Staff Nurse (RN)

DESCRIPTION OF POSITION:

• The Registered Nurse (RN) works with their team partner(s), using the nursing process to assess, plan, implement, and evaluate direct patient care.  The Registered Nurse (RN) works with their team partner(s) to provide quality patient care.  As a member of the Patient Care Team, the RN provides hands-on care to patients.  Is responsible for making sound clinical decisions and providing a comprehensive delivery of care to each patient; provides a wide variety of patient care activities and services.
• The nursing roles in this phase focus on validating existing information, eliciting additional or new information, reinforcing preoperative/pre-procedural teaching, reviewing discharge instructions, and providing nursing care to complete preparation for the experience.
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RESPONSIBILITIES AND DUTIES:

• Possesses competency in the use of technology and computers.
• Organizes patient care and general unit activities to accomplish required functions by delegating these activities to other staff as appropriate.
• Collaborates with the interdisciplinary team in planning and organizing patient care from admission to discharge.
• Follows evidence-based policies and procedures to guide nursing practice.
• Demonstrates the following best practices consistently and positively: Huddles, hourly rounding, bedside reporting, Service Excellence principles.
• Uses the nursing process to effectively assess, plan, implement, and evaluate the plan of care.
• Performs initial assessments and reassessments and documents appropriately.
• Consistently participates in the multidisciplinary approach to patient care.
• Demonstrates competency in administering medication.
• Educates patients and families and documents appropriately.
• Interprets and implements physician orders.
• Competently performs unit-specific procedures.
• Is knowledgeable of and actively participates in implementing the Unit PI plan.
• Makes suggestions/recommendations for improved operations.
• Has knowledge of and utilizes unit-specific equipment appropriately.
• Understands and appropriately responds to the unique combination of cultural variables that professionals and patients/individuals bring to interactions.
• Evaluates ethical challenges and their potential impact on the patient’s quality of care and the nurse’s professional role.
• Competently performs/assists with procedures that are routinely performed.
• Responsible for adherence to the Standards of Care in the Same Day Surgery Unit.
• Practices in accordance with the Nurse Practice Act for the state of Louisiana, the American Nurses Association [ANA] Code of Ethics for Nurses, and the ANA scope and standards of practice.
• Maintains competency in Peri-operative procedures, equipment and standards of care according to ASPAN standards and unit specific policies.
• Incorporates Healthy Workforce into daily practice

The above statements are only meant to be a representative summary of the major duties and responsibilities performed by incumbents of this job. The incumbents may be requested to perform job-related tasks other than those stated in this description.

EDUCATION AND WORK EXPERIENCE

• Graduate of School of Nursing.
• Current Louisiana Registered Nurse license or compact state license as Registered Nurse.
• BLS-CPR Certified.
• Ability to read, write and speak intelligible English; Ability to learn quickly, analyze problems and communicate effectively with superiors, peers, and others on one-to-one basis.
• Requires emotional stability and resilience; Must be adaptable to change, be decisive, and demonstrate foresight.
• Must be adaptable to change and receptive to delegated responsibilities; Possesses basic problem solving skills.

Physical Demands/Work Environment

• Work requires a variety of physical activities including standing and walking for sustained periods, bending and stooping, and some lifting of 50-100 pounds at a time. 
• The work environment may be physically confining. 
• Many nursing skills require acute hearing ability, i.e. listening with stethoscope to breath sounds and heart sounds.  
• Must be able to exchange accurate information with patient, family, peers and medical personnel.
• Reasonable accommodations may be made to enable individuals with disabilities to perform the essential functions.