Registered Nurse

FTE/Scheduled Weekly Hours:

PRIMARY FUNCTIONS
1.    In keeping with Chapter 6 of the Iowa Nursing Practice Act for Registered Nurses, the ANA Scope and Standards of Practice for Nursing and the ANA Code of Ethics for Nursing, the professional nurse assumes responsibility and accountability for the delivery of nursing care at Waverly Health Center.  The Registered Nurse is responsible for assessing, delegating, and coordinating nursing care based on the patient’s problem and needs, by initiating the nursing process in the everyday practice of nursing. 
2.    Utilizes substantial specialized judgment and skill in providing direct and indirect patient care, observation, and counsel to patients and family, and accepts responsibility for the total nursing care of assigned patients.
3.    Communicates with providers, manager, and/or other healthcare team members about changes in patients’ clinical condition, including results of diagnostic studies and symptomatology.
4.    Assists with the clinical development of other nursing department staff members by serving as both mentor and consultant. 

ESSENTIAL DUTIES AND RESPONSIBILITIES

1. Assessment:  Systematically collects comprehensive data pertinent to the patient’s health or the situation on an ongoing basis.

• Collects accurate initial assessment data.
• Completes pertinent ongoing assessment at appropriate department intervals.
• Discharge assessment data complete and accurate.

2. Diagnosis:  Analyzes assessment data to determine diagnoses or issues.

• Appropriately determines actual and potential nursing diagnosis based on assessment of data.
• Accurately analysis monitor/equipment data.

3. Outcomes Identification/Planning:  Develops a plan individualized to the patient’s characteristics or the situation that prescribes strategies and alternatives to attain identified expected outcomes.  Considers needs specific to the standard of care for population served.

• Initiates a care plan on admission.
• Adds/deletes actual and potential problems and interventions to individualized predefined care plans.
• Involves the patient, family, and other healthcare providers in assessing, planning, decision making, implementation, and evaluation of nursing care.

4, Implementation:  Implements the identified plan in a safe and timely manner.

• Ensures all cares are provided according to the individual plan of care for each patient.
• Collaborates with other disciplines to coordinate the delivery of cares in safe environment, conducive to healing: mentally, physically, and spiritually.
• Uses health promotion and health teaching methods appropriate to the situation and the patient’s development level, learning needs culture.
• Demonstrates a caring consciousness through relationship-based care delivery model and utilization of Planetree patient centered programs/therapies to meet the holistic needs of the healthcare provider, patient, and family. Holistic needs to include physical, emotional, spiritual, environmental, cultural, and psychological needs.

5. Evaluation:  Evaluates progress toward attainment of outcomes and uses ongoing assessment data to revise the diagnoses, outcomes, plan of care, and implementation as needed.

• Revises care plan, diagnosis, outcome, plan of care throughout the stay. Completes care plan upon discharge.
• Documents care provided in an accurate manner and at point of care.

6. Professional Practice:  Evaluates one’s own nursing practice in relation to professional practice standards and guidelines, relevant statutes, rules, and regulations.

• Exhibits autonomy in care of assigned patients. Seeks assistance from proper personnel or resources when appropriate.
• Completes reflective journal note in Halogen to describe how WHC’s values were displayed in one’s own work in the last year.
• Takes responsibility to respond to patient care and departmental concerns through contacting appropriate resources and initiating actions for concerns identified.
• Directs the coordination of care including oversight of licensed and unlicensed personnel in any assigned or delegated tasks.

7. Collegiality:  Interacts with and contributes to the professional development of peers and colleagues, and actively participating in teams and committees.

• Volunteers for one or more WHC committee or projects that contributes to the practice of nursing.
• Addresses the issues or concerns with colleagues directly in a constructive manner with assistance from manager/supervisor as appropriate.
• Example or observations of sharing knowledge and skills with peers and colleagues.
• Maintains compassionate and caring relationships with peers and colleagues contributing to a supportive and healthy work environment.

8. Research:  Integrates evidence and research findings into practice.

• Utilizes the best available evidence, including research findings, to guide practice decisions.
• Identifies clinical problems specific to nursing practice.
• Examples or observations of understanding and incorporating new knowledge and identified changes into delivery of nursing care.

9. Charge Nurse:  Provides leadership during assigned shift and interacts effectively with others to accomplish the requirements of patient care and administrative activities of assigned unit.  Engages in anticipatory planning and generating solutions for clinical and operational issues.

• Act as a clinical resource, sharing knowledge, and assisting staff to complete their work.
• Anticipate patient needs, staffing requirements; engage in anticipatory planning and generating solutions for both clinical and operational issues on the unit.
• Coordinate multiple tasks in order to keep unit operations flowing.
• Provide leadership during assigned shift and interact effectively with others to accomplish the requirements of patient care and administrative activities.

