RN Dialysis Days

POSITION SUMMARY

The Dialysis Nurse is accountable and responsible for the provision and coordination of clinically competent care including assessment, planning, intervention, and evaluation for an assigned group of patients. This RN participates in decision-making, teaching, leadership functions, and quality improvement activities that enhance patient care outcomes and program operations.

• Performs all essential functions under the direction of the program manager/supervisor and with guidance from the dialysis educator when available. Expected to complete all orientation requirements and to advance knowledge in preparation for additional clinical and supervisory responsibilities.
• Performs ongoing, systematic collection and analysis of patient data pre - during - post treatment for assigned patients and documents in the patient medical record, adjusts, or modifies the treatment plan as indicated and notifies inpatient program manager, appropriately credentialed physician, patient's primary nurse and others as may be indicated.
• Recognizes aspects and implications of patient status that vary from normal and reports to or collaborates with appropriate health team members for input including but not limited to manager, appropriate physician, and acute primary nurse.
• Assesses daily assigned patient care needs and collaborates with direct and ancillary patient care staff as needed.
• Directs and provides safe effective patient care for assigned patients as prescribed for all modality specific treatment procedures.
• Initiates and coordinates communication with outpatient dialysis providers and appropriate hospital personnel as needed to provide continuity of patient care.
• Administers medications as prescribed and in accordance with contractual agreement.
• Ensures nephrology physician orders for assigned patients are received and entered in the Medical Record.
• Enters all treatment data into the designated medical record thoroughly, accurately and in a timely manner.
• Performs the implementation, administration, monitoring, and documentation of patient's response to prescribed intradialytic transfusions, including appropriate notification of adverse reactions to physician and appropriate blood supplier.
• Ensures familiarity with company, inpatient services program, and contracted provider emergency policy to initiate and assist with emergency response measures.
• Delegates appropriate tasks to direct patient care staff including but not limited to licensed practical nurses (LPNs) and certified nursing assistants (CNAs).
• Monitors patient care staff for appropriate techniques and adherence to all policies and procedures.
• Promotes infection control, equipment, and environmental safety.
• Assesses, collaborates, and documents patient/family's basic learning needs to provide initial and ongoing education to patients and family.
• Instructs hospital/facility staff on aspects of specialized care related to renal replacement and apheresis therapies.
• Collaborates with the interdisciplinary team to update the nursing assessment and plan of care for assigned patients.
• Initiates, documents, and completes ongoing QAI activities including monthly reports as directed by manager or designee.
• Serves as a resource for health care team, participates in staff training and orientation of new staff as assigned.
• Participates in all required staff meetings as scheduled.
Performs all other duties as assigned by manager within state, federal and contractual standards.

EDUCATION AND EXPERIENCE REQUIREMENTS

• Graduate of accredited school of nursing and Louisiana registered and current.
• BLS and ACLS Certification required.
• One year RN experience preferred.
• Twelve months dialysis experience required to be on-call.
• Hemodialysis and/or ICU experience (preferred).