Registered Nurse-Pediatric Med-Surg in West Palm Beach, FL

Job Description General Statement of Job: This position provides safe and effective nursing care and treatment to patients in the Pediatric Med-Surgery Nursing Department. Employees are part of the managed care team and work collaboratively with ancillary personnel in the provision of proper medical services and treatment. This position provides nursing care and services to patients seeking medical attention and prevents further deterioration of patient's health 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., infant, child, adolescent, adult, and geriatric patient. • Delivers patient care within defined hospital standards as a team member for patient care. • Evaluates each patients care status frequently. Reports variances in care and/or medication administration for quality improvement. • Assesses and charts patient's vital signs and notifies physician of abnormal ranges as well as any significant changes. • Delegates and supervises care appropriately to LPNs and CNAs with follow up and feedback procedures to ensure quality of care. • Develops plan of care and patient focused goals with the patient and family as appropriate, ensuring patient understanding and involvement in their care. • Delivers patient care in accordance with established infection control standards for patient placement, IV therapy, medication administration, and the performance of all patient procedures; demonstrating adherence to hand washing policy. • Performs duties in accordance with pathogen transmission practices; i.e., follows hand washing policy/procedure, and utilizes protective equipment efficiently and appropriately. • Demonstrates understanding of JCAHO Safety Goals and delivers care with patient safety as a goal. • Follows policies for administration of high risk drugs, patient identification, documentation, taking telephone orders with read back and communication of critical values / diagnostic results. • Communicates effectively with other patient care providers and team members for efficiencies and safety of care through appropriate ordering procedures, preparing patients for surgery and other procedures, communicating fall potential and other risk identifiers. • Follows guidelines for performance improvement and demonstrates understanding of participation in the Core Measures for Lakeside Medical Center, and for documentation review and restraint review processes. • Communicates effectively with the patient's physician(s), reporting any changes in condition in a timely manner and provides an accurate assessment of patient status to assist with physician's rounds, etc. • Works cooperatively with ancillary departments in ensuring the patient's care is safe, following protocols as applicable. • Uses patient care equipment safely and as directed by policies and instruction. Reports any identified equipment breakdown or malfunction by hospital policy. • Maintains cleanliness of equipment after use. • Utilizes and ensures staff utilizes supplies efficiently, following infection control procedures, avoiding waste and follows patient charging procedures. • Ensures that tests are ordered appropriately and that patients are prepared for tests, to avoid extended stays, and potential duplication of tests. • Serves as an example for team members in cost saving practices. • Utilizes good communication skills, critical thinking, and checkpoints for team work. Provides patient information timely and effectively during shift report and with patient hand-offs. • Participates in the orientation and mentoring of new staff members recognizing importance of bringing new staff into a friendly and supportive work environment. • 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 professional growth in continuing education which is applicable to unit assigned. • Maintains accurate and current record of patient's care and response to care following the guidelines for appropriate electronic documentation. • Participates with team members and manager to identify opportunities for improvement in patient care processes. • Demonstrates understanding and commitment to the hospital mission, philosophy, standards, policies and procedures. Recognizes all staff, physicians and visitors, as well as, patients as customers and provides courteous and respectful service. • Documents and reports any complaints from patients, physicians and visitors to supervisor as guided by hospital policies and procedures. • Participates in the cleanliness of the work environment. • Demonstrates an understanding of responsibility in emergency plans and is available for patient care as needed or scheduled when hospital emergency preparedness plans are activated. • Participates in hospital community activities and promotes the hospital within the community. • Serves as a change leader, positively promoting new systems and changes implemented which improves the hospital and the service provided to its patients. • Participates in the hospital goals for growth by being an example of good service to patients in our community and in assisting physicians and other team members. • Evaluates clinical/diagnostic reports and reports variances to the physician and documents same. • Assigns various aspects of patient care to selective personnel, as commensurate with the authority of a RN and the scope of practice of the personnel. • Supervises and evaluates all direct patient care provided and initiates appropriate action as needed. • Participates in the hospital Utilization Management Program by assisting with discharge planning, reporting to case managers, and keeping patient, family, physician, and other personnel informed. • Completes assessments and documentation of new admissions and discharges including the interim plan of care. Completes discharge instructions with information regarding food and drug interaction. • Performs specialized patient assessments as needed. • Defibrillates patients safely in accordance with regulations, policy and accepted procedure. • Orders initial lab tests and x-rays by established