Registered Nurse I

Description
Summary:

Responsible for patient assessment, patient care planning, and provision of quality nursing care to an assigned group of patients for a defined work period. Provides direction and supervision to LVN/LPNs, nursing assistants, unit secretaries, and other clinical/clerical associates. By assignment, may function as a charge nurse for the unit. Involves provision of patient care/service to older adolescents, young adults, adults, geriatric and pediatric patients.

Responsibilities:
•  Meets expectations of the applicable OneCHRISTUS Competencies: Leader of Self, Leader of Others, or Leader of Leaders.
•   Patient Care Planning
•  Develops a comprehensive nursing care plan which addresses all significant needs and problems identified through nursing assessment.
•   Prepares nursing elements of the interdisciplinary care plan prior to the initial team conference.
•   Reviews and updates nursing care plan and collaborates with team members as changes occur.
•   Patient Care Provision
•  Implements patient care as planned in nursing care plan and interdisciplinary care plan.
•   Sets priorities based on knowledge of patient acuity and patient needs.
•   Provides safe and therapeutic care and seeks resources when appropriate.
•   Safely performs and accurately documents procedures, consistent with established nursing policy and procedure.
•   Patient Care Evaluation
•  Evaluates patient response to interventions and attainment of goals in collaboration with interdisciplinary team.
•   Evaluates progress toward nursing goals and revises goals as needed on a weekly basis.
•   Completes nursing progress note for assigned patients on a daily basis.
•   Completes nursing flow sheets for assigned patients on a daily basis.
•   Teaching
•  Evaluates education needs of patient and significant others and documents their response to teaching.
•   Utilizes, adapts, and revises teaching resources to meet patient education needs.
•   Explains procedures, tests, and disease process to patients and families as needed.
•   Acts as role model for health care students and other team members.
•   Acts as preceptor to assigned orientees.
•   Assists in the orientation of new staff by sharing knowledge and experience.
•   Patient Care Communication
•  Reports and documents accurately and concisely to appropriate persons the patient's condition.
•   Maintains patient confidentiality.
•   Applies basic verbal and nonverbal skills to maintain open, effective communication among care team members, patients, and significant others.
•   Encourages direct discussion between staff members when differences occur and seeks assistance to arbitrate differences as needed.
•   Gives and accepts constructive feedback appropriately.
•   Identifies actual and potentially unsafe patient care practices, reports them in the designated manner, and suggests alternatives. CORE COMPETENCIES

Standard I: Utilizes the Nursing Process
•  Uses critical thinking skills to assess the basic physical, psychosocial, social, cultural,
•   Spiritual, and development needs of patient and families
•  Communicates findings to appropriate healthcare team members
•  Develops and uses a specific plan of care and modifies it to meet individual patient
•  needs using evidence-based practice. Implements patient care and therapeutic
•  procedures; monitors and documents progression of treatment and teaching goals
•  Evaluates the care and treatment(s) provided to the patient and the patient response to
•  the care and treatment(s). Performs timely reassessment and documentation
•  Must be able to perform unit specific competencies based on the specific patient care need for designated unit's patient population Standard II. Patient Throughput & Patient Flow Process
•  Anticipates and plans for admission/discharge/transfer needs to facilitate patient flow
•  Utilizes appropriate systems of communication and tools to facilitate the discharge process
•  Coaches on tools and techniques for checking, cross checking and validating orders to ensure accuracy Standard III. Unit Operations
•  Plans, directs, and evaluates the overall nursing care and functions in a particular nursing unit during an assigned shift
•  Demonstrates good stewardship in proper use and maintenance of equipment and Supplies
•  Assesses departmental staffing needs; actively participates in resourcing efforts.
•   Educates and trains others on the operations, ethics, and regulations within the industry Standard IV. Safe Practice/Quality Care/Regulations
•  Incorporates patient safety practices/guidelines to promote a safe environment resulting in positive patient outcomes
•  Demonstrates accountability for nursing research and quality improvement activities
•  Provides evidence-based nursing care
•  Communicates patient information effectively across the continuum of care
•  Educates and trains others on the operations, ethics, and regulations within the industry.
•   Knowledge of federal, state and local healthcare related laws and regulations; ability to comply with these in healthcare practices and activities TECHNICAL COMPETENCIES

Clinical Policies and Standards
•  Follows a specific set of standards and associated clinical procedures
•  Analyzes policy and standards documentation and ensures organizational compliance
•  Provides feedback for improvement of procedures
•  Assists in the development and implementation of specific procedures
•  Works with control and monitoring mechanisms, tools and techniques Health Information Documentation
•  Shares experiences with maintaining paper and electronic patient documentation
•  Walk through the steps and procedures for receiving, validating and updating patient records
•  Describes the flow of information between various stations or units
•  Discusses the functions, features and document flow of electronic documentation
•  Transcribes verbal orders; explains techniques for ensuring their accuracy
•  Explains health information documentation best practices and their rationale across health care practices Medical Equipment
•  Describes experience with basic medical equipment used in own unit or facility
•  Uses standard diagnostic tools and techniques to resolves common equipment problems
•  Educates patients about the appropriate use of home medical equipment
•  Ensures that all equipment and related supplies are in proper working order prior to use to ensure patient safety
•  Inspects, troubleshoots and evaluates incoming equipment Medical Order Processing
•  Shares experiences with processing medical orders for one or more groups of patients or conditions
•  Describes functions and features of the system used to enter, validate, update and forward medical orders
•  Discusses common errors, their sources and procedures for correcting
•  Explains considerations for entering and following standing orders
•  Differentiates between standing orders and preprinted orders and considerations for each Patient Chart Reading and Interpretation
•  Describes experiences in reading and interpreting patient charts for patients on unit and under own care
•  Reviews patients' charts for completion and accuracy; identifies and alerts to mistakes or omissions
•  Recognizes unexpected readings and alerts nursing or medical staff
•  Relates examples of mis-readings or misinterpretations and lessons learned
•  Reviews, discusses and validates own interpretation with others Patient Safety
•  Shares experiences with ensuring safety for one or more patient groups or settings
•  Explains key features of safety guidelines and procedures for those groups and settings
•  Listens and responds to safety inquiries from patients and family members
•  Recognizes and addresses physiological and psychological signs of problems
•  Describes considerations for patients who can cause to harm to self, versus harm to others
•  Utilizes appropriate systems to document misses and near misses, participates in immediate investigating, analysis and reporting in real time Job Requirements:

Education/Skills
•  Bachelor of Science Degree in Nursing, preferred Experience
•  Six months to a year of experience as a licensed RN or holder of an active GN permit Licenses, Registrations, or Certifications
•  BLS required
•  RN License in state of employment or compact
•  Graduate Nurse Permit
•  Associates with an unsuccessful licensure application or on the 75th day following the effective date of the temporary permit; will be transferred to another position within CHRISTUS Health Position Requirements:

Experience:

Education:
•  All newly hired experienced RNs must attend New Nurses Orientation within the first 30 days of hire.
•   New hires are precepted by a designated trained staff member and initial on-boarding requirements are validated through successful completion of the designated organizational entry competency validation and an MedSurg Department -specific competency validation.
•   All newly licensed RNs may participate in a residency program or other specific orientation . click apply for full job details