POSITION DESCRIPTION
Department: Nursing
Position: Staff RN – Operating Room
Supervised by: Charge RN/Clinical Manager
Job Summary:
The Registered Professional Nurse is responsible for the delivery of patient care, utilizing the nursing process for assessment, planning, implementation and evaluation while meeting competently all safe expectations of a nurse.
II. Technical and Job Specific Skill:
1. Telephone Skills: Must demonstrate hospital telephone etiquette by answering the phones promptly, courteously and by identifying department and self.
2. Policy/Procedures: Is aware of and follows all hospital and department policies and procedures.
3. Teamwork: Promotes positive co-worker relationships through teamwork and cooperation. Understands and supports the needs of individuals in other departments and promotes conflict resolution. Shares information, work knowledge and experience with co-workers, physicians, and students in a non-threatening manner. Offers assistance and promptly responds to requests.
4. Productivity: Maintains high productivity and performs efficiently regardless of whether the work volume is high or low. Appropriately prioritizes work activities. Responds to difficult situations with self-control and a positive attitude. Makes decisions independently and knows when to ask for assistance. Exercises good judgment and arrives at sound decisions.
5. Clinical Skills
a) Functions independently on usual unit. Seeks guidance when new/complex situations occur.
b) Demonstrates clinical competency and technical skills for general and specialty population.
c) Assignment:
1. Floats to other areas outside of expertise with orientation & adjusted assignment based on validated competency (DOU to CCU).
2. Cares for patients of varied acuity levels.
d) Applies theoretical knowledge in clinical practice for the assessment of patients. Applies assessment skills to patient care.
e) Consistently identifies obvious and subtle patient/ family problems.
f) Develops and implements age/culturally appropriate care plan with patient and family.
g) Contributes to written plan of care for actual and potential patient problems.
h) Develops & implements nursing interventions with patient and family.
i) Participates in interdisciplinary patient rounds.
j) Interprets and reports obvious and subtle data which indicate that the patient may be at immediate physiological risk.
k) Evaluate outcomes with the individual and family and revises plan of care. Evaluates patient’s response to treatments, further intervenes, if necessary.
l) Identifies subtle educational needs for pt/family. Individualizes and implements established teaching plans using available instructional materials. Evaluates learning and seeks consultation to modify education plan.
m) Safely administers medications and IVs appropriately, according to hospital policy and procedures.
n) Meets care needs for patient and family, including age specific requirements, cultural and religious needs.
6. Leadership
a) Delegates and supervises assigned assistants based on job description and Scope of Practice. Provides constructive feedback to assistant regarding work performance.
b) Attends 50 % of Staff meetings. Participates in meetings. Supports unit goals.
c) Knows and recognizes importance of hospital PI process. Participates in data collection and problem identification.
d) Provides feedback to appropriate committees regarding practice issues, process improvement. Attends at least one additional meeting.
e) Able to discuss current care delivery system.
f) Implements hospital policies & procedures. Refers to P&P manuals or consults charge nurse or manager when unfamiliar situation occurs. Forwards concerns/issues regarding policies to appropriate leadership personnel.
7. Professional Growth
a) Enhances self-development in own area of practice. Identifies, develops and implements an action plan for self-development along with nurse manager or designee during evaluation process.
b) Participates in learning activities to obtain skills needed for assigned unit.
c) Demonstrates positive image of nursing while practicing on the unit.
d) Meets minimum scheduling requirements. Willing to adjust personal schedule to meet department/ hospital need.
e) Attends all mandatory courses as designated by the hospital.
f) Assists in the development of LVN and unlicensed personnel. Addresses issues
g) As identified and communicates to subordinates. If needed, obtains assistance from more experienced staff.
h) Recognizes the importance of practice trends in nursing and participates in data collection.
8. Patient Rights
a) Assesses patient/family understanding of their rights.
b) Acts to uphold patient rights.
c) Treats all patients, families and co-workers in a polite and respectful manner.
d) Encourages participation in decision making.
e) Recognizes barriers to communication and seeks expertise to resolve.
f) Implements caring and supportive care.
