Registered Nurse - RN

Fresenius Medical Care•Chambersburg, PA

About The Position

The Home Therapies Registered Nurse CAP 1 is an entry-level designation in the Clinical Advancement Program. The RN is accountable for providing and coordinating clinically competent care—including assessment, planning, intervention, and evaluation—for an assigned group of patients. The nurse assesses and manages patients’ responses to home dialysis training and treatment according to prescribed protocols and communicates patient-related issues to physicians as needed. As a member of the End Stage Kidney Disease health care team, the RN participates in decision-making, teaching, leadership, and quality improvement activities that support patient outcomes and facility operations. The position performs its duties under the direction of a Supervisor, with guidance from an Educator or Preceptor or in collaboration with another Registered Nurse. It includes patient assessment and education, coordination and delivery of dialysis care, medication administration, emergency response, laboratory procedures, and training patients and home partners to operate and maintain home dialysis equipment. After completing specified training and experience requirements, the nurse may have assigned oversight of other members of the care team as a Team Leader or nurse in charge. The role involves direct patient care, including regular heavy lifting and moving equipment or patients, prolonged standing, and bending. The nurse may occasionally move equipment weighing up to 200 pounds with assistance and lift chemical or water solutions weighing up to 30 pounds. The work is in a health care facility and may also take place in patients’ homes or other locations. The nurse may be exposed to infectious materials and participates in assigned coverage rotations, including on-call, night, weekend, or holiday coverage as program needs require. Travel to training sites, other facilities, or patient homes may be required.

Requirements

Graduate of an accredited School of Nursing.
Current appropriate state licensure and must meet practice requirements in the state of employment.
Current CPR BLS certification or successful completion of CPR BLS certification.
Entry-level designation for RNs with less than 2 years of nephrology nursing experience as a Registered Nurse.
For assigned oversight as a Team Leader or designated nurse in charge: successful completion of all Fresenius Kidney Care education and training requirements for new employees, at least 12 months of RN experience, and 3 months of RN experience in home peritoneal dialysis and/or hemodialysis.
Ability to perform direct patient care involving regular heavy lifting and moving equipment or patients, frequent prolonged standing, and bending.
May need to move machines and equipment up to 200 pounds with assistance and lift chemical and water solutions up to 30 pounds as high as 5 feet.
Ability to participate in on-call rotation and coverage that may include nights, weekends, or holidays, according to program needs.
Ability to travel to training sites, other facilities, or patient homes as required.

Nice To Haves

At least 1 year of experience as a Registered Nurse.
Home dialysis therapy experience.

Responsibilities

Perform ongoing, systematic collection and analysis of dialysis data for assigned patients and document it in the medical record; modify treatment plans as indicated and notify the Supervisor or physician as needed.
Assess and document patients’ and families’ learning needs and provide initial and ongoing education.
Coordinate and provide safe, effective dialysis therapy in collaboration with patients, home care partners, and direct and ancillary care staff.
Administer prescribed medications or medications under approved algorithms and document medical justification and effectiveness.
Initiate or assist with emergency response measures.
Serve as a resource for the health care team and participate in staff training and new-staff orientation as assigned.
Ensure laboratory specimens are collected, processed, and shipped correctly, and reschedule missed or insufficient collections.
Identify expected outcomes and document and update nursing assessments and plans of care in collaboration with the Interdisciplinary Team.
Ensure patients are aware of transplant and treatment-modality options.
Assist in identifying, evaluating, selecting, and educating home dialysis candidates and home partners.
Assess home-environment barriers and the readiness and ability of home dialysis candidates and their partners or families to perform treatments at home.
Train home dialysis patients and/or home partners in safe, effective operation and maintenance of home dialysis equipment and supplies through the formal training program.
Complete Clinical Advancement Program requirements to advance.
Rotate coverage with other licensed home therapies staff as assigned and participate in on-call rotation as program needs require.
After meeting stated training and experience requirements, provide assigned oversight of LPNs/LVNs, RNs, Patient Care Technicians, and Home Therapy Care Team Assistants as a Team Leader or designated nurse in charge.
Perform other duties as assigned by the Supervisor.