Charge Nurse - Observation Unit

Overview

Full Time Nights - Charge Nurse - Bethesda North Hospital - Observation Unit/ CDU

Job Overview:
This position is delegated the responsibility and accountability to coordinate the patient care delivered on a shift, through assigned nursing personnel, on a specific unit(s). The Charge Nurse functions in a non-management capacity and often has a patient assignment.

• Assist in coordinating the delivery of patient care in collaboration with others. Communicate with the unit staff, and act as a resource concerning standards of care, policies, and procedures.
• Identify actual/potential problems. Cooperate with instructors and students from various programs and create assignments and work schedules to match patient needs and staff abilities.
• Actively support the work of unit and organizational committees. Participate on teams to evaluate clinical practice or health services and implement ongoing quality changes in nursing practice. Promote the review of current literature/research and facilitate implementation of best practices.
• Act as a clinical resource for unit personnel. Perform nursing technical skills in compliance with unit/Tri Health policies. Perform specialty/unit-specific skills and competencies. Interpret and execute physician orders accurately. Direct unit activities to ensure safe, clinically competent care. Delegate care to other team members within the scope of nursing practice.
• Share clinical information with appropriate health care team members including physicians. Maintain and improve knowledge in area of practice through continuing education, formal education, professional organization membership, and/or certification. Act as a role model for efficient, effective, comprehensive patient care.
• Assist in overall department operations. Provide for the orientation of float, temporarily reassigned, or agency nurses to the routine of the unit and the designated shift. Demonstrate critical thinking in decision-making. Accept accountability for actions. Utilize the chain of command appropriately.
• Facilitate patient movement through the system toward desired outcomes. Remain prepared to deal with rapidly changing workload, e.g., transferring and admitting patients quickly. Maintain open communications in a timely and appropriate manner to all customers. Build collegial relationships with physicians and other members of the health care team.
• Encourage formal and informal continuing education. Promote clinical ladder as a form of peer review and clinical advancement. Develop, guide, and coach nursing staff daily to function within their job description. Identify and plan to meet learning needs of self and staff with nurse manager and/or nurse educators. Mentor staff in problem resolution. Provide feedback to evaluate the performance of personnel.
  
  Function as a clinical resource and professional role model for staff. Provide input for progressive discipline on a fair and consistent basis.

• Certification within specialty area within two years of assuming position.
• Basic Life Support for Healthcare Providers (BLS). ACLS/PALS may be required but is dependent on unit or department.
• ECG interpretation competency and ACLS certification within 12 months of assuming role. Maintains ECG competency and ACLS certification while in role.
• Registered Nurse
• Knowledge, judgment, and skills derived from the principles of biological, physical, behavioral, social, and nursing sciences to meet complex health care needs at various stages of the life cycle.
• 2-3 years Clinical in Nursing experience.

The Tri Health Nursing Vision, Mission, and Philosophy speaks to professional development, collaboration, and our nursing culture. To achieve excellence in nursing care, Tri Health encourages: pursuit of improved knowledge through continuing education classes, formal education leading to advanced degrees, and the attainment of specialty certification; nurse membership in local, regional, and national nursing organizations related to the appropriate nurse specialty;

involvement in activities that better the health of our community; nursing research activities and use of…