9. Performs any other duties or responsibilities that may be assigned.
Customer Service, Key Success Factors, and Performance/Process Improvement
A. Customer Service - Target 100 Standards of excellence
1. Attitude · Smile! Always speak positively about the facility and others · Be polite at all times, rudeness is unacceptable · Show concern and interest · Apologize for problems and inconveniences
2. Keep it Simple
· Be clear in your communications, both oral and written
· Provide the appropriate information upon request
· Document thoroughly and legibly in a timely manner
· Avoid unnecessary delays
· Follow-up on issues to ensure closure in a timely manner
3. Sense of Ownership
· Take charge of, and accept the responsibility and accountability of your position
· Commit to and live the values of our Hospital: Courtesy, Appreciation, Respect, Empowerment
· Identify and focus on meeting our customer’s needs
· Think, say, and do: “It is my job”
· Plan your work and work your plans
· Get involved and stay informed
4. Awareness
· Listen carefully to what others say
· Be cognizant of your environment and address issues/concerns as they appear
· Be prepared for emergent situations
· Be aware that what you say and how you say it makes a difference to patients, physicians, and fellow employees
5. Commitment to our Colleagues · Work as a team player · Treat one another with courtesy and respect · Welcome new employees and help them to be successful members of our team · Be approachable · Recognize and support the expertise of others · Exceed others’ expectations
6. Ambassadorship
· Promptly welcome all customers in a friendly manner
· Introduce yourself with a warm smile and make eye contact
· Address others appropriately and call customers by their name, when possible
· Be an ambassador and introduce your colleagues to customers in a prompt and pleasant manner
· Smile! Always represent the facility in a positive manner
7. Pride
· Let your positive attitude exhibit your pride in being a member of the LRMC team
· Take pride in all that you do to provide care for others
· Enjoy your successes and the successes of others
· Celebrate our WINS, proudly
8. Hospitality
· Make people feel welcomed
· Embrace diversity
· Strive to eliminate language barriers by seeking out appropriate translators
· Promote good communication and understanding to facilitate a comfortable and healing environment
· Offer help…do not wait to be asked
· Treat each individual as if he/she is the most important person in our facility
· Meet the customer’s immediate needs, or find the proper person to do so
9. Privacy and Confidentiality
· Respect our customers’ and colleagues’ privacy by not discussing it in public places
· Communicate with our customers’ families and significant others with discretion
· Maintain patients’ modesty and dignity by providing appropriate privacy
· Knock on doors before entering a room and utilize gowns, robes, blankets and privacy curtains to maintain an
environment of privacy
· Keep patients’ records and information confidential
· Respect others by not entertaining gossip
10. Appearance and Professionalism
· Conduct yourself as a professional at all times
· Keep your work area and surrounding environment clean and safe
· Always dress in an appropriate manner
· Follow the guidelines in the dress code
· Wear your name badge to clearly display your name and picture
· Practice good personal hygiene
11. Patient Support
· Be considerate and aware of anxiety and discomfort that my be experienced by a patient’s family and significant
others
· Connect with the patient, not just their reason for being under our care
· Consider the impact of your actions
· The art of providing care may be encapsulated in the delivery of comfort to others: physical,
emotional and spiritual
· Taking care of others is our honor and privilege
· Taking care of others in the spirit of CARE is our distinguishing mark of excellence
Key Success Factors
1. Attendance - Employee reports to work each regularly scheduled work day. Accurately records all work time including meal periods.
2. Punctuality - Is ready for work at precise starting time and continues working until scheduled departure time. Returns on time from all meal periods.
3. General Work Habits - Readily accepts work assignments in a positive manner. Performs work that is accurate, neat and consistent. Documentation is legible.
4. Safety - Keeps work area neat and maintains equipment in accordance with health and safety codes. Reports safety issues and equipment failures appropriately.
5. Appearance - Projects a professional image, follows the hospital dress code policy and/or department requirements. Wears hospital ID badge at all times on duty.
6. Confidentiality - Sensitive information including, but not limited to, patient records, charts, hospital documents and employee information is kept confidential without exception.
7. Annual Requirements - Completes annual requirements (PPD, requirements, Annual Update, Ethics Training, Licensure and/or Professional Certification)
on time.
C. Performance/Process Improvement
§ Is knowledgeable of performance/process improvement (P.I.) methodology.
§ Can verbalize knowledge of hospital-wide performance/process improvement activity.
§ Offers suggestions for departmental and/or hospital-wide performance/ process improvement.
§ Knowledge of and participation in the performance/process improvement is a condition of employment.
IV. Training and Experience:
Mandatory:
a) Current RN License
b) Current BLS Provider
Preferred: Acute hospital experience
Specific unit requirements: See unit addendum - attached.
V. Physical Requirements:
1. Position involves standing and walking for long periods of time, approximately 75% of the workday. Sitting is approximately 25%.
2. Must be able to transfer and lift patients as necessary. Weight will vary from patient to patient.
3. Must have the dexterity, coordination, and visual and auditory acuity to perform all job responsibilities.
4. Must be able to communicate effectively, both verbally and in writing.
5. Must be free from signs of illness and infections
Lakewood Regional Medical Center
Patient Care Unit Name: Operating Room
Unit Specific Job Description Addendum
I. Current unit certifications as indicated below:
ACLS
II. Training and/or experience:
Minimum of one (1) year experience as a Peri-operative Staff RN in an acute care hospital.
III. Unit Specific Technical Skills:
1. Demonstrates understanding and utilization of principles of asepsis, provides a surgically clean environment for patient care and ensures the sterility of supplies and instruments during operative procedures.
2. Assumes responsibility for intra-operative patient safety related to positioning and equipment/supply use.
3. Performs the peri-operative nursing role to include pre-operative assessment of the patient, nursing care plan formulation, operative care plan implementation and post-operative evaluation of the patient’s response/outcome and of the effectiveness and appropriateness of the nursing care provided.
