About the role
Overview
Our Pulmonary Unit is 36-bed telemetry unit directed towards diagnosing and treating a wide range of patients with respiratory disorders. Nurses in this area have a 1:6 ratio and value the delivery of high-quality, specialized care for patients and their families suffering from a variety of lung diseases or injuries. This unit takes pride in the collaborative relationships with departments such as respiratory therapy, physical therapy, care management and pharmacy. This specialty requires a foundation of knowledge in general medicine as well as expertise in respiratory skills.
Responsibilities
KEY RESPONSIBILITIES / ESSENTIAL FUNCTIONS
- Coordinates unit activities and provides leadership for unit staffing and patient assignments and responds to and provides leadership during crisis and emergency situations.
- Responsible for supervision and evaluation of nursing care furnished to each patient in their assigned clinical department.
- At a minimum, evaluate the care for each LPN assigned patient upon admission and when appropriate, on an ongoing basis in accordance with accepted standards of nursing practice and hospital policy.
- Promotes efficient patient flow including timely discharges and admissions.
- Encourages a safe environment by promoting adherence to established protocols, policies and procedures.
- Serves as clinical resource and subject matter expert for staff.
- Provides just in time feedback with appropriate accountability as needed.
- Implements evidence - based practices.
- Rounds on patients, physicians, and employees.
- Leads unit based daily huddle and represents unit at house wide daily huddle.
- Maintains records related to orientation in-service and unit competency assessments.
- Adheres to productivity, revenue and expense goals.
- Displays sound judgment and critical thinking skills in areas of decision-making and problem-solving.
- Maintains effective interdepartmental relationships by working with other unit leaders and departments to define and work toward common goals.
- Ensures compliance with various quality standards and regulatory agency requirements.
- May take management call as directed.
- Facilitates bidirectional communication to ensure timely exchange of information to all stakeholders.
- Treats all people (customers and employees) fairly and with respect.
- Creates an environment that supports employee recruitment and retention.
- ***Relief Team Leaders do not hold the following key responsibilities/essential functions: #5, #9, #13, & #14
DCH Standards
- Maintains performance, patient and employee satisfaction and financial standards as outlined in the performance evaluation.
- Performs compliance requirements as outlined in the Employee Handbook
- Must adhere to the DCH Behavioral Standards including creating positive relationships with patients/families, coworkers, colleagues and with self.
- Performs essential job functions in a manner that ensures the safety of patients, visitors and employees.
- Identifies and reduces unsafe practices that may result in harm to patients, visitors and employees.
- Recognizes and takes appropriate action to reduce risks and hazards to promote safety for patients, visitors and employees.
- Requires use of electronic mail, time and attendance software, learning management software and intranet.
- Must adhere to all DCH Health System policies and procedures.
- All other duties as assigned.
Qualifications
MINIMUM KNOWLEDGE, SKILLS, EXPERIENCE REQUIRED
Registered Nurse with current Alabama or Multistate License required.
Bachelor’s degree preferred
- Current American Heart Association or American Red Cross Basic Life Support (BLS) Provider training required
- Minimum 2 years’ experience as a registered nurse required.
- Specialty nursing experience preferred in applied area.
- Must obtain within 6 months - American Heart Association or American Red Cross accepted
Cardiac/Critical Care
ACLS
Emergency Department-both campuses
ACLS
Pediatric Advanced Life Support (PALS)
Emergency Department – Regional Campus only
**Trauma Nursing Core Course (TNCC)
Perioperative
ACLS
PACU –PALS; ACLS
Women’s/Children
NICU –Neonatal Resuscitation (NRP)
Labor & Delivery –ACLS, NRP, and Intermediate Fetal Monitoring
Mother Baby Unit – NRP
Pediatrics – PALS
Clinical Support
Cardiac Monitoring Unit –ACLS
Dialysis
ACLS
International RNs
- Current approved Alabama Board of Nursing RN license or multi-state license required or ability to obtain prior to start.
- Current American Heart Association (AHA) or American Red Cross Basic Life Support (BLS) Provider training required or obtain within 30 days of start date.
- BSN preferred, minimum Associates required
- Must be able to read, write legibly, speak, and comprehend English.
- ** TNCC must be completed w/in 12 months of hire date
WORKING CONDITIONS
WORK CONTEXT
Must be able to use computers, electronic mail, telephone and texting
PHYSICAL FACTORS
- Medium work. Exerting up to 50 pounds of force occasionally, and/or up to 30 pounds of force frequently, and/or up to 10 pounds of force constantly to move objects
- Must be able to tolerate prolonged periods of standing and walking
- Must be able to reach reasonable distances in any direction
- Must be able to stand, walk, kneel, bend, sit and stoop
- Must have the ability to exert maximum muscle force to lift, push, pull and carry objects
- Must be able to perform the duties with or without reasonable accommodation
- Must possess stamina to provide 24-hour management for assigned area(s) of responsibility
- Hearing and vision must be normal or corrected to within normal range