Registered Nurse - Med Surg - Weekend Program

It’s more than a career, it’s a calling.

Location: MO-SSM Health Saint Louis University Hospital

Worker Type: Regular

Title: Registered Nurse

The Registered Nurse is a professional practitioner who assesses, manages, directs, and provides nursing care activities during the patient’s hospital stay and coordinates planning with other disciplines utilizing a patient/customer‑driven approach.

Position Accountabilities and Performance Criteria

Essential Functions:

• 1) Performs comprehensive nursing assessment/reassessment.
• Criteria:
• A) Performs age‑appropriate admission assessment or transfer assessment. Obtains input from family/guardian when appropriate.
• B) Accurately and completely documents findings.
• C) Performs assessment of post‑op/post‑invasive procedure patients.
• D) Assesses and documents education and discharge needs of patient and family on admission and throughout hospitalization.
• E) Provides patient reassessment documenting pertinent observations according to the patient plan of care, changes in condition, status and/or diagnosis, response to care, procedures, etc., and standards of care.
• 2) Establishes, coordinates and evaluates a plan of care based on assessment data, patient diagnosis, lab data, tests, procedures, physician orders, protocols and standards of care and other information as relevant.
• 3) Provides and documents nursing interventions based on assessed patient needs, plan of care, and changes in patient status.
• 4) Documents and/or communicates nursing care and/or changes in patient condition.
• 5) Specialized Care:
  Provides specialized care to patients at high risk for injury.

Criteria for Specialized Care:

• Restraint Care
  • Initiates/evaluates alternatives to restraint prior to application.
  • Applies restraints consistent with the approved procedure.
  • Monitors and assesses patient’s response throughout the restraint period at the appropriate intervals.
  • Provides specified patient care (toileting, skin care, hydration, feeding, etc.) on a timely basis.
  • Provides consultation for peers to determine alternatives to restraints and 1:1 observation.
  • Documents restraint use and associated care thoroughly.
• Pain Management
  • Assesses patient for presence of pain on admission and during assessments/reassessments.
  • Incorporates patient’s cultural/spiritual beliefs regarding pain into pain management plan.
  • Implements pain management techniques. Focus on prevention rather than treatment.
  • Includes patient and/or family members in developing a pain management plan.
  • Considers other methods of pain control when developing plan of care: massage, repositioning, immobilization, and music therapy.
• Abuse Assessment
  • Is aware of abuse recognition criteria and incorporates it into assessments.
  • Reports signs of possible abuse/neglect to the Administrative Director of Behavioral Health, physician, Risk Management and Social Work.
  • Takes appropriate action to support patient safety when signs of abuse are noted.

Additional Criteria:

• Adheres to all quality and performance standards, policies, procedures, protocols when implementing clinical and technical aspects of care.
• Participates in learning experiences that increase professional competence.
• Maintains currency in all hospital/unit information, communication, policies and procedures.
• Demonstrates ability to change and adapt to changing work demands.
• Opens proactively to new challenges and provides assistance and support to peers, co‑workers and other team members.
• Effectively assumes and delegates care and other activities to the appropriate team member.
• Provides patient/family education and discharge planning per documentation guidelines and protocol.
• Communicates the plan of care to be followed on each individual patient in a precise and professional manner.
• Works toward problem resolution using appropriate lines of authority.
• Reports risk management concerns using eSRM.
• Assumes responsibility for completing all annual mandatory requirements: current license and certifications, BLS and HI, Annual TB Screening and Influenza vaccination, Annual Ethics Training, Annual Safety Training, Required Abuse & Neglect course, blood borne pathogens training if…