Position Summary:

This professional staff person is responsible for performing assessments, developing a plan of care and implementing and evaluating the care. The RN-Critical administers medications and treatments as ordered by physicians and in keeping with the current clinical nursing practice. Also responsible for directing, monitoring and evaluating the care delegated to non-licensed personnel. The RN-Critical leads the interdisciplinary care team for patients with primarily cardiovascular disease. In addition, the RN-Critical performs a range of technical services in a cross-functional mode to comprehensively serve patient needs. Assumes (under the direction of the Laboratory) responsibility for patient specimen testing, quality control, quality improvement and equipment maintenance.

Primary Duties:

• Completes admission assessment and periodic reassessments according to patient’s progress and/or unit routines and patient population-specific parameters.
• Documents findings and communicates all pertinent information to interdisciplinary team members as appropriate.
• Collaborates with interdisciplinary team members in the development, evaluation and revision of the plan of care as appropriate to meet the patient’s needs and goals.
• Provides competent direct care and ensures the provision of a safe and comforting environment resulting in a high level of patient satisfaction.
• Assists healthcare team members in the understanding of hospital policies and procedures.
• Provides education to patients/families/significant others, incorporating patient population-specific criteria and assessment of readiness to learn.
• Maintains patient confidentiality.
• Maintains standard precautions.
• Administers medications and completes treatments according to provider orders, hospital policy and within patient population-specific parameters.
• Maintains all necessary documentation.
• Facilitates transition of care plan in collaboration with interdisciplinary team.
• Demonstrates knowledge and ability to use necessary patient care equipment.
• Coordinates response of the interdisciplinary team to emergency situations.
• Performs Point-of-Care procedures in a timely manner according to established policy and procedure. Documents required information and complies with all Point-of-Care quality control standards.

Department-Specific Responsibilities:

Cath / EP Lab

• Performs patient assessments pre-, peri- and post-procedure.
• Maintains a safe, aseptic environment in the Cath Lab.
• Administers medications as ordered by the physician.
• Maintains competent knowledge of all procedures and adheres to procedure protocol.
• Assists all personnel, patients and physicians as needed.
• Ensures all supplies are available.
• Operates and maintains equipment in good working order.
• Participates in the total maintenance of the department.
• Ensures that patient has an H & P documented by a physician according to appropriate standards prior to procedure.
• Settles patient after procedures and provides accepting RN with concise reports on the patient.

Emergency Department

• Actively seeks additional education opportunities to increase emergency medicine knowledge base.
• Exhibits flexibility in transitioning from emergency nursing to other nursing or clinical areas during census peaks.
• Maintains adequate par levels for equipment and supplies in the Emergency Department.
• Assesses the immediacy and nature of the illness and/or injury of the patient upon entering the emergency department.
• Demonstrates competency to manage all areas of emergency nursing involving different body systems within age specific criteria.
• Facilitates continuity of emergency treatment to minimize delay.
• Maintains competencies needed to properly care for patients being held in the Emergency Department.
• Demonstrates timely and appropriate completion of screening the medical exam required by EMTALA.

PCCU and PACU

• Ability to formulate an individualized plan of care and revise plan according to the patient’s response to treatment. Evaluates plan regularly for effectiveness.
• Communicates appropriately and clearly to Resource Nurse, Director and Physician.
• Demonstrates knowledge of cardiac monitoring; identifies dysrhythmias and treats appropriately based on orders and ACLS protocol.
• Able to perform a head-to-toe assessment on all patients per policy.
• Able to monitor hemodynamic status of patient and correctly interpret the results.
• Consults other departments as appropriate to provide an interdisciplinary approach to the patient’s needs.
• Coordinates and supervises patient care as necessary.

Surgery / Operating Room

• Meets the on-call responsibilities as defined in the departmental policies and procedures manual.
• Maintains equipment and supplies.
• Fosters an environment conducive to the dynamic changing pace of today’s technology through continuous review and assessment of perioperative care.
• Assists in teaching families/significant others of patients the information needed for successful perioperative care.
• Prepares operating room and equipment by opening sterile supplies and instrumentation for procedures to be performed.
• Assumes responsibility to maintain sterile technique and apply principles of infection control and medical ethics.
• Functions as a Scrub Assistant when needed; is able to assume primary and secondary scrub duties.
• Assists with specific and safe positioning of patient on OR table.
• Anticipates needs of the surgeon with little or no prompting.
• Counts sponges and related items with circulating nurse before and during surgical procedures.
• Assists operative team with donning sterile gown/gloves and applying sterile drapes to the surgical field.
• Cares for surgical specimens on the sterile field.
• Maintains sterile field in an organized manner so anyone can utilize it at any time during the procedure.
• Assists in transportation of the patient.
• Settles patient after procedures and provides accepting RN with concise reports on the patient.
• Ensures that patient has an H & P documented by a physician according to appropriate standards prior to procedure.
• Ensures that patient has a signed consent present in the chart prior to procedure.

Day Patient / Short Stay Unit

• Ability to formulate an individualized plan of care and revise plan according to the patient’s response to treatment. Evaluates plan regularly for effectiveness.
• Communicates appropriately and clearly to Resource Nurse, Director and Physician.
• Demonstrates knowledge of cardiac monitoring; identifies dysrhythmias and treats appropriately based on protocol.
• Able to perform a head-to-toe assessment on all patients per policy.
• Able to monitor hemodynamic status of patient and correctly interpret the results.
• Consults other departments as appropriate to provide an interdisciplinary approach to the patient’s needs.
• Coordinates and supervises patient care as necessary.