10. House Supervisor:

•  Acts a resource to the clinical areas by providing direction and assistance during assigned shift.  Coordinates and directs assignment of resources.  Engages in anticipatory planning and generating solutions for clinical and operational issues. Provide leadership during assigned shift and interact effectively with others to accomplish the requirements of patient care and administrative activities.
• Anticipate patient needs, staffing requirements; engage in anticipatory planning and generating solutions for both clinical and operational issues of the hospital. Utilizes knowledge of what is happening in the whole hospital and coordinates multiple tasks in order to keep operations flowing.
• Responds to emergent situations as per protocol, taking a leadership role in coordinating activities.

11. Surgical Assistant:  Provides preoperative and postoperative patient management in collaboration with other healthcare providers.  Under the direction of a surgeon, is responsible for recognizing safety hazards and correctable measures, providing proper exposure, handling and/or cutting of tissue, providing hemostasis, and suturing.

12. Pre-Operative Teaching Nurse:  Provides pre-operative teaching to patients, including both inpatient and outpatient procedures.  Verifies patients’ demographic information, medical history, allergies, current medications, etc. and completes full body assessment questionnaire with patients.  Follows up with all surgical staff with pertinent information that may be needed prior to the surgery.  Compiles patient charts prior to the day of surgery and assists the Unit Coordinator with clerical duties of the department as needed.

13. Emergency Department Nurse:  Performs the medical screening exam (MSE) with competency and provides pertinent information to the provider(s) for verification of emergent versus stable, non-emergent patient situations.  Takes accurate medical history of all ED/MSE patients, notating allergies, medications, and surgical history at the patient’s bedside.  Performs a focused nursing assessment relevant to the chief complaint and applicable co-morbidities and reports to the provider(s) patient condition changes in a timely manner representing clear critical thinking skills.  Completes medication reconciliation for each patient, whether discharged or transferred.  Monitors patient interventions closely to report improvement or decline of patient condition. Monitors medications administered and is aware of medication purpose and potential side effects. Provides information/education to patients to determine patient understanding.

14. Pain Services Nurse: Provides direct and indirect patient care to all pain services patients.  Care includes, but is not limited to, assessment, medical history, current medications, and education. Assists provider with procedures.   Assists with chart preparation, follow-up, referrals, prior authorizations, opioid monitoring, etc.  Collaborates with providers and other team members to coordinate the delivery of care in safe environment conducive to healing.

MINIMUM QUALIFICATIONS
Education, Experience, and Training

• Must be a graduate of an accredited school of nursing and currently licensed to practice as a Registered Nurse in Iowa.
• Baccalaureate degree in nursing preferred.
• Surgical Assistant only:  Must Also must maintain either the CNOR (certified nurse operating room) or RNFA (registered nurse first assist) certification. 
• Must be able to read, speak, and write fluent English.
• Ability to learn and navigate computer systems including the online training modules, the employee timesheet and the performance appraisal system. Job specific systems are also required.

Physical Requirements

• Sitting – Approximately 25% of shift.
• Standing– Approximately 50% of shift.
• Walking – Approximately 50% of shift.
• Lifting – Approximately 35 pounds.  Must use, and require staff to use, when in hospital and/or pre-hospital settings, proper body mechanics and ergonomics and, as applicable, lifting/moving devices.  
• Twisting – Infrequent.
• Bending – Moderate.
• Squat/Kneel – Approximately 25% of shift.

WORK ENVIRONMENT

1. May come in contact with hazardous chemicals or treatment modalities.

2. The possibility exists of exposure to communicable disease due to working in a healthcare environment.

3. Involvement in patient care may result in unavoidable work-related illnesses.

This job description in no way states or implies that these are the only duties to be performed by the employee occupying this position.  A review of this description has excluded the marginal functions of the position that are incidental to the performance of fundamental job duties.  All duties and responsibilities are essential job functions.  Employees will be required to follow any other job-related instructions and to perform any other job-related duties requested by his/her manager.

Requirements are representative of the minimum levels of knowledge, skills, and/or abilities.  To perform this job successfully, the employee will possess the abilities or aptitudes to perform each duty proficiently.  Some requirements may exclude individuals who pose a direct threat or significant risk to the health and safety of themselves or other employees.  All requirements are subject to possible modification to reasonably accommodate individuals with disabilities.

This document does not create an employment contract, implied or otherwise, other than an "at will" employment relationship with the Waverly Health Center.

This job description in no way states or implies that these are the only duties to be performed by the employee occupying this position.  A review of this description has excluded the marginal functions of the position that are incidental to the performance of fundamental job duties.  All duties and responsibilities are essential job functions.  Employees will be required to follow any other job-related instructions and to perform any other job-related duties requested by his/her manager.

Requirements are representative of the minimum levels of knowledge, skills, and/or abilities.  To perform this job successfully, the employee will possess the abilities or aptitudes to perform each duty proficiently.  Some requirements may exclude individuals who pose a direct threat or significant risk to the health and safety of themselves or other employees.  All requirements are subject to possible modification to reasonably accommodate individuals with disabilities.

This document does not create an employment contract, implied or otherwise, other than an "at will" employment relationship with the Waverly Health Center.