protocols. • Applies, observes, and documents all patients requiring restraints according to hospital policy. • Documents the administration of medicines including dosage, medicine route, medicine site, and patient's response as required in the documentation system. • Documents attendance of continuing education programs for maintenance of professional license per Florida State Law. • Evaluates pulmonary status by auscultation. • Provides explanation of all procedures/treatments to patients and/or family, including educating them consistently for health maintenance. • Provides nursing care to patients with either hard or soft splinting devices; assesses circulation, mobility, and neurological status of patients. Applies splints and bandages per physician's orders. • Observes cardiac rhythm and initiates telemetry or ACLS protocol as indicated. • Provides teaching and training to staff members as needed. • Performs NG tube insertion and performs gastric suction per hospital policy and procedure. • Provides care for the patient both pre- and post-specialized procedure and assists physicians during procedure as needed. Completes pre-operation check-list, and obtains and witnesses consents for surgery and special procedures. • Performs bedside blood glucose monitoring and testing per physician order and/or hospital policy. • Performs respiratory care assessments and specimen collection using the appropriate techniques. • Performs considerable administrative support work in documenting, reviewing and maintaining records, files, charts, forms and reports. • Documents and maintains all patient care records and related required documentation. Maintains records and communications with respect to patient's privacy. • Obtains and transcribes physician's orders in a timely and accurate manner ensuring that all tests are ordered appropriately and efficiently. • Floats to other units as required. • Reviews status and criteria of OVS patients and promotes appropriate designation. • Participates in department's QI activities on a daily basis. • Determines at-risk patients and follows through with treatment accordingly. • Assesses lung sound in patients. • Starts IVs and delivers IV medications to patients as needed. Runs and calculates IV drips. • Takes and submits lab specimens from patients. • Performs port flushes, injections, and blood transfusions. • Helps with code assistance. • Transports patients to appropriate care locations. • Provides assistance to patients in need of help in bathing, feeding, turning, positioning, oral hygiene, and personal hygiene. • Conducts walking rounds at the start and end of each shift visually checking each patient and provides a written end-of-shift report. • Assists with emotional needs of patients. • Continues therapies when necessary as guided by the Physical Therapist within the established plan of patient care. • Dresses patient wounds as needed. • Performs monitor/defibrillator checks every shift. • Performs inventory checks, including all medications administered at the time of administration. Reconciles the count on a weekly basis. • Checks code cart and pediatric emergency box during every shift. • Ensures availability of age appropriate supplies and equipment. Emergency duty may be required of the incumbent that includes working in special needs or Red Cross shelters or to perform other emergency duties including, but not limited to, responses to threats or actual disasters, man-made or natural. Customer Service Every employee knows and understands his/her customers and focuses on delivering to them the highest quality services(s) in the context of the overall mission. Demonstrates the ability to maintain high levels of customer satisfaction by meeting expectations; builds and maintains positive relationships with customers and colleagues; interacts with all customers in a polite, friendly, and courteous manner; actively listens to assess customer needs; promotes a positive public image for the organization. Communication The ability to express ideas effectively face-to-face, as well as in writing, in individual and group situations, adjusting language and terminology to the needs of the audience, and the ability to synthesize information received verbally and in writing. Demonstrates the ability to share information in an organized, clear, and timely manner, both verbally and in writing; keeps co-workers, colleagues, staff, and supervisor appropriately informed; exhibits interpersonal skills and is an active and participative listener; uses appropriate style and language for audience; processes information in a productive manner. Teamwork Creates effective working relationships within and across organizational boundaries. Demonstrates the ability to maintain a positive, achievement-oriented attitude that influences others to do the same; demonstrates willingness to work through conflict in a productive manner; invites information, constructive criticism, and cooperation from others; demonstrates integrity through respecting confidentiality and exhibiting high standards of personal conduct. Initiative And Ingenuity The capacity for self-motivation that is manifested by innovation and creativity. Possesses the ability to focus on improving outcomes by encouraging innovation; demonstrates the ability to anticipate obstacles and develop plans to overcome them; possesses knowledge in a particular area of trends and uses knowledge to modify existing processes; demonstratives creativity and the ability to make decisions that demonstrate a broad and creative range of options with a view toward long-term solutions; demonstrates openness to new information and approaches so as to stimulate in others the use of non-linear thinking; demonstrates initiative by performing duties without required prompting and close supervision; readily accepts responsibility and follows through to completion independently; accepts and adjusts to changes in work environment and/or assignments by demonstrating flexibility. Commitment To Quality Consistently maintains a high level of quality that meets specific standard