Position General Summary:

Nurses care for people who are sick, injured, convalescent, or disabled. Under the general supervision of the hospitalist, they deliver care to patients utilizing the nursing process of assessment, planning, intervention, implementation, and evaluation, in accordance with established philosophy. Nurses collaborate with other professional disciplines to ensure effective patient care delivery and achievement of desired patient outcomes. Nurses effectively interact with patient and significant others, while maintaining the standard of professional nursing. Med-Surg Nurses provide care for adult and pediatric patients, before and after surgical procedures, while also attending to those who are being treated with pharmaceuticals to manage illness. Due to the broad range of medical conditions Med/Surge Nurses encounter, they must be well-versed in a large variety of health conditions. Med-Surg Nurses are an Essential position at this facility to ensure efficient operations and patient care. Employees hired into an Essential position are expected to report to work for their scheduled shifts regardless of the environmental weather and road conditions that may exist. 

Position Duties and Responsibilities:

Med/Surge Nurses provide direct and individualized nursing care to patients based on the application of scientific nursing principles. In addition to general nursing care, responsibilities of Med/Surge Nurses include (but are not limited to):

1. Consults and coordinates with health care team members to assess, plan, implement, and evaluate patient care plans
2. Prepares and administers medications (orally, subcutaneously, through an IV) and records prescribed medications. 
3. Reports adverse reactions to medications or treatments in accordance with the policy regarding the administration of medications by a licensed registered nurse
4. Participates in controlled substance counts as need according to policy and state law

1. Manages basic life support needs and help stabilize patients until the attending physician is available, based upon nursing standards and protocol
2. Initiates corrective action and notify the physician whenever there is information from monitoring equipment that shows adverse symptomatology
3. Works directly under physicians, assisting them during exams, diagnostic testing, and treatments
4. Monitors patients’ physical and emotional well-being throughout the care continuum

1. Records all patient care information concisely, accurately, and completely; in a timely manner, in the correct format, and in the appropriate place within the electronic health record. The information includes (but is not limited to): chief complaint, history, vital signs, assessments, allergies, medications, signs and symptoms, electronic displays of monitoring, etc.

1. Displays professionalism while completing multiple urgent tasks in a timely manner
2. Maintains proper supplies and appropriate medical equipment to care for patients
3. Reports any suspected abuse to the physician and appropriate agencies

1. Participates in discharge planning
2. Serves as the communication liaison to family and members of the procedure team by maintaining personal contact with patients and relatives, being sensitive to their needs for courtesy, dignity, privacy, and ensuring a friendly environment at all times. 
3. Clean and bandage wounds, changes dressings, inserts catheters, starts IVs
4. Initiates patient education plan as prescribed by the physician. 
5. Teaches patient and significant others how to manage their illness/injury by explaining: post-treatment home care needs, diet/nutrition/exercise programs, self-administration of medications, rehabilitation needs, as well as provides referrals to other healthcare professionals for follow-up treatment.
6. Performs time out (bedside safe procedure review) prior to every invasive procedure to ensure that the correct procedure is being done on the correct patient, the correct site, and the correct side if applicable.
7. Provides bedside care for a wide variety of medical patients, including pre- and post-surgery patients
8. Educates patients on surgical procedures
9. Performs other position-related duties as assigned

Facility General Responsibilities:

1. Attend facility new hire orientation as scheduled by HR
2. Complete Department Orientation Initial Competency within 7 days of hire date
3. Complete Department Initial Skills Competency within 90 days of hire date
4. Follow facility and OSHA safety rules and procedures
5. Respect cultural and religious practices of patients from all backgrounds
6. Follow HIPAA regulations at all times
7. Be punctual and dependent for assigned shifts
8. Dress within the dress code requirements of the facility
9. Identifies all patients using at least two identifiers verbally (name and DOB), and by checking ID bracelet
10. Follows Hospital Wide and Department Specific policies and procedures
11. Must interact with physicians, guest, staff, and patients pleasantly, cooperatively, and effectively at all times in a courteous, respectful, and professional manner.
12. Must be able to pass drug screens, both pre-employment and throughout the duration of employment.

Knowledge, Skills, and Abilities:

1. Sound understanding of Medical Surgical Unit dynamics and work flow 
2. Sound understanding of nursing practice and nationally accepted standards of patient care
3. Cognitive skills as related to the Medical Surgical Department Nursing
4. Critical thinking and problem solving abilities
5. Good Communication skills with ability to communicate appropriately with patients of all ages
6. Ability to perform under stress and cope with difficult situations

1. Good time management and organizational skills to complete patient care and documentation each shift
2. Through knowledge of bedside shift reporting and the use of SBAR
3. Serves as the patients’ advocate

Position Requirements; Education, Work Experience, Licensure, Certifications:

1. Current Practical Nurse License, in good standing with the State of Tennessee nurse licensing board
2. 1 year of Medical Surgical nursing experience is preferred
3. Basic Life Support must be obtained prior to working on the Medical Surgical Unit

Working Conditions:

Patients need round-the-clock care; therefore working hours include days, nights, weekends, and holidays. Nurses spend a considerable amount of time walking, bending, stretching, standing, and assisting in patient transfers; therefore they must follow proper body mechanics to guard against injury. Nurses must be able to work accurately around frequent interruptions. Nurses may face hazards from exposure to chemicals and infectious diseases. In addition, Nurses treat patients that may be confused, irrational, agitated, and/or uncooperative.

Physical Requirements / Demands:

1. Ability to lift twenty (20) pounds. Moving, lifting, or transferring of patients may involve lifting of up to fifty (50) pounds
2. Ability to stand and walk for extended periods
3. Ability to bend, lean, and stoop without hindrance; requires a full range of body motion
4. Fine motor skills
5. Visual acuity; normal range of hearing

The physical demands described here are representative of those that must be met by an employee to successfully perform the essential functions of this job. Reasonable accommodations may be made to enable individuals with disabilities to perform the essential functions. While performing the duties of this job, the employee is regularly required to stand, talk, and hear. The employee is frequently required to walk and reach forward with hands and arms. The employee is occasionally required to sit, stoop, kneel, or crouch. Specific vision abilities required by this job include close vision, distance vision, color vision, peripheral vision, depth perception, and ability to adjust focus. The overall physical demand rating for a job of the nurse falls within the Medium classification (exerting 20 to 50 pounds of force occasionally, 10 to 25 pounds of force frequently, and negligible up to 10 pounds of force constantly to move objects). Physical Demand requirements are in excess of those for (Light Duty) according to the Dictionary of Occupational Titles.

Statement of Non-Inclusivity:

This job description has been designed to indicate the general nature and level of work being performed by the employee within this classification. It is not designed to contain or be interpreted as a comprehensive list of all duties, skills, responsibilities, and qualifications which may be required of or given to any employee assigned to the position. The skills, duties, requirements, and responsibilities outlined in this job description may be changed or added to when deemed appropriate and necessary by the company or the person who is designated to be managerially responsible for this position. Receipt of the job description does not imply nor create a promise of employment, nor an employment contract of any kind. Employment with the company is an at-will relationship.