Senior Registered Nurse - Trauma Clinician

Parkland Health

About The Position

The Senior Registered Nurse - Trauma Clinician is a licensed professional who coordinates care for trauma patients using the Parkland nursing professional practice model and the nursing process. The RN assesses patients, identifies nursing diagnoses, develops and implements individualized care plans, evaluates responses to care, and helps patients move through their healthcare encounters without preventable complications or delays. The RN delegates interventions in accordance with the Texas Nursing Practice Act, patient condition, and employee competencies. This role enhances care for patients admitted to the Trauma Center through clinical expertise, communication, and implementation of trauma management protocols. It manages trauma activations and patient tracking, supports trauma registry and performance-improvement activities, coordinates with care teams, and helps ensure compliance with trauma center designation and verification requirements. The schedule is full-time, 36 hours per week, with variable hours and rotating weekends and holidays.

Requirements

Graduate of an accredited school of nursing, or an equivalent combination of education and/or experience.
At least two years of nursing experience.
Current, valid Texas RN license, temporary RN license, or Compact RN license in good standing.
Current, valid Basic Life Support (BLS) healthcare provider certification card at hire, with ability to maintain it; accepted providers are the American Heart Association, American Red Cross, or Military Training Network.
Current, valid American Heart Association Advanced Cardiovascular Life Support (ACLS) or Advanced Life Support (ALS) certification card at hire, with ability to maintain it; accepted providers are the American Heart Association, American Red Cross, or Military Training Network.
Current, valid Pediatric Advanced Life Support (PALS) or Emergency Nursing Pediatric Course (ENPC) certification card at hire, with ability to maintain it.
Current, valid Trauma Nurse Core Course (TNCC) or Advanced Trauma Care for Nurses (ATCN) certification at interview, with ability to maintain it.
Obtain CEN, CCRN, or TCRN certification within 18 months of hire.
Certification cards must show an expiration date more than 30 days after the hire date; course-completion certificates do not substitute for this requirement.
Demonstrate expert knowledge of all phases of trauma care, including pre-hospital care, resuscitation, stabilization, supportive care, rehabilitation, and organ/tissue routine inquiry.
Effective written and verbal communication skills and demonstrated patient-centered, patient-valued behaviors.
Knowledge of ICD-9 coding, trauma injury severity scoring, EMTALA transfer guidelines, and performance improvement.
Ability to work variable hours, including weekends and holidays.
Maintain Texas RN licensure, TNCC and/or ATCN credentials, and ACLS certification; maintain CEN or CCRN certification as stated in the responsibilities.

Nice To Haves

Trauma or acute-care experience providing direct bedside patient care in a high-acuity, fast-paced hospital environment; Med/Surg, ED Observation/Clinical Decision Units, clinical rotations, and LVN experience are excluded from this preference.

Responsibilities

Enhance trauma care for patients admitted to the Trauma Center through clinical expertise, communication, and implementation of trauma management protocols.
Manage patient care for trauma activations, ensuring patient care, system, and trauma center criteria are met; document activation criteria, injuries, care plans, and admission data accurately.
Assist with contacting family members and updating team members, and follow patients through admission to ensure patient and family needs are met.
Collect data and track patients for the Trauma Registry, Trauma Research, trauma center criteria, and the trauma performance-improvement process.
Conduct daily patient rounds, monitor bed availability and consult service response times, and follow up on procedures.
Ensure patient and family psychosocial needs are addressed, identify injury-prevention education needs, and coordinate care-management activities with the care coordinator for trauma, neurosurgery, and orthopedic patients.
Maintain knowledge of applicable rules, regulations, policies, laws, and guidelines affecting Trauma Management.
Assist with developing and implementing measures to ensure compliance with American College of Surgeons and Texas Department of Health trauma center designation and verification requirements.
Develop and monitor internal controls supporting compliance with applicable state and federal laws, accreditation requirements, and federal, state, and private health-plan program requirements; assist with monitoring UTSWMC Faculty Contract criteria as needed.
Identify work-process and customer-satisfaction improvements, make recommendations to the supervisor, and implement and monitor results as appropriate.
Provide optimal customer service to internal and external Parkland customers and participate in trauma performance-improvement indicator reviews as needed, including assisting with monthly activity summaries.
Maintain positive working relationships with management, residents, staff, faculty, nurses, allied health professionals, and other hospital employees.
Stay current with developments in Trauma Management through seminars, workshops, professional journals, and professional organizations; maintain required licensure and certifications.
Present or assist with two injury-prevention programs and two trauma continuing-education programs annually.
Complete at least 16 hours of trauma-management continuing education annually in the specified areas and integrate acquired knowledge into work practices.
Educate patients, families, colleagues, and the team in advanced, basic, and technical procedures in compliance with the Nurse Practice Act.
Serve on Shared Governance Committees and attend other interdisciplinary committees addressing trauma practice and quality issues within the institution and region.
Assist in developing, implementing, and monitoring annual Trauma Services Department goals and objectives that support Parkland and department missions and objectives.
Use the nursing process to assess patients, identify nursing diagnoses, develop and implement individualized care plans, evaluate patient responses, and delegate interventions appropriately.