DESCRIPTION OF POSITION:

• Registered nurses (RN) provide professional nursing care while working in collaboration with physicians and other interdisciplinary team members. Nursing care is provided in a manner consistent with the mission of the organization. The Registered Nurse is responsible for assessing patients’ health problems and needs, educating patients on their illness and condition, developing and implementing patient care plans, and providing emotional support to patients’ and their families. The Registered Nurse is responsible for total nursing care for all patients assigned to him/her by the Nurse Manager and/or Charge Nurse. The Registered Nurse is also in charge of coordinating and delegation of duties to other health care personnel, such as licensed practical nurses and nursing assistants/patient care techs.

RESPONSIBILITIES AND DUTIES:

• Organizes patient care and general unit activities to accomplish required functions with delegation of these activities to other staff as appropriate.
• Facilitates effective and efficient patient flow, forming cooperative relationships with entry points for admissions to the unit/department.
• Collaborates with interdisciplinary team in planning and organizing patient care.
• Communicates effectively with Director to keep efficient patient flow and assist in monitoring of staff performance.
• Serves as designated charge nurse on the unit on daily basis.
• Assist in the leadership of unit in absence of Director.
• Accepts direct care patient care assignments according to staffing grid and unit/department needs.
• Uses the nursing process to effectively assess, develop nursing diagnoses & goals, plan, implement and evaluate the plan of care.
• Performs initial assessments and reassessments and documents appropriately.
• Competently performs/assists with all unit based procedures performed.
• Demonstrates competency in administering medication.
• Educates patients and families, and documents appropriately.
• Interprets and implements physician orders.
• Assists team members in providing care to patients or administers direct care when professional nursing skills and judgement are required.
• Directs and coordinates nursing care, establishes priorities and delegates nursing activities according to patient needs.
• Understands and demonstrates the LSBN Rules of Delegation.
• Knows the competency of staff and delegates duties appropriately.
• Makes appropriate patient assignments.
• Directs, coordinates and participates in the direction of staff to efficiently accomplish the coordination of staffing the unit.
• Directs, coordinates and participates in the evaluation/supervision of the nursing process as the basis for patient care practice.
• Ensures that the highest quality patient care is delivered.

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
• 2 years of bedside nursing care, preferred but not required.

Physical Demands/Work Environment

• Work requires a variety of physical activities including sitting, standing and walking.
• Bending, stooping, and lifting are minimal.
• The work environment may be physically confining.
• Must have normal hearing or utilize adaptive hearing devices if duties require listening with a stethoscope to discern breath sounds, heart sounds, and bowel sounds.
• Visual acuity required for a variety of activities.
• Ability to do shift work as required.
• Reasonable accommodations may be made to enable individuals with disabilities to perform the essential functions.