Critical Care Step Down Nurse

• Performs complete patient assessment
• Recognizes significant changes in patient status and seeks appropriate resources
• Coordinates or collects physiologic monitoring data: vital signs, monitor results, lab and diagnostic test results
• Performs ongoing assessment according to unit policy
• Documents assessment in compliance with hospital policy
• Initiates the Patient Goal/Problem List or Clinical Path on admission
• Develops Plan of Care to support the patient goals and the medical plan of care
• Evaluates and documents the patient’s response to the plan of care and makes changes as appropriate
• Collaborates with a multidisciplinary team to coordinate and plan provision of patient care
• Obtains and/or verifies all physician orders for procedures, medications, and therapies
• Assures the presence of consent and its documentation for procedures, therapies, and research protocols
• Assures the presence of appropriate supplies to perform the ordered procedure or therapy
• Performs or assists in procedures and therapies according to policy and procedures
• Assesses the patient’s needs for medication prior to administration
• Assesses patient allergies and medication incompatibilities
• Verifies, administers and documents medication according to hospital policy
• Evaluates and documents a patient's response to procedures, therapies and medications
• Monitors the patient care record for accuracy and completeness of data provided by care team members
• Coordinates and documents communication between patient, significant others and multidisciplinary team members in order to support the plan of care
• Ensures effective and wise use of resources, monitoring for cost containment
• Facilitates appropriate length of hospital stay
• Assesses the patients and significant other’s knowledge base, ability and readiness to learn based on their developmental age
• Identifies and utilizes multidisciplinary team members to provide comprehensive education for patients, self and others
• Incorporates teaching principles and methods appropriate to knowledge base, ability and readiness to learn and based on developmental age
• Demonstrates knowledge in area of teaching and available resources for patient and staff education
• Documents patient education in the patient care record
• Evaluates the teaching process
• Documents staff education per policy
• Participates in peer review
• Provides learning opportunities and contributes to the orientation of team members, PRN personnel and students
• Identifies and implements educational opportunities for the staff
• Serves as a preceptor and role model for new employees and students
• Utilizes conflict resolution to promote a cohesive team
• Delegate’s assignments based on changes in census, staffing, patient, and unit needs
• Enforces hospital/department specific policies
• Maintains current knowledge of clinical and operational hospital policies and practice updates
• Engages in a therapeutic relationship with patients and develops healthy interpersonal relationships among colleagues
• Identifies the most important needs to be met each shift within the context of available resources
• Demonstrates accountability for their individual nursing practice
• Utilizes the mechanisms of the Professional Nursing Shared Governance (PNSG) organization to address nursing matters
• Demonstrates responsibility for being informed about the actions/activities of the PNSG
• Participates in activities of the PNSG organization
• Provides care to the patient population utilizing research findings and evidence based practice
• Unit required certifications must be obtained within six months of hire
• For any unit requiring CPI, it must be obtained within three months of hire
• Meets all unit-specific yearly skill requirements within an acceptable time frame

• Associate Of Nursing Graduate of an accredited school of nursing required., upon hire
• Basic Life Support - CPR, within 30 Days
• Advanced Cardiac Life Support, within 90 Days
• Registered Nurse: AR, upon hire

Bachelors Of Nursing Graduate of an accredited school of nursing required., upon hire

• health/dental/vision
• FSA
• matching retirement plans
• paid time off
• tuition assistance
• adoption assistance