About MedStar Georgetown University Hospital’s Neurosurgical Specialties Unit C5-2

C5-2 is a 15-bed Neuroscience Telemetry Specialty Unit. It is one of MedStar Georgetown’s three inpatient Neurological/Neurosurgical Units which are part of our nationally renowned Neurosciences Center of Excellence. C5-2 was the first unit in Washington, DC and the 22nd in the entire United States to receive the AMSN PRISM Award! This unit is an excellent practice environment if your career plans include getting some experience and then moving on to an ICU!

C5-2 nurses care for postoperative adult neurosurgical patients with brain and spine disorders. The nurses also provide care to neurological patients, including Multiple Sclerosis patients who may require intravenous immunoglobulin treatment or chemotherapy. 

C5-2 nurses participate in daily interdisciplinary rounds, working collaboratively with all members of the healthcare team to provide high-quality, patient-centered, specialty care. They are very engaged, participating in Shared Governance on the unit-level and Collaborative Governance throughout the hospital. The quality of care provided on C5-2 is exceptionally high; the unit has gone over three years without a CLABSI. Nurses joining C5-2 participate in focused neuroscience classes in addition to an individualized orientation on the unit.

Schedule:

• Self-scheduling
• Rotating Shifts with Opportunity for Fixed Shifts (Day/Night Shift) as Available 

Benefits:

• Competitive salaries plus differentials
• 20 Days of Paid Time Off per year plus personal time/holidays
• Education/Tuition assistance
• Relocation reimbursement
• Generous Total Rewards Benefits Package
• Matched Retirement Savings Plan
• Specialized training opportunities with one-on-one preceptorship
• Nationally renowned Nursing Wellbeing Program

Position Summary

Professional care provider who assesses, plans, implements, and evaluates the nursing care of patients from admission through discharge. In collaboration with the patient and family, provides theory-based professional nursing care and coordinates care delivery with various members of the interdisciplinary team.

Minimum Qualifications
Education: Bachelor of Science in Nursing preferred. Associates degree from an accredited School of nursing required. BSN enrollment required within 6 months of start date and completion within 3 years.

Experience: 1 year of RN experience required.

License/Certifications: DC Registered Nurse License required; CPR (Cardiac Pulmonary Resuscitation) required.

Knowledge, Skills and Abilities: Basic math skills. Verbal and written communication skills. Basic computer skills required.

Primary Duties and Responsibilities

• Standard Job Duty: Contributes to the achievement of established department goals and objectives and adheres to department policies, procedures, quality standards, safety standards, and MedStar SPIRIT Values. Complies with governmental and accreditation regulations.
• Collects and analyzes significant patient’s information that pertains to physical, psychological, socio-cultural, economic, spiritual, and life-style behaviors and efficiently leveraging available technology.
• Functions autonomously providing relationship-based care that promotes continuous, consistent, efficient and accountable delivery of nursing care using the nursing process with a favorable focus on patient experience.
• Identifies current and potential complex problems of specific patient populations, critically analyzes trends and changes in patient status, and plans appropriate interventions.
• Incorporates evidence-based practice and research into patient care delivery, with a focus on quality and safety.
• Serves as a patient advocate by independently communicating clinical concerns, including ethical decisions, in a timely manner to other members of the interdisciplinary team.
• Practices within legal boundaries of nurse practice act and possesses a theoretical understanding of the universal ethical principles. Recognizes ethical discourse in practice and may seek other resources in advocacy for support and counsel.
• Individualizes patients plan of care, focusing on short and long-range goals and effectively uses a variety of teaching resources to meet the learning needs of patients and families.
• Communicates patient information clearly and accurately in verbal and written format.
• Maintains a safe and therapeutic environment. Identifies actual and potential patient safety issues and acts accordingly while incorporating HRO quality and safety principles.
• Demonstrates effective leadership behaviors. Establishes priorities and delegates tasks to peers and ancillary staff as appropriate to scope of practice and unit requirements.
• Effectively uses problem identification and resolution skills, focusing on the clinical scenario to resolve the apparent concern. Follows the chain of command by consulting with other healthcare professionals and seeks assistance as needed.
• Independently communicates concerns in a timely manner and makes suggestions to members of the interdisciplinary team by seeking and using resources effectively.
• Evaluates the patient's response to treatment and progress toward short and long-range goals and revises nursing interventions as appropriate.
• Identifies patient and family needs prior to discharge. Initiates and monitors discharge planning activities in collaboration with other members of the interdisciplinary team.
• Independently identifies resources and strategies to enhance professional growth and development and commits to life-long learning. Engages in professional growth and development through reflective practice from performance feedback and participates in entity professional development activities.
• Supports and contributes to the unit, department, entity, and organizational goals inclusive of the mission, vision, and values.
• Standard Job Duty: Participates in meetings and on committees and represents the department and hospital in community outreach efforts.
• Standard Job Duty: Participates in multi-disciplinary quality and service improvement teams.
• Maintains direct observation of patient when functioning as an Observation Attendant.