Professional Staff Nurse

UPMC St. Margaret is currently seeking a dedicated and detail-oriented Registered Nurse to join our 4B Orthopedic Surgery Unit. This unique position focuses on coordinating and executing patient discharges, ensuring a smooth and safe transition from hospital to home. The schedule includes shifts from Wednesday through Saturday, with weekday hours from 8:00 AM to 4:00 PM and Saturday hours from 10:00 AM to 2:00 PM.

Key Responsibilities

Discharge Planning & Coordination

+ Collaborate with physicians, case managers, physical therapists, and other interdisciplinary team members to ensure all discharge instructions are complete and accurate.

+ Confirm that discharge plans include appropriate home health services, follow-up appointments, and durable medical equipment as needed.

Patient & Family Education

+ Deliver clear, comprehensive education on post-operative care, medication regimens, wound care, mobility restrictions, and follow-up protocols.

+ Utilize teach-back methods to verify understanding and address any questions or concerns.

Documentation & Communication

+ Accurately document all discharge-related activities in the electronic health record (EHR).

+ Communicate discharge plans and updates promptly to the care team and patient/family.

Process Improvement & Compliance

+ Monitor discharge metrics and contribute to quality improvement initiatives aimed at reducing readmissions and enhancing patient outcomes.

+ Ensure adherence to hospital policies, regulatory standards, and best practices in discharge planning.

_This position is posted with the salary rate of a Professional Staff Nurse, BSN, which is a value step in UPMC's Nursing Career Ladder. The final candidate will be placed in the appropriate title and salary based on experience and education._

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* Purpose:

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* The Professional Staff Nurse is a Registered Nurse and a member of the care delivery team. The Professional Staff Nurse is responsible to set the standards for the level and quality of care. The Professional Staff Nurse has responsibility, authority and accountability for the provision of nursing care. The Professional Staff Nurse manages and provides patient care activities for a group of patients and their families through the application of independent judgment, communication and collaboration with all team members.

The role of the Professional Staff Nurse encompasses leadership, partnership, collaboration and supervision. The Professional Staff Nurse establishes and maintains collaborative relationships with physicians, other health care providers, patients and their families, to achieve desired patient outcomes throughout the continuum of care. The Professional Staff Nurse demonstrates a commitment to the community and to the nursing profession.

** Responsibilities:*
* + Actively participates in department or unit-specific quality improvement efforts. Identifies opportunity for quality improvement to colleagues and management. Takes personal responsibility in improving patient satisfaction with the quality of care and service. Utilizes research and evidence-based practice to support improvement in clinical care: identifies research issues or articles related to clinical specialty or areas of interest, discusses opportunities for quality improvement at multidisciplinary rounds, and influences patients' plans of care.

+ Applies the nursing process within the framework of Relationship Based Care to create a healing environment. Formulates daily goals and a plan of care for patients that involves the patient as partner and considers the individual needs of the patient in a holistic manner. Demonstrates critical thinking in the identification of clinical, social, safety, psychological and spiritual issues for the patient care within an episode of care.

Practices solid communication skills, and is able to articulate and translate the patient's condition to other care providers and to negotiate and make recommendations for changes in patient care and unit practices. Patient documentation is comprehensive and promotes communication between caregivers. Incorporates national professional organization as well as business unit and health system's…