UPMC Mercy is currently hiring a flex full-time Senior Professional Staff Nurse to support our 7E Rehab Spinal Cord Injury department. This position will work at minimum 28 hours per week with the ability to flex up to full-time hours if staffing requires it. 

Job title and salary will be based upon qualifications and career ladder requirements. Senior level requires 2 years of experience at minimum. 

At UPMC Mercy’s 20-bed spinal cord injury unit, our coordinated team works exclusively with spinal cord injury patients and their families to create customized, comprehensive treatment plans that meet the patient’s individual priorities and needs. Our program is one of only 14 in the United States designated as a spinal cord injury model system by the National Institute on Disability and Rehabilitation Research; because we are a nationally designated center of excellence in spinal cord care, we are often involved in research studies and a test site for the latest treatments. Our spinal cord injury RNs are integral to the multidisciplinary team and coordinate various aspects of the patient’s care. As one of the leading rehabilitation programs in the United States, spinal cord injury patients at the UPMC Rehabilitation Institute have access to state-of-the-art technology and comprehensive services to assist with recovery.

UPMC is committed to investing in nurses like you –financially, personally, and professionally –starting on day one of your career. From tackling student loans to advancing your career later in life, UPMC is the partner you need to succeed and thrive in your nursing career.

 Here’s how we support our nurses:

• Generous Sign-On Bonus of up to $20,000.

  • $20,000 sign-on bonus available for nurses with 1 or more years of experience.

  • $15,000 sign-on bonus available for graduate nurses with a graduation date of Fall 2023 or beyond.

  • Candidates hired into a sign-on bonus eligible role will be asked to make a two-year work commitment to a med/surg unit.

• UPMC’s brand new Monthly Loan Repayment program, exclusively for 2023 and 2024 nursing graduates, offering $20,000* in loan repayment paid over three years (*Eligible flex full-time RN roles to receive prorated amount)

• Up to five and a half weeks of Paid Time Off annually, plus seven paid holidays each year

• Dedicated career ladders, including a brand-new nursing career ladder added just this year, allowing you to achieve your highest potential while rewarding you for your experience and advanced education

• Tuition reimbursement of up to $6,000 per academic year at any accredited institution, available to employees and their dependents (plus discounts for UPMC employees including no cost RN-BSN/MSN options!)

The Senior Professional Staff Nurse provides highly competent patient care and treatment while demonstrating empathy and a passion for learning. A role that requires independent judgment, fluent communication, and candid partnership, the Senior Professional Staff Nurse establishes relationships with physicians, other care providers, patients, and patients’ families to achieve desired patient outcomes throughout the continuum of care.

A Senior Professional Staff Nurse and a member of the care delivery team, you will set the standards for the level and quality of nursing care and possess authority and accountability for its provision. At all times, you will exemplify a commitment to the community and to the nursing profession.

Responsibilities:

• Identifies opportunities for clinical quality as well as workplace improvement.

• Applies evidence based practice as a regular aspect of professional practice.

• Serves on or leads teams that launch innovations in patient care or support a healthy workforce.

• Serves as a role model of professional nursing practice by serving as a recognized unit leader in one or more of the following areas: clinical expertise, teacher, specialized resource nurse, and/or evidence based practice.

• Consistently gives appropriate feedback to all members of the health care team and participates in the nursing peer review process.

• Promotes change that enhances the quality of patient care and the unit environment.

• Serves on teams and leads successful teams as a part of daily practice.

• Demonstrates highly developed clinical assessment and analytical skills within the context of Relationship Based Care.

• Actively participates in shared governance at unit level and serves on hospital-wide councils.

• Demonstrates a passion for developing others, enthusiastically and expertly precepts students, graduate nurses and new hires.

• Analyzes clinical and behavioral situations, identifying learning opportunities to improve patient care practices.

• Regularly seeks feedback on performance and applies continuous professional improvement.

• Supports continuous learning in the clinical area by sharing research, materials from professional organizations, presenting on the unit, supporting journal clubs, etc.

• Applies the nursing process within the framework of Relationship Based Care to create a healing environment.

• Formulates daily goals and a plan of care for patients that involves the patient as partner and considers the individual needs of the patient in a holistic manner.

• Practices solid communication skills, and is able to articulate and translate the patient's condition to other care providers and to negotiate and make recommendations for changes in patient care and unit practices.

• Patient documentation is comprehensive and promotes communication between caregivers.

• Demonstrates critical thinking in the identification of clinical, social, safety, psychological and spiritual issues for the patient care within an episode of care.

• Incorporates national professional organization as well as business unit and health system's goals to improve patient safety, quality and satisfaction of the patient experience in daily work.

• Creates a caring and compassionate patient focused experience by building healing relationships with patients, families and colleagues.

• Builds and mends relationships among colleagues within the framework of a healthy workplace.

• Role models keen cultural awareness including preventing and addressing horizontal violence and impairment.

• Maintains a conscious balance between work and personal life through prioritization and delegation of responsibilities.