Coordination of Unit Functioning
- Assists the Unit Director in identifying equipment and supply needs for the unit.
- Assists the Unit Director of identifying problems with equipment utilization.
- Identifies nursing problems for investigation.
- Coordinates staff schedule.
- Reviews/revises policies and procedures.
- Serves as a resource to other nursing staff for problem-solving.
- Helps others to use hospital resources.
- Reviews hours worked payroll reports (Ultipro).
- Communicates with other departments as needed to provide efficient and appropriate patient care.
- Supports management decisions.
- Demonstrates knowledge of resource consumption, to include utilization of resources, procedures and lengths of stay; actively intervenes as needed.
Leadership
- Supports the mission, vision and philosophy at WHMC.
- Pro-actively identifies problems and participates in solutions; follows up as appropriate.
- Observes and evaluates unit staff's ability to perform assigned duties and provides feedback to director as needed.
- Assists individual staff members in identifying their own learning needs.
- Assists in completing performance appraisals for selected staff as delegated by Unit Director.
- Participates in interviews of potential employees.
- Under the direction of the Unit Director, may hire, counsel, suspend and/or terminate staff.
- Maintains nursing hours according to set standards.
- Participates in assigned committees/task forces.
- Takes lead on projects and completes in a timely manner.
Patient Care - Assessment
- Rounds on all patients daily.
- Serves as a role model in assessment skills.
- Assesses the care being delivered to patients on assigned unit in accordance with policies, procedures and standards of care of WHMC.
Patient Care - Planning
- Serves as a role model in planning skills.
- Recommends discharge planning needs/issues to appropriate case management staff.
- Contributes to the development of more complex patient care plans.
- Serves as a resource to staff for complex patients.
Patient Care - Implementation
- Serves as role model in patient care and patient/family/significant other teaching.
- Assigns staff RNs patient care assignments.
- Supervises, supports and coaches others in utilizing the nursing process with all patients on the unit.
- Assists others in utilizing available care planning resources; assigns RNs to attend and participate in multidisciplinary case management meetings.
- Demonstrates nursing process consistently with all patients.
- Utilizes other health team members as resources.
Patient Care - Evaluation
- Reviews nursing process documentation done by unit personnel, as delegated by the Unit Director.
- Assists the Unit Director in identifying unit educational needs in relation to the nursing process.
- Assists the Unit Director and staff to evaluate outcomes of patient care conferences in terms of productivity and interaction of group members.
- Monitors and evaluates the quality of care being delivered to patients on assigned unit.
- Monitors the quality of and outcomes of patient/family teaching done on assigned unit.
Customer Service
- Consistently strives to understand, anticipate and meet the needs, expectations and satisfaction levels of patients, physicians and other customers.
- As observed, all interactions are conducted in a professional manner; is supportive and consistently demonstrates the Target 100 standards.
- Promptly addresses all negative patient complaints with the appropriate staff person or department to ensure satisfactory resolution.
- Verbal and written feedback from patients, family members/significant others, medical staff, visitors and co-workers indicates behavior conducive to positive guest relations.
- Consistently exhibits appropriate phone protocol (e.g., answers phone promptly, is courteous and helpful).
- Consistently contributes to the team effort (e.g., assists co-workers when need is observed or upon requires; offers constructive suggestions rather than complaints).
- Consistently displays cheerful and positive attitude.
- Unit customer service scores consistently meet or exceed hospital/unit benchmark.
Performance Improvement
- Serves as a role model in implementing the PDCA (Plan, Do, Check, Act) methodology.
- Errors, inefficiencies and inaccuracies are brought to management's attention, with suggestions for improvement.
- Measures and collects data and reports progress against quality goals.
- Assists Unit Director with regulatory preparations and compliance.
- Assures that all PI studies and audits are completed each shift or as a required by the particular PI initiative.
Professional Conduct
- Employee has the willingness and ability to perform additional duties and responsibilities in different areas of the unit on an as-needed basis or as determined by management.
- Follows established hospital and department policies.
- Participates in group projects and staff meetings with suggestions that enhance the work environment and increase productivity.
- Communicates well with supervisor, reporting problems with equipment, supplies or procedures.
- Maintains confidentiality as related to job responsibilities.
- Exhibits willingness to resolve problems as they arise.
- Consistently projects positive professional image through appearance and behavior.
Professional Growth and Development
- Sets goals for self; meets with Unit Director to evaluate progress on own plans and goals for self-development for professional growth.
- Evaluates own clinical leadership skills in terms of patient/staff outcomes observed.
- Completes Annual Updates and Ethics Training within established time frames.
- Completes general and departmental orientation within established time frames.
- Attends 80% of unit staff meetings and in-service programs.
- Maintains licensure/certification as appropriate.
Age-Specific Competencies
Assessment
- Adolescent
- Assesses medication dosages for appropriateness based on patient size & weight. Informs MD as necessary.
- Assesses for signs or symptoms of abuse or neglect.
- Geriatric
- Evaluates for age appropriate behavior, motor skills and physiological norms.
- Assesses for signs/symptoms of abuse or neglect.
- Assesses need for additional safety measures, e.g., side rails, posey vest, etc.
- Assesses medication dosages for appropriateness based on patient size & weight. Informs MD as necessary.
- Assesses skin integrity; develops plan of care as needed. Provides care according to plan/direction.
- Adolescent, Middle Adult & Geriatric:
- Recognizes signs and symptoms of infection.
- Demonstrates knowledge of medication dosage including indication, side effects and patient education.
- Demonstrates understanding of insulin activity, diet and exercise.
- Recognizes appropriate mobility limitations, e.g., use of abductor pillow, log rolling and traction.
Knowledge of Growth and Development - Adolescent, Middle Adult & Geriatric
- Recognizes the need to provide reassurance and help in accepting body changes; is non-judgmental and accepting of behavior.
- Recognizes the patient's need to have control over his/her environmental, knowledge and understanding of medical conditions including plan of care, prognosis and discharge plan.
- Demonstrates knowledge of physiological deficits in association with the aging process, e.g., sensory communicative, cognitive, behavioral.
Range of Treatment - Adolescent, Middle Adult & Geriatric
- Demonstrates knowledge of emergent patient presentations in all age ranges from neonatal to geriatric. Strongly recommended is the pursuit of Certified Emergency Nurse designation.
Unit-Specific Competencies
- Chest tubes
- Central IV lines
- Restraints
- Alaris IV Pump
- Arrhythmia Recognition
- Pediatric emergencies
- Ventilator (Selected Nurses)
- Chemotherapy (Selected Nurses)