Registered Nurse-Emergency Services - LMC-FR

Emergency Services Nurse

This position provides safe and effective nursing care and treatment to patients in the Emergency Services Department. Employees are part of a managed care team and work collaboratively with ancillary personnel in the provision of proper medical services and treatment. This position is responsible for assessing the patient, planning the care and evaluating the effectiveness of nursing interventions in accordance with established regulations, policies, nursing standards and medical instructions.

Essential Functions:

• Provides nursing care to meet the needs of the patient population served as qualified, i.e., neonatal, infant, child, adolescent, adult, and geriatric patients.
• Delivers age appropriate patient care within defined hospital and emergency care standards for assessment, care planning, interventions, and reassessment, and delegates care appropriately to other team members and support staff.
• Performs duties with a clear understanding of the Joint Commission Safety Goals and delivers care with patient safety as a goal. Follows hospital policies guiding compliance with National Patient Safety Goals.
• Demonstrates understanding and commitment to hospital's mission, philosophy, standards, policies and procedures. Recognizes all staff, physicians and visitors, as well as, patients as customers and provides courteous and respectful service.
• Participates in the orientation and mentoring of new staff members recognizing importance of bringing new staff into a friendly and supportive work environment.
• Maintains competencies and participates in required training and in-services for unit.
• Ensures completion of continuing education requirements in subjects pertinent to emergency nursing or position related information.
• Delegates and supervises care appropriately to CNAs, Paramedics and Unit Clerks with follow up and feedback procedures to ensure quality of care. Initiates appropriate actions as needed.
• Assists manager and other staff members to maintain competence and skills for procedures assigned and assists in validation of skills and competence of new staff members prior to delegation of patient care.
• Demonstrates an understanding of responsibility of emergency plans and is available for patient care as needed or scheduled when hospital emergency preparedness plans are activated.
• Works cooperatively with ancillary departments in ensuring the patient's care is safe, following protocols as applicable.
• Participates with team members and manager to identify opportunities for improvement in patient care processes.
• Utilizes and ensures staff uses supplies efficiently, following infection control procedures, avoiding waste and follows patient charging procedures.
• Serves as an example for team members in cost saving practices.
• Ensures the placement of identifying arm-band on patient upon patient's arrival in the Emergency Services Department.
• Follows the Universal Protocol for prevention of wrong site, wrong procedure and wrong person surgery.
• Provides informed consent for procedures and aspects of care in accordance with policies, procedures and regulatory guidelines.
• Utilizes patient care equipment safely, following hospital policy and procedure. Reports any identified equipment breakdown or malfunction by hospital policy. Maintains cleanliness of equipment after use.
• Serves as a leader for change, positively promoting new systems and changes implemented which improves the hospital and the service provided to its patients.
• Participates in hospital community activities and helps portray a positive image of the hospital in the community.
• Documents and reports any complaints from patients, physicians and visitors to supervisor as guided by hospital policies and procedures.
• Checks code cart and performs monitor/defibrillator checks each shift.
• Verifies medication discrepancies are not present at the end of the shift.
• Follows and adheres to EMTALA guidelines in arranging for transfer of a patient to another healthcare facility.
• Screens all patients for the appropriate acuity and priority level in a timely manner.
• Assesses each patient for potential abuse, suicidal or exploitation. Reports to proper authority any concerns of abuse, neglect, suicide or exploitation.
• Evaluates emotional needs of the patients with appropriate referrals.
• Explains all procedures and care plans to patients, and as appropriate to family. Ensures patient and/or family are educated for appropriate health maintenance.
• Performs home medication reconciliation with the appropriate documentation.
• Orders initial lab tests and x-rays by established protocols or per physician orders. Ensures patients are appropriately prepared for tests.
• Obtains and transcribes physician's orders in a timely and accurate manner ensuring all tests are ordered appropriately and efficiently.
• Completes assessments and documentation of all patients.
• Evaluates clinical/diagnostic reports and reports variances to the Physician and documents same.
• Assess patient's care status frequently…