Medical Surgical Nurse

Essential Functions

• Assesses (and reassesses), plans, implements, and evaluates nursing interventions/plans of care/patient goals.
• Provides patient care based on standards of care, standards of practice, protocols, and established policies and procedures.
• Respects each patient as an individual; provides care that fosters the patient’s sense of dignity and positive self-regard.
• Provides patient/family teaching based on identified learning needs, readiness to learn, and barriers to learning.
• Collaboratively plans and prepares patient/family for discharge incorporating support systems/resources as necessary.
• Appropriately delegates and supervises nursing interventions performed by others.
• Appropriately prioritizes patient care (e.g. seeks assistance as needed from appropriate resources, reassigns personnel as necessary, recognizes need for emergency intervention, etc.).
• Provides thorough, timely, and accurate documentation of all pertinent data, therapeutic interventions and patient responses according to established standards.
• Provides timely and thorough report on assigned patients to other health care team members to ensure integration of services and continuity of patient care.
• Promotes learning for colleagues and self (e.g. functions as preceptor, instructor, trainer, attends professional development programs, etc.).
• Proactively identifies risk to patient safety and identifies opportunities to reduce medical/health care errors (i.e. appropriate reporting of errors/incidents).
• Identifies ethical issues in care and develops plan to address.
• Safely administers medications and intravenous therapy in accordance with physician’s orders, protocols, policies and procedures.
• Assesses patient pain level upon admission and as necessary, depending upon diagnosis utilizing the numerical pain scale.
• Reassesses effectiveness of pain control and notifies physicians as needed, as well as, documents assessment and patients’ response to medication.
• Responsible for obtaining supporting information and completing required documentation related to medication reconciliation for use by the Attending provider.
• Interprets and documents patient cardiac rate, rhythm and configuration (PR ST segment) and initiates appropriate treatment plan based on provider orders.
• Provides ongoing assessment and teaching to the surgical patient/family, utilizing current standards and protocols.
• Recognizes normal and deviant progress patterns and reports problems or concerns to physician in a timely manner.
• Utilizes pain management devices and other techniques to ensure proper pain relief.
• Sets up, maintains and troubleshoots other equipment related to the surgical patient such as; traction/orthopedic equipment/devices, feeding pumps, chest tubes and drains, etc.

Statement of Other Duties

This document describes the major duties and responsibilities for this job, and is not intended to be a complete list of all tasks and functions. It should be understood, therefore, that employees may be asked to perform job-related duties beyond those explicitly described.

Functional Demands

Physical Requirements

Exerts 20 to 50 pounds of force occasionally, and/or 10 to 25 pounds of force frequently, and/or greater than negligible up to 10 pounds of force constantly to move objects. Frequently reaches (extending hands and arms in any direction), handles (seizing, holding, grasping, turning, or working with hands), and feels (perceiving attributes of items such as size, shape, temperature, or texture by means of fingertips). Occasionally stoops (bending the body downward and forward by bending the spine at the waist), and kneels (bending the legs at knee to come to rest on knee or knees).

Organizational Expectations

Behavioral Attributes

The following behavioral attributes are required: achievement motivation, concern for order, flexibility, initiative, self-confidence, customer service oriented, interpersonal effectiveness, teamwork, analytical thinking, and information seeking.

Job Requirements

Minimum Education

• Graduate of an accredited school of nursing

Minimum Work Experience

• 1 year Med/Surg experience preferred
• 1 year Telemetry experience preferred
• 1 yr Pediatrics experience preferred

Minimum Licenses and Certifications

• Current MA RN license
• ACLS upon hire OR must hold an active BLS card and obtain AHA ACLS within 60 days of hire
• PALS preferred

Required Skills

• Demonstrates mature professional behaviors, (i.e. tact, empathy and diplomacy)
• Promotes a positive working environment