pd nurse

GENERAL DESCRIPTION OF ASSIGNMENT:

The PD Nurse, as qualified by federal and state regulations, provides patient training and ongoing support for all patients choosing a home dialysis modality. This position is accountable for providing quality care to all patients and is committed to delivering superior customer service in all internal and external interactions. This position will be responsible for the PD program.

ESSENTIAL DUTIES AND RESPONSIBILITIES:

Knowledge of and comply with federal, state, local laws, and regulations, including health care professionals practice act requirements as they pertain to home dialysis program and patient care requirements.

• Train patient (and/or care partner) in the practice of self-care Peritoneal Dialysis upon meeting federal and state regulations governing Registered Nurse qualifications.
• Conduct home visits to assess the patient's home environment per policy; initially and minimally annually thereafter. Routinely evaluate patient performance and assess the home environment more frequently as needed to improve care.
• Communicate results of patient assessment, reassessment, and ongoing monitoring to the physician, team members, and others as appropriate to the individual needs of the patient.
• Document all nursing services in the Electronic Medical Record including but not limited to training sessions, routine, and non-routine in-person interactions, and phone conversations. Documentation should accurately reflect the patient status and nursing interventions and be written to ensure continuity of care.
• Participate in infection control monitoring, implementation, and recording as requested.
• Be familiar with emergency equipment and all emergency operational procedures. Communicate and regularly review Emergency Preparedness procedures with all home patients, including but not limited to emergency disconnection from dialysis equipment, what to do and who to contact if displaced from home.
• Ensure clinic and patient supply inventory and usage is appropriate for patient prescriptions and place orders in a timely manner to avoid fees and penalties.
• Continually seek to improve patient and quality outcomes through tracking and trending of program and patient performance, use of critical thinking skills and root cause analysis to improve patient and quality outcomes. Assist in obtaining data for the continuous quality improvement activities.
• Obtain routine and non-routine laboratory tests as ordered and communicate critical lab values and urgent patient needs to the responsible physician or physician extender in a timely manner.
• Complete and document monthly review of patient medication profiles. Administer medications as ordered by the physician.
• Responsible for performing on call nursing services, nights, and weekends, on a rotational basis as needed or assigned.
• Flexible staffing locations and hours to accommodate patient and SRD home program needs.
• Regular and reliable attendance is required for the position.
• Assist with the HHD program as needed.
• Other duties assigned.

Home Hemodialysis Only:

• Coordinate home evaluation with the technical services department to ensure that the necessary electrical, plumbing and drainage requirements for proper equipment operation are met prior to patient acceptance into home program.
• Ensure required and appropriate water sampling is complete per policy and product requirements. Monitor and report water sample and culture results.

PHYSICAL DEMANDS:

While performing the duties of this job, the employee is regularly required to sit; reach with hands and arms; type and talk or hear. The employee is occasionally required to stand; walk; climb or balance; and stoop, kneel, or crouch.

The employee must occasionally lift and/or move up to 25 pounds. Specific vision abilities required by this job include close vision, distance vision, color vision, peripheral vision, depth perception, and the ability to adjust focus.

WORK ENVIRONMENT:

The employee occasionally is exposed to outside weather conditions and is occasionally exposed to airborne particles, or caustic chemicals, and occasional exposure to communicable disease.

The noise level in the work environment is usually moderate.

Patient, physician, and other employee contact are frequent via phone or in person. There is occasional contact with outside business office personnel.

Requirements:

QUALIFICATIONS/REQUIREMENTS:To perform this job successfully, an individual must be able to perform each essential duty satisfactorily. Requirements include:

• Current RN license in applicable state. License must be maintained as current and in good standing.
• 12 months of clinical experience in providing nursing care and 6 months of experience in the specific modality for which the nurse will provide home dialysis training.
• Previous experience in providing nursing care to patients on maintenance dialysis preferred.
• CPR certification required prior to patient care assignment.
• Confirmation of ability to distinguish all primary colors.
• Must successfully complete the Home Therapy Nurse Orientation program and maintain annual demonstration of skills and competency applicable for the modality assigned.
• Demonstrated working knowledge of the English language and ability to communicate verbally and in writing.
• Must have basic computer skills; proficiency in all clinical applications required within 90 days of hire.
• Must meet any practice requirement(s) for the applicable state.
• Ability to meet minimum hiring standards which may include additional background clearances and orientation requirements if applicable to the program assigned to for employment.