Registered Nurse/RN - Emergency Department (Northport, AL)

DCH Health System•Northport, AL

91d•Onsite

About The Position

The Registered Nurse provides emergency nursing care at Northport Medical Center, whose Emergency Department is a 17-bed Level III Stroke Center treating more than 38,000 patients annually. The department serves patients of all ages and is staffed around the clock. Nurse-to-patient ratios range from 1:1 for critical or trauma patients to 1:3–4 for other patients. The RN plans, coordinates, delivers, and evaluates compassionate, patient-centered care while maintaining professional nursing standards. The role includes assessing patients’ physical and psychosocial needs, providing and documenting education, coordinating care with patients, families, providers, and other disciplines, and delegating and supervising care delivered by team members. The RN also contributes to safety and performance improvement activities and follows DCH policies and behavioral standards. Schedules vary, and every-other-weekend work is required. The position requires onsite physical presence and may involve exposure to body fluids, disease, infection, chemicals, and hazardous materials. The role involves prolonged standing and walking, emergency running, and physical exertion, including lifting, pushing, pulling, and carrying objects.

Requirements

Hold a current approved Alabama Board of Nursing RN license or multistate license, or be able to obtain one before starting.
Have current American Heart Association (AHA) or American Red Cross Basic Life Support (BLS) Provider training.
Have at least an associate degree; a BSN is preferred.
Be able to read, write legibly, speak, and comprehend English.
Obtain American Heart Association- or American Red Cross-accepted ACLS and PALS within six months of the start date for Emergency Department work.
Be able to communicate clearly and accurately, delegate to team members and students, and receive delegation.
Be able to address conflict and stressful situations, communicate with different personalities, participate in face-to-face discussions and groups, and handle structured and unstructured work and time pressures.
Be able to use electronic mail, telephone, and texting.
Be able to perform the duties with or without reasonable accommodation.
Have normal hearing and vision, or correction to within the normal range.
Be able to tolerate prolonged standing and walking, reach in any direction, stand, walk, kneel, bend, sit, stoop, and run in an emergency.
Be able to exert maximum muscle force to lift, push, pull, and carry objects; move fingers in a coordinated manner; and perceive temperature, texture, shape, and size with fingertips.
Possess stamina to work prolonged shifts.
Be able to exert up to 50 pounds of force occasionally, up to 30 pounds frequently, and up to 10 pounds constantly to move objects.
Be able to work onsite and wear common protective and safety equipment such as gloves, safety glasses, masks, and gowns.
Work every other weekend; weekends include Saturday and Sunday.

Nice To Haves

Bachelor of Science in Nursing (BSN).

Responsibilities

Plan, coordinate, and direct quality, compassionate care while maintaining professional nursing practice standards and positive therapeutic relationships with patients and families.
Provide leadership to team members by communicating and delegating care standards, supervising and encouraging staff, and supporting their contributions.
Supervise LPNs, PCAs, PCAs/US, US, Ortho Techs, and other non-licensed staff.
Assess each assigned patient on admission and on an ongoing basis, including physical, psychological, social, spiritual, cultural, pain, nutritional, functional, developmental, age-related, and discharge-planning needs.
Plan, provide, and document patient and significant-other education based on individual needs and identified barriers to learning.
Evaluate and regularly reevaluate patient care, coordinating care planning with patients, families, providers, and other disciplines to achieve patient-centered outcomes.
Assign and delegate nursing care to team members according to patient needs and team members’ capabilities.
Apply safety principles during care and accurately document observations, care provided, and changes in the care plan.
Participate in transition rounds, care planning and problem identification, and team shift reports.
Support performance-improvement activities, including serving on teams as warranted, assisting with measures, and implementing improvement changes.
Complete initial and annual competency requirements for the job class.
Meet performance, patient and employee satisfaction, and financial standards outlined in performance evaluations.
Comply with Employee Handbook requirements and DCH policies and procedures, including DCH Behavioral Standards.
Perform essential job functions in a manner that protects patients, visitors, and employees; identify and reduce unsafe practices and take action to reduce risks and hazards.
Use electronic mail, time-and-attendance software, learning-management software, and the intranet.
Perform other duties as assigned.