RN ICU | Nights at Huggins Hospital in Wolfeboro, NH

Under the general supervision of the Director of Acute Care Services, is responsible for safe, effective, quality patient and family centered care in the Critical Care setting.

Intensive Care Nursing Competency:

· Maintains a strong critical care knowledge base with emphasis on the cardio-vascular & respiratory systems. Continually seeks educational opportunities to refresh & build on knowledge base.

· Demonstrates critical care knowledge relating to all ages and medical / surgical conditions: Anticipates & assesses for potential complications, identifies abnormal findings and determines appropriate nursing intervention. Evaluates patient's response and communicates status & needs to the physician and other appropriate personnel.

· Effectively organizes work and prioritizes care in a logical sequence based on sound judgement while collaborating with other health team members involved in providing care to the patient with multiple needs, tests & procedures.

· Continually monitors ICU and Telemetry cardiac rhythms, posting rhythm strips, responding to alarms, correctly identifying dysrhythmias and intervening appropriately.

· Anticipates changes in acuity, mobilizing personnel and equipment for immediate potential crisis intervention. Able to cardiovert and/or defibrillate & assist with emergent intubation when needed. Maintains ACLS certification.

· Demonstrates thorough knowledge of operation of all equipment utilized in ICU: CVP monitoring, CO2 monitoring, temporary pacemakers, external pacemakers, defibrillators, Arterial pressure monitoring and implements standards for environmental health and safety for both the patient and staff.

· Demonstrates ability to initiate & titrate a variety of IV drips utilized in the ICU and the knowledge base for assessing patient response and intervening appropriately. Also able to set up and assist with the insertion of A-lines, temporary intravascular pacemakers & Central lines independently or with minimal assist.

· Demonstrates ability to work independently assuming charge of the ICU while maintaining patient safety. Also responsible for all aspects of patient care in addition to the daily operation of the ICU.

· Strong sense of autonomy - able to make critical patient care decisions.

· Demonstrates ability to work as a team member & contributes to the daily functioning of the unit. Resource for nursing staff, facilitating learning experiences & assisting peers with care & assessment.

Quality:

· Ensures quality of care by adhering to therapeutic standards, measuring health outcomes against patient care goals and standards. Making recommendations for adjustments in patient care as necessary.

· Adheres to Infection Prevention standards, consistent in hand hygiene practice before and after each patient interaction. Adheres to infection prevention precautions. Holds team members to IP and hand hygiene standards and room/patient IP precaution measures to prevent infection or the spread of infection.

· Follows Huggins Hospital's mission, vision and philosophy of care.

· Participates in quality review, performance improvement and patient satisfaction initiatives within the department (such as hourly rounding, collateral duties, and chart audits).

Professionalism:

· Adheres to standards and applicable codes of conduct that govern behavior among peer and colleagues to create and environment promoting cooperation, respect and trust.

· Adheres to the standards of profession as outlined by the American Association of Critical Care Nurses.

· Maintains professionalism by conforming to the Huggins Hospital dress code.

· Continues professional growth by maintaining education hours for license renewals and participating in hospital committees, clinical council, and professional organizations.

· Maintain ACLS and BCLS certification

· Participates in orientation of new employees as well as mentoring of less experienced staff members.

· Maintains a clean & safe work environment, organizing stocking & ordering supplies, equipment, cleaning & maintenance.

· Reviews acuity, code cart & narcotic sheets for completion, etc.

· Flexibility of work schedule: covering sick calls, requests, shortages, etc.

· Adheres to standards and applicable codes of conduct that govern behavior among peer and colleagues to create and environment promoting cooperation, respect and trust.

Patient Advocacy:

· Develops and/or implements an individualized plan of care, including developmental and cultural needs.

· Utilizes appropriate resources for non-English speaking patients, healthcare illiterate patients, hearing and sight impaired patients and caregivers.

· Clear communication of patient plan of care and education at a level the patient, family, and caregiver can comprehend.

· Takes proactive steps to recognize and report suspected abuse/neglect, including, child abuse, elder abuse, sexual abuse, and spousal abuse. Reporting identified cases to supervisor and appropriate authorities.

Organizational Expectations:

· Attendance: Attendance is an essential job function; employee comes to work daily, on time, and completes scheduled shift

· HIPAA: facilitates to maintain patient confidentiality

· Internal communication: contributes to positive team performance and a culture of service excellence through effective communication, active listening, and respect

· Interpersonal relationships: maintains appropriate interpersonal relationships with staff, patients, and visitors at all times. Works as a team member with other departments.

· Safety: Practices workplace safety daily

Employee Engagement:

· Actively participates in all hospital Service Excellence initiatives and trainings

· Attends and participates in a minimum of 50% department staff meetings and signs off on review of 100% department staff meeting minutes

· Completes all required annual education on or before the due date

Knowledge Skills and Abilities: Individuals must possess these knowledge, skills, and abilities or be able to explain and demonstrate that they can perform the primary functions of the job, with or without a reasonable accommodation, using some combination of skills and abilities and possess the necessary physical requirements, with or without a reasonable accommodation, to safely perform the essential functions of the job.

· Minimal physical effort required with occasional light lifting to a maximum of 25 pounds; stooping; and pick, pinch, type, or otherwise work primarily with fingers

· Ability to effectively manage considerable mental stress

· Ability to express or exchange ideas by means of the spoken word

· Ability to receive detailed information through oral communication

· Ability to communicate effectively with co-workers and convey information in a clear, concise and accurate manner

· Familiarity with computer and other business machines

Qualifications:

One (1) year of Medical Surgical nursing preferred

One (1) year of Critical Care experience preferred

Required Licenses/Certifications: Current NH RN license, ACLS, BLS

Preferred Licenses/Certifications: CCRN