RN, CARDIAC CATH LAB - HEART CENTER

Independence Health System•Greensburg, PA

17h•Onsite

About The Position

Performs specialized nursing functions related to cardiac catheterization and electrophysiology procedures. Assists with radiology, nuclear medicine and stress echocardiology procedures that require a nursing component.

Requirements

Graduate of an accredited Nursing Program required.
Strong leadership ability, good organizational skills, independent and critical thinking skills, sound judgment, and knowledge of legal aspects and liability of nursing practice.
Strong ability to communicate complex and/or controversial topics and concepts to a wide and diverse audience.
Basic working knowledge of computers and office equipment.
A Nursing refresher course may be required if employee hasn’t worked in an acute care setting for his / her most recent three consecutive years of professional employment.
Current licensure to practice as a Registered Nurse in the State of Pennsylvania required.
Current Basic Life Support (BLS) approved curriculum of the American Heart Association (CPR and AED) program required.
Current NIH Stroke Scale or completion within 6 months of hire/transfer into department.
Current ACLS or completion within six (6) months of hire/transfer date into department.
Act 33 with renewal
Act 34 with renewal
Act 73 FBI Clearance

Nice To Haves

Bachelor’s Degree in Nursing preferred.
Previous cardiac catheterization laboratory experience.
One-year critical care nursing experience in a CCU, ICU or ED setting.

Responsibilities

Maintain professional and technical knowledge by attending education workshops, review professional publications, establish personal networks, and participate in professional societies.
Assure quality of care by adhering to therapeutic standards, measuring health outcomes against patient care goals and standards, making or recommending necessary adjustments, and following system/hospital and nursing division's philosophies and standards of care set by state board of nursing, state nurse practice act, and other governing agency regulations.
Protect patients and employees by adhering to infection-control policies and protocols, medication administration and storage procedures, and controlled substance regulations.
Document patient care services by charting in patient and department records.
Maintain continuity among nursing teams by documenting and communicating actions, irregularities, and continuing needs using Nurse Knowledge Exchange techniques.
Maintain patient confidence and protects operations by keeping information confidential.
Identify patient care requirements by establishing personal rapport with potential and actual patients, and other persons in a position to understand care requirements.
Establish a compassionate environment by providing emotional, psychological, and spiritual support to patients, friends, and families.
Promote patient's independence by establishing patient care goals, teaching patient/family to understand condition, medications, and self-care skills, and answering questions.
Maintain safe and clean working environment by complying with procedures, rules and regulations; calling for assistance from health care support personnel.
Resolve patient problems and needs by utilizing multidisciplinary team strategies.
Maintain a cooperative relationship among health care teams by communicating information, responding to requests, building rapport, and participating in team continuous quality improvement and problem-solving methods.
Contribute to team effort by accomplishing related results as needed.
Ensure operation of equipment by completing preventive maintenance requirements by following manufacturer's instructions, troubleshooting malfunctions, calling for repairs, maintaining equipment inventories, and evaluating new equipment and techniques.
Maintain nursing supplies inventory by checking stock to determine inventory level, anticipating needed supplies, placing and expediting orders for supplies, verifying receipt of supplies, and using equipment and supplies as needed to accomplish job results.
Participates in performance initiatives designed to enhance the quality of patient care and customer service
Collects and documents pertinent information for ACC and STS national databases, core measure benchmarking, and quality assessment
Recognizes and reports unfavorable trends in outcomes and/or patient care processes.
Recognizes and reports impedances to favorable workflow and patient care processes.
Responsible for the operation, monitoring and calibration of the hemodynamic recording system including transducers, electrocardiology, and other associated equipment employed during cardiac catheterization procedures.
Management of all nursing care during the procedure. This includes administration of medication and cardiovascular monitoring.
Performs as a scrub assistant to the cardiologist for diagnostic, intervention, and emergency procedures. Insures an aseptic technique.
Alerts the physicians regarding the level of radiation during the procedure in attempt to keep exposure rates as low as possible.
Set up and operate all specialty equipment including but not limited to IABP, Alsius, Rotablator, Wavewire, and IVUS.
Participates in the call schedule as required.
Coordinates emergency procedures.
Removes arterial/venous sheaths post cardiac catheterization/EP procedures.
Other related duties as assigned.