Registered Nurse - RN - Float Pool

Job Summary

The Registered Nurse (RN), Medical Surgical Float Pool is a professional practitioner who assesses, manages, directs, and provides nursing care activities during the patient’s hospital stay and coordinates care planning with other disciplines utilizing a patient/customer driven approach in a variety of Medical Surgical units. Must be highly energetic, flexible and motivated to support the success of Saint Louis University Hospital.

• Performs comprehensive nursing assessment/reassessment.
• Performs age‑appropriate admission or transfer assessment, obtaining input from family or guardian when appropriate.
• Accurately and completely documents findings.
• Performs assessment of post‑op / post‑invasive procedure patients.
• Assesses and documents education and discharge needs of patient and family on admission and throughout hospitalization.
• 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.
• Establishes, coordinates and evaluates a plan of care based on analysis of assessment data, patient diagnosis, lab data, tests, procedures, physician orders, protocols and standards of care and other information as relevant.
• Identifies short and long term goals based on patient care needs.
• Formulates nursing interventions to achieve desired patient outcome.
• Incorporates disease‑specific evidence‑based practice into nursing care plan and other documentation.
• Provides and documents nursing interventions based on assessed patient needs, plan of care, and changes in patient status.
• Collaborates with appropriate health team members for coordination of daily plan of care for assigned patients.
• Provides, coordinates and communicates patient care, including accurate handoff communication reports (bedside shift report, ticket to ride, SBAR, daily huddles, patient care conferences).
• Administers and documents medications accurately according to policies and procedures.
• Monitors, maintains and documents accurate IV fluids, blood, blood products and parenteral nutrition according to policies and procedures.
• Completes referrals as indicated by assessment data.
• Requests consultation for special needs, equipment, or information for patient and/or family.
• Restraint Care: initiates and evaluates alternatives to restraint prior to application; applies restraints consistently with approved procedures; monitors and assesses patient’s response throughout restraint period; provides specified patient care (toileting, skin care, hydration, feeding, etc.) on a timely basis; documents restraint use and associated care thoroughly.
• Pain Management: assesses patient for presence of pain on admission and during reassessments; incorporates patient’s cultural/spiritual beliefs regarding pain into the pain management plan; implements pain management techniques focusing on prevention; includes patient and/or family members in developing pain management plan; considers massage, repositioning, immobilization, music therapy.
• Abuse Assessment: is aware of abuse recognition criteria; reports signs of possible abuse/neglect to physician, Risk Management and Social Work; takes appropriate action to support patient safety.
• Clarifies all physician orders as warranted; transcribes and implements physician orders accurately and timely; documents “read back” for all telephone/verbal orders; takes telephone/verbal orders only in emergency situations; recognizes changes in patient’s condition and takes appropriate nursing actions; uses chain of command when indicated; involves family/guardian when providing care and in decision‑making.
• Completes infection control bundles in daily care; implements fall and skin injury prevention interventions; completes fall and skin audits when indicated.
• Performs ongoing evaluation of effectiveness of care; evaluates effectiveness of patient/family education; modifies plan of care as indicated; reports variations from care/treatment following occurrence reporting policy; provides specialized care to high‑risk patients.
• Maintains quality and performance standards,…