Temporary Registered Nurse, ICU

Heywood Hospital•Gardner, MA

About The Position

The Registered Nurse functions under the supervision of the Nurse Manager or designee as a professional participant in the health care team. The role provides direct and indirect care to patients, families, and significant others using the nursing process and in accordance with the philosophy, goals, and objectives of Nursing Services. This is a temporary ICU position scheduled for 24 hours per week: two 12-hour night shifts from 7:00 p.m. to 7:30 a.m., Sunday through Saturday, with every third weekend and holiday. The listed pay range is $39.58–$78.93. Final compensation depends on relevant experience, skills, qualifications, and internal equity. The nurse assesses, plans, implements, and evaluates patient care; administers medications and intravenous therapy; documents care and patient responses; and coordinates with patients, families, and members of the health care team. ICU responsibilities include cardiac rhythm and EKG interpretation, thrombolytic and anticoagulation therapy, mechanical ventilation and intubated-patient care, interpretation of arterial blood gases and oxygenation data, hemodynamic monitoring, and safe administration of vasoactive medications. The nurse also monitors immediate post-operative recovery, participates in multidisciplinary rounds, supports medication reconciliation, and implements and monitors the ventilator-associated pneumonia (VAP) bundle.

Requirements

Graduate of an accredited school of nursing.
Current Massachusetts Registered Nurse license.
Complete the required MOAB class within 60 days of hire.
Obtain ACLS upon hire, or hold an active BLS card and obtain AHA ACLS within 60 days of hire.
Required behavioral attributes include achievement motivation, concern for order, flexibility, initiative, self-confidence, customer service orientation, interpersonal effectiveness, teamwork, analytical thinking, and information seeking.

Nice To Haves

One year of medical-surgical experience preferred.
Previous telemetry experience preferred.
ICU experience preferred.
CCRN preferred.

Responsibilities

Assess and reassess patients; plan, implement, and evaluate nursing interventions, plans of care, and patient goals.
Provide patient care according to standards of care and practice, protocols, and established policies and procedures.
Respect each patient as an individual and provide care that supports dignity and positive self-regard.
Teach patients and families based on identified learning needs, readiness to learn, and barriers to learning.
Collaboratively plan and prepare patients and families for discharge, incorporating support systems and resources as appropriate.
Delegate and supervise nursing interventions performed by others.
Prioritize patient care, seek assistance when needed, reassign personnel as necessary, and recognize when emergency intervention is required.
Document pertinent data, therapeutic interventions, and patient responses thoroughly, accurately, and on time.
Provide timely, thorough reports to other health care team members to support integrated services and continuity of care.
Promote learning for colleagues and self through activities such as precepting, instructing, training, and attending professional development programs.
Identify risks to patient safety and opportunities to reduce medical or health care errors, including appropriate reporting of errors and incidents.
Identify ethical issues in care and develop plans to address them.
Safely administer medications and intravenous therapy in accordance with orders, protocols, policies, and procedures.
Assess and document patient pain using the numerical pain scale, reassess pain-control effectiveness, and notify physicians as needed.
Accurately identify cardiac arrhythmias and interpret EKG configuration changes, including PR interval and ST segment changes.
Institute, monitor, and document thrombolytic and anticoagulation therapy according to standards and protocols.
Demonstrate knowledge of mechanical ventilation modes, settings, and adjuncts, and provide care for intubated patients, including suctioning, troubleshooting, and weaning.
Interpret arterial blood gases, pulse oximetry, and clinical features of impaired gas exchange or airway clearance.
Understand hemodynamic monitoring procedures, set up equipment, and assist with arterial and central venous cannulation.
Safely administer vasoactive medications, applying knowledge of dosage, action, use, side effects, and titration parameters for critical drips.
Assess and monitor patients during the immediate post-operative phase according to standards and protocols.
Apply appropriate interventions for potential problems or complications during recovery from general, regional, spinal, or conscious sedation.
Obtain supporting information and complete required medication-reconciliation documentation for the Attending MD.
Implement components of the VAP bundle consistently and according to protocol.
Alert the Nurse Manager, Director, or Nursing Supervisor when an Attending MD deviates from the VAP bundle, for case review and follow-up as indicated.
Participate actively in daily multidisciplinary rounds to plan, coordinate, implement, and evaluate patient care.
Perform other job-related duties as requested.