscitations, and provides family-centered education and support.
• Participates in rapid response and Code Blue events throughout the hospital.
• 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.
• Contribute to Magnet re-designation as evidenced by independent updating of professional profile and initiation of council involvement, committees, task forces and/or community outreach.
• Demonstrate critical thinking skills by problem solving appropriately during patient care.
• Communicate to reflect development of plan of care and ability to advocate to meet patients’ needs.
• Independently initiate escalation of issues utilizing chain of command.
• Demonstrate proper use of the currently identified hand off processes.
• Demonstrate a collegial and respectful relationship with ancillary staff.
• Participate in implementing change and support management decisions.
• Role model behavior that reflects empathy, concern and a desire to help others.
• Independently maintain regulatory requirements e.g. license, BLS.
• Plan for attendance at mandatory education and professional activities to enhance nursing practice.
• Demonstrate professional review of peers through timely participation in evaluations.
• Seek out opportunities to participate in enhancing departmental goals by ensuring adherence to national safety standards and service excellence standards; support advancement of education and certification as well.
• Collaborate with members of the healthcare team and role model professional behavior and teamwork with coworkers.
• Utilize resources as needed and know when to escalate to next level.
• Utilize assessment data gathered from patient and family to ensure completion of data base and plan of care within identified timeframes.
• Demonstrate clinical skills with complex patients that reflect analysis of patient status and appropriate interventions.
• Role model skill in prioritization and organization for complex patient with rapidly changing needs.
• Documentation exemplifies adherence to the highest standards of practice.
• Anticipate and proactively plan for educational needs verified with patient and family throughout the hospital/outpatient stay and prior to discharge.
• Role model organizational skills, adjust for changes and is able to complete assignment on time.
• Demonstrate caring in all encounters with patient and family as evidenced by feedback from parents and an increase in patient satisfaction scores.
• Speak up when team members appear to exhibit unsafe behavior or performance.
• Continuously validate and verify information needed for decision making or documentation.
• Stop in the face of uncertainty and takes time to resolve the situation.
• Demonstrate accurate, clear and timely verbal and written communication.
• Actively promote safety for patients, families, visitors and co-workers.
• Attend carefully to important details - practicing Stop, Think, Act and Review in order to self-check behavior and performance.
• Identify ways to improve operations through quality improvement and assist in implementation of solutions.
• Identify self learning needs and take initiative to meet those needs.
• Ensure care is based on evidence with the literature and benchmarking.
• Partner in the mission and upholds the core principles of the organization.
• Committed to diversity and recognizes value of cultural ethnic differences.
• Demonstrate personal and professional integrity.
• Maintain confidentiality at all times.
• Anticipate and responds to customer needs; follows up until needs are met.
• Demonstrate collaborative and respectful behavior.
• Partner with all team members to achieve goals.
• Receptive to others’ ideas and opinions.
• Contribute to a positive work environment.
• Demonstrate flexibility and willingness to change.
• Identify opportunities to improve clinical and administrative processes.
• Make appropriate decisions, using sound judgment.
• Use resources efficiently.
• Search 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: Mid Level