operating practices and procedures, consistent with organizational goals. Possesses the abilities to identify quality processes in order to meet organizational standards and minimum standard operating practices and procedures; demonstrates an understanding of the organizational goals and priorities in order to apply quality processes to the work; stays abreast of current techniques, methods and skills appropriate to standard operating procedures and practices; demonstrates abilities in planning for quality evaluation and measurement activities. Productivity Employee makes use of work time in an efficient and productive manner. Possesses the knowledge, skills and abilities for the position in order to meet facility and departmental requirements; demonstrates the ability to provide services, appropriate to the job description, to better serve our customers; demonstrates the ability to seek assistance from supervisor or other team members to assure good customer service; possesses the ability to seek assistance from supervisor or colleagues to assure good customer service; ability to multi-task and set priorities, according to schedules and guidelines. Leadership/Creating a Shared Vision Demonstrates leadership in keeping with the District's overall mission, vision, and values. Managing And Developing Human Resources Manages human resources of a department, division, or work unit by fostering excellence. Promoting Quality, Customer Service And Productivity Utilizes continuous quality assurance processes to ensure quality, appropriate services are rendered to the customer in order to meet or surpass established goals and objectives Demonstrates the ability to develop and communicate performance objectives, delegate assignments, and monitor customer service, quality and productivity; possesses a thorough knowledge of the needs of the customer necessary to lead others; and develops quality evaluation mechanisms to link customer feedback to performance assessment; demonstrates excellent verbal and written communication skills, including supportive assurances to staff, gathering feedback, mentoring and the ability to lead staff to meet customer needs; maintains compliance with federal, state and local regulations. Meeting Strategic Goals And Objectives Plans actions to accomplish designated and desired outcomes. Diversity Competencies In the interest of ensuring continued workforce diversity at the Health Care District every staff member is required to: • Promote team building among a diverse workforce, model a positive attitude regarding diversity, create and maintain a work environment that is respectful and accepting of diversity, and demonstrate recognition of the value of individual and cultural differences. • Ensure that service delivery is provided in a culturally competent way and consistently treat customers, partners, and coworkers with dignity and respect Additional Duties May be required to act in a Charge Nurse capacity during which, the additional duties would be required: Supervises RNs, LPNs and CNAs and the provision of care to patients in accordance with policies, procedures and regulations. Follows ACLS protocol for patients as indicated Assists the Nurse Manager – Med./Surg. 3rd Floor with order transcription and overall operation of the unit. This job description reflects the general duties considered necessary to describe the principal functions of the job as identified and shall not be considered as a complete description of all the work requirements and expectations that may be inherent in the position. The omission of specific statements of duties does not exclude them from the position. Management of the Health Care District of Palm Beach County reserves the right to assign duties not listed herein as necessary to accomplish the goals of the organization. Education QUALIFICATIONS Associate's, Bachelor's, or Diploma in Nursing from an accredited nursing school required. Experience • year of Pediatric experience required. Certification CPR certification required. PALS required withinninety (30) days of hire. ACLS required within ninety (30) days of hire. Licensure State of Florida Registered Nurse license required. Registrations N/A About Us The Health Care District of Palm Beach County is an independent special taxing district that has served as a healthcare safety net for more than 36 years to fill in gaps in access to healthcare services. This unique healthcare system covers the entire county and provides a wide range of services such as nine community health centers (Federally Qualified Health Centers) which serve everyone regardless of ability to pay; school health teams in 172 public schools; a lifesaving Trauma Hawk aeromedical helicopter program; a rural, public teaching hospital, Lakeside Medical Center; an award-winning skilled nursing center; a ground ambulance program for Health Care District patients needing a higher level of care and the county’s Trauma Agency, which ensures quality outcomes within the county’s trauma system and leads initiatives to prevent traumatic injury. We are committed to a policy of Equal Employment Opportunity and will not discriminate against an applicant or employee on the basis of race, color, creed, religion, military or veteran status, age, sex, pregnancy status, genetic information, national origin or ancestry, citizenship, physical or mental disability, marital status, sexual orientation or identification status, or any other legally recognized category protected by jurisdictional, state or federal law. The information collected by this application is solely to determine suitability for employment, verify identity and maintain employment statistics on applicants. We are also committed to maintaining a safe, healthy, and productive work environment for all employees. As such, we are a Drug-Free Workplace. This role may require Agency of Health Care Administration (AHCA) background screening and clearance. As required under House Bill 531, applicants may review AHCA’s education and awareness information at the following link: https://info.flclearinghouse.com/