4. Assists anesthesiologists with the intubation/extubation of patients, the monitoring of fluid/volume balance, administration of blood and blood products, and the thermoregulation of the patient.
5. Monitors patient level of consciousness, EKG, and BP during local anesthetic procedures.
6. Assures the proper supplies, equipment and instrumentation are available for surgical procedures.
Employee Signature _________________ Date_____________
Employee Print Name _________________
Position Accountabilities: The charge nurse provides direct supervision to all personnel on the assigned unit and coordinates the delivery of nursing services during a shift. This position is an integral role in the leadership of the Department of Nursing and requires sound managerial skills and a high degree of independent judgment and critical thinking skills. In addition to meeting all elements of the Registered Nurse Job Description, the charge nurse consistently meets the following elements of leadership:
A. SERVICE
1. Serves as a role model in professional conduct, exhibits behaviors supportive of hospital goals in the following areas, including but not limited to:
· Customer service with internal and external customers
· Positive attitude
· Creative problem solving
· Cooperation across interdepartmental lines and with co-workers
· Managing relationships
2. Conducts patient rounds daily, with Director, whenever possible. Looks for opportunities daily to exceed customer’s expectations.
3. Participates in staff meetings at least monthly and assists in the swift communication of staff meeting agenda items to assigned staff members and seeks feedback from staff.
4. All interactions are conducted in a professional manner.
5. Consistently contributes to the team effort by assisting co-workers with patient care when need is observed, demonstrating problem solving skills by modeling these skills while working with staff members and immediately intervening when Standards of Conduct are not upheld.
6. Conducts or ensures that discharge phone calls are made and information is recorded and followed up on as appropriate.
B. QUALITY
1. Demonstrates knowledge of performance/ process improvement methodology.
2. Offers suggestions for department and/or hospital-wide performance improvement.
3. Participates in data collection and problem identification. Takes the opportunity to act as a team member or team leader for process improvement initiatives whenever possible.
4. Assists in the implementation of the chosen care delivery model.
5. Assists Director with coordinating and in-servicing staff on new products or procedures
6. Assists Director to conduct staff competency checks/ reviews annually.
7. Works collaboratively with Director and other leaders to revise and/or develop policies and procedures.
8. Supports organizational and unit goals, standards, quality control and performance improvement.
C. FINANCIAL
1. Assists in determining unit specific needs for equipment, supplies, staffing, security and safety in the environment.
2. Submits unit supply orders if assigned and procures equipment from appropriate resources
and demonstrates an awareness of budgetary goals and cost containment strategies.
3. Demonstrates an awareness of budgetary goals and cost containment strategies when assessing staffing needs of the department.
4. Accepts responsibility for determining the need for Sitters after utilizing alternative methods.
· Completes a Sitter Approval for each shift a sitter is working.
D. PEOPLE
1. Makes appropriate patient care and unit assignments, delegates tasks according to staff
competencies and ensures follow through and completion.
2. Completes and/or delegates the completion of the following:
· Crash cart checks
· Department logs including the identification of patients appropriate for the Partnership for Change diagnosis’s
· Patient assignment sheets
· Acuity measures
· Narcotic counts
· Meal break assignments and follow through
· Specific resource nurse for registry, new staff, students
3. Determines unit priorities for the shift with regard to patient care, patient flow (bed control),
staffing and distribution of resources.
4. Ensures that staff members and temporary agency staff are taking breaks/lunches as dictated by regulatory agencies and clock out on time.
· Accepts responsibility for arranging coverage
· Accepts responsibility for authorizing overtime by signature when other alternatives fail
5. Develops collaborative relationship with Nursing Supervisors and cooperates fully with
resource allocation and patient admissions determined by the Supervisor to be in the best
interest of the entire organization for a specific shift.
6. Communicates assessed needs in a positive, constructive manner and role models effective
cooperation between departments and with other charge nurses.
7. Assists the Director with the development of the staffing schedule and helps ensure that the
unit schedule is accurately communicated daily to the staffing clerk so that resources can be
ordered and distributed in a timely manner and in order to ensure a sufficient number of
regular staff is available to all units.
8. Participates in the peer interviewing process.
9. Rounds daily with Director to assess and improve the quality of care.
10. Provides input to the Director regarding team members’ clinical performance, plans for
coaching, development and precepting.
11. Oversees the activities of all students.
12. Demonstrates awareness and articulates to the staff, the current performance of the unit in
patient satisfaction, recruitment and retention, and performance improvement strategies.
E. GROWTH
1. Develops innovative solutions to unit problems.
2. Attends outside seminars to remain current in nursing and specialty.
3. In collaboration with the Director, creates a self-development plan annually and ensures attendance at programs within the Clinical Manager Educational Matrix.
4. Collaborates with the Director and Education Department to ensure that staff is competent and fulfill their assigned duties.
5. Acts as role model and mentor for staff in building relationships with physicians and house supervisors.
