RN - PCU - PRN - Nights

ARKANSAS SURGICAL HOSPITAL•North Little Rock, AR

176d

About The Position

Under the direction of the Clinical Manager and the Nurse in Charge, this position assesses plans, organizes and evaluates all aspects of patient care for assigned unit/patients. Reports to: Nurse Coordinator/Charge Nurse Essential Job Functions Utilizes the nursing process to provide quality patient care according to established standards of care which includes planning, implementing, evaluating and adjusting plan of care, and discharge planning based on expected patient outcomes. Admits, transfers, and discharges patients. Completes ongoing patient assessment and documents according to policy. Completes nursing assessment within 2 hours of admission, or designates reason for incompleteness. Reviews database and nutrition screen. Participates in the development of patient plan of care to include patient problems, goals, evaluations and interventions. Reports symptoms and significant changes in patient’s condition to appropriate personnel. Assesses, collaborates and coordinates patient’s discharge planning needs and readiness for discharge with other members of the care team. Demonstrates appropriate application of age specific standards, policies and procedures and guidelines in caring for adolescent, adult, and geriatric patients. Follows age specific standards in administering medications based on patient’s age. Follows age specific standards of care during altered states of consciousness related to analgesia, conscious sedation or anesthesia. Uses age specific standards, policies and procedures and guidelines to perform treatments and procedures that are routine for unit/clinic based on patient’s age. Incorporates cultural and developmental needs into plan of care. In collaboration with the patient/family, and in a developmentally and culturally appropriate manner, implements the plan of care. Demonstrates competency in the provision of nursing care according to established standards of nursing practice and in a developmentally appropriate manner. Demonstrates critical thinking skills, ability to provide and delegate activities to staff based on patient assessment and the requirements to deliver care in a safe efficient manner maximizing positive outcomes for the patient. Provides documentation of patient care in the patient record according to established standards of nursing care. Collaborates and works cooperatively with physicians and other members of the multidisciplinary health care team in formal and informal teaching of patients and/or family about his or her disease process and wellness promotion plan and discharge planning. Assesses patient/family learning needs, abilities, preferences, and readiness to learn. Utilizes a collaborative interdisciplinary process to provide appropriate patient/family education. Utilizes available information to evaluate the effectiveness of teaching in producing the desired patient outcomes and makes adjustments in teaching as indicated. Participates in performance improvement activities which include collecting, analyzing data to identify quantifiable measures to maintain quality and the promotion of desired outcomes. Also includes participation in development of patient care delivery systems, standards, policy and procedures, and problem solving teams. Demonstrates an awareness and relevance of research in nursing. Evaluates practices to identify areas for improvement or opportunities for research. Demonstrates the spirit of the philosophy, mission, and values of the hospital through words and actions and implements them into departmental processes, programs, and the working environment. Applies the principles and values of customer service and continuous quality improvement while performing day to day activities of the position. Maintains and protects confidentiality regarding all aspects of patient care, personnel and strategic issues. Adheres to Confidentiality Policy. Maintains positive working relationships and fosters cooperative work environment. Adheres to the hospital’s Guidelines for Appropriate Conduct in the HR Manual. Displays honesty and mutual respect when communicating with peers and other departments. Follows through on problems that may compromise effective job performance by using appropriate chain of command. Patient Care Unit nurses may have duties addressing the nursing process of assessment, planning, implementation, and evaluation as well as nursing functions of teaching, risk management, time management, and communication in follow manners:

Requirements

One (1) to three (3) years’ experience as an RN preferred.
Position requires lifting, carrying, pushing, and/or pulling up to fifty (50) pounds while administering patient care; stooping, kneeling and/or crouching; standing and walking five (5) or more hours per day; reaching, grasping, and handling and/or feeling five (5) or more hours per day.
Visual acuity to correctly distinguish skin tone variations, evidence of IV infiltration, infection and to read telemetry, blood pressure gauges, etc; audio acuity to correctly distinguish various body sounds, i.e. respirators, heart sounds, bowel sounds and to discern sounds made by various types of machinery or equipment which would indicate dangerous or improper operation.

Nice To Haves

Experience in orthopedic, neurosurgical, pain management specialties preferred.

Responsibilities

Utilizes the nursing process to provide quality patient care according to established standards of care which includes planning, implementing, evaluating and adjusting plan of care, and discharge planning based on expected patient outcomes.
Admits, transfers, and discharges patients.
Completes ongoing patient assessment and documents according to policy.
Completes nursing assessment within 2 hours of admission, or designates reason for incompleteness.
Reviews database and nutrition screen.
Participates in the development of patient plan of care to include patient problems, goals, evaluations and interventions.
Reports symptoms and significant changes in patient’s condition to appropriate personnel.
Assesses, collaborates and coordinates patient’s discharge planning needs and readiness for discharge with other members of the care team.
Demonstrates appropriate application of age specific standards, policies and procedures and guidelines in caring for adolescent, adult, and geriatric patients.
Follows age specific standards in administering medications based on patient’s age.
Follows age specific standards of care during altered states of consciousness related to analgesia, conscious sedation or anesthesia.
Uses age specific standards, policies and procedures and guidelines to perform treatments and procedures that are routine for unit/clinic based on patient’s age.
Incorporates cultural and developmental needs into plan of care.
In collaboration with the patient/family, and in a developmentally and culturally appropriate manner, implements the plan of care.
Demonstrates competency in the provision of nursing care according to established standards of nursing practice and in a developmentally appropriate manner.
Demonstrates critical thinking skills, ability to provide and delegate activities to staff based on patient assessment and the requirements to deliver care in a safe efficient manner maximizing positive outcomes for the patient.
Provides documentation of patient care in the patient record according to established standards of nursing care.
Collaborates and works cooperatively with physicians and other members of the multidisciplinary health care team in formal and informal teaching of patients and/or family about his or her disease process and wellness promotion plan and discharge planning.
Assesses patient/family learning needs, abilities, preferences, and readiness to learn.
Utilizes a collaborative interdisciplinary process to provide appropriate patient/family education.
Utilizes available information to evaluate the effectiveness of teaching in producing the desired patient outcomes and makes adjustments in teaching as indicated.
Participates in performance improvement activities which include collecting, analyzing data to identify quantifiable measures to maintain quality and the promotion of desired outcomes.
Also includes participation in development of patient care delivery systems, standards, policy and procedures, and problem solving teams.
Demonstrates an awareness and relevance of research in nursing.
Evaluates practices to identify areas for improvement or opportunities for research.
Demonstrates the spirit of the philosophy, mission, and values of the hospital through words and actions and implements them into departmental processes, programs, and the working environment.
Applies the principles and values of customer service and continuous quality improvement while performing day to day activities of the position.
Maintains and protects confidentiality regarding all aspects of patient care, personnel and strategic issues.
Adheres to Confidentiality Policy.
Maintains positive working relationships and fosters cooperative work environment.
Adheres to the hospital’s Guidelines for Appropriate Conduct in the HR Manual.
Displays honesty and mutual respect when communicating with peers and other departments.
Follows through on problems that may compromise effective job performance by using appropriate chain of command.
Patient Care Unit nurses may have duties addressing the nursing process of assessment, planning, implementation, and evaluation as well as nursing functions of teaching, risk management, time management, and communication in follow manners: