Interfacility Transport Nurse 0.9 7p-7a

Advocate Health Care; Elmhurst (IL); On-site; USD 85,000 - 110,000; Full time

Job summary

Advocate Health Care seeks a registered nurse with NICU/PICU experience for neonatal-pediatric transport roles across mobile environments. You will monitor, assess, and intervene during transport, applying nursing processes and TMCP protocols to ensure patient safety and continuity of care.

The role requires a BSN, Illinois RN license, and preferred interfacility transport experience. You will lead and precept teams while maintaining equipment readiness and adherence to safety standards.

Qualifications

• Current Illinois RN license is required.
• BSN degree required for consideration.
• Interfacility transport experience preferred.

Responsibilities

• Provides ongoing monitoring, assessment, and interventions during transport.
• Demonstrates nursing process expertise and critical thinking.
• Cares for neonatal and pediatric patients in mobile transport environments (ground/rotor/fixed wing).
• Performs physical examinations and weight-based medication calculations.
• Administers medications per TMCP standing orders and protocols and ensures safety.

Education

BSN

RN license

Interfacility transport experience

Job description

Major Responsibilities: Patient Care Activities

• Provides ongoing monitoring, assessment, and appropriate interventions in accordance with standing protocols and orders while in transit, at referring and receiving facilities and documents accurately on all transport documentation according to department guidelines and roles models this to other team members.
• Demonstrates expertise in nursing process and critically evaluates own decision-making and judgments.
• Serves as an expert with ability to care for all types of neonatal and pediatric patients (and adults with pediatric diagnosis/medical history), at an expert level, in the mobile environment (ground/rotor/fixed wing).
• Obtains pertinent maternal, neonatal, and pediatric histories with emphasis on risk factors and implications for problems and incorporates that in plan of care.
• Performs pertinent physical examination and assesses patient weight for use in calibration of medication and fluid management.
• Performs necessary diagnostic and therapeutic procedures as indicated for identification and management of problems as indicated by protocols and/or TMCP recommendations, including but not limited to (Patient stabilization, Airway management, needle aspiration of pleural space, interpretation of routine laboratory and radiographic data, intraosseous insertion, spinal immobilization, trauma primary and secondary assessment/management, blood drawing, insertion of peripheral IVs and all other procedures as trained).
• Formulates differential diagnosis and a plan of care of existing and potential problems in collaboration with Transport RCP and Transport Medical Control Physician (TMCP).
• Recognizes and treats changes in clinical situations (including life threatening conditions) and implements changes to the transport plan of care based on Standing Transport Protocols and TMCP recommendations.
• Exercises independent judgment in situations when sudden clinical changes occur and understand and implements necessary interventions and their expected outcomes based on Transport Protocols and TMCP recommendations
• Provides clinical management for resuscitation, with independent manner per protocol, of the neonatal, pediatric, and/or adolescent patient, including necessary pharmacological support and acts as a code leader during interfacility transports. Assuring safety and quality of care
• Takes a leadership role in achieving unit compliance with Transport Program accreditation for CAMTS and actively participates in the Quality and Safety plan of department.
• Administers all medications and blood products as prescribed by TMCP (standing orders/protocols) and according to policy and procedure.
• Implements strategies to reduce patient and crew risk and increase safety in the transport environment including but not limited to the use of securement devices, securing equipment, and the use of lights and sirens
• Consistently utilizes risk assessment/reduction strategies and role models this behavior to coworkers to include but not limited to: fatigue management assessment, ground risk assessment, post transport debriefs and predepature checklist and reports identified risk to the leadership on a real time basis.
• Wears appropriate uniform and boots according to policy and role models to peers.
• Obtains appropriate transport consents including but not limited to consent for treatment and transfer and privacy consent and ensures understanding of information to guardian prior to obtaining consents.
• Communicates information about the patient’s “working diagnosis, plan of management, and prognosis to the referring physician, guardian, and other management of the health care team and provides a concise and through hand-over and transfers care of patient to the receiving hospital staff.
• Assure medications and supplies are stocked according to guidelines and are not expired and role models this behavior to coworkers. Operation of transport equipment/vehicle procedures
• Reports and documents transport equipment malfunctions/errors to biomedical engineering, transport leadership and in appropriate patient safety event reporting.
• Demonstrates knowledge of ground, rotor and fixed wing aircraft operating procedures and safety practices.
• Demonstrates expert knowledge and operation of all transport equipment within scope and is able to troubleshoot issue on a real-time basis in order to provide the safest care for the patients.
• Maintains all transport equipment in a state of readiness by checking all equipment, per departmental guidelines, at the beginning of each shift and prn. Special attention to detail needs to be made noting any discrepancies and troubleshoots as needed. Role models this behavior to ensure compliance with others on the team to maintain a culture of safety.
• Participates in the ongoing evaluation of transport equipment needs and provides detailed feedback to ensure evaluation was completed in a comprehensive manner. Transport Team Communication Center
• Maintains appropriate contact with the transport team at required times to ensure team’s where abouts and ongoing safety of transport team and maintains information on a guardian/designee ride along and logs emergency contact information
• Keeps up dated information on current weather conditions in and around transport service area and notifies transport leadership of any current weather threats.
• Coordinates appropriate mode of transport with vendor staff and contacts/communicates information to Advocate Children’s Hospital Transport Team.
• Communicates ETA and status, on an ongoing basis, with both the referring facility and receiving facility
• Verifies appropriate crew information sheets on file and initiates PIAP (Post Incident Action Plan) when appropriate.
• Maintains up to date information on bed availability, physician, team coverage/status, vehicle information-availability, and contact numbers on an ongoing basis.
• Facilities and contacts consultants as directed by TMCP.
• Ensures appropriate documentation of transport request is completed and ensures follow-up information is provided to the referring facility per departmental guidelines with accuracy.
• Communicates and facilities’ information to TMCP to obtain acceptance/denial, mode of transport, and triage of transport request and coordinates and confirms bed placement at receiving facility or alternative admission facility as appropriate.
• Receives transport request from referring facility and obtains information from caller required to assess urgency of request and initiate appropriate response and documents in Central Logic appropriately Professional Development/Professional accountability
• Serves as a preceptor in the training of future transport team members and residents/students that are completing a transport rotation (required after member has been on transport team for over 12 months)
• Participates in peer review of the transport team members by accurately completing post transport debriefs.
• Participates in at least 75% of department staff meetings on an annual basis via in person or phone.
• Demonstrates continued professional growth through continuing education and review of current literature pertaining to neonatal-pediatric transport as evidence by participates in at least 75% of departmental journal clubs on a yearly basis and encourages peers to actively participate.
• Actively participates in at least one unit committee and/or unit task force OR site/system committee and shares information and keeps department up to date on current committee (task force) issues.
• Earns a minimum of 15 contact hours per year related to transport medicine and/or population that is served by transport program.
• Takes a proactive approach in seeking out own learning needs and experiences in order to stay up to date and current based on departmental educational plan and requirements.
• Takes a leadership role in the education of others at the unit, house-wide and/or system level to provide a class and/or formal education event once a year.
• Leads a transport case study once every 12 months AND/OR takes a leadership role in the education of others at the unit, site, system or at a Referring Hospital to provide a class and/or formal education event once a year. Leadership/Research/Evidence Based Practice
• Takes a collaborative approach in assisting with medical procedures and intrafacility transports when requested and available and does this in a manner that is collegial, representing the transport department in a positive manner.
• Prepares for the safety huddle, when assigned, and communicates department information and follows up on any issues identifies according to guidelines established.
• Performs all required charge crew duties in a comprehensive manner, when assigned, and communicates through the proper chain of command when appropriate.
• Utilizes resources and follows chain of command for disruptive behavior that impedes the delivery of care/safety of patient and/or team and proactively addresses difficult conversations on a peer to peer basis when appropriate.
• Initiates, participates, and assist with the implementation of change to transport policies, practices, procedures to enhance the quality of care that is delivered.
• Identifies and/or participates in potential/actual research studies and/or evidence base practice projects that are related to neonatal, pediatric, and transport when identified.
• Serves as a resource or consultant to nursing, medical, and ancillary staff regarding neonatal and pediatric transport and acts as an expert in complex cases. Nurse/Patient Relationships: Develops and maintains a therapeutic relationship throughout the healthcare continuum
• Creates climate of valuing non-judgmental and individualized, holistic care. Facilitates the development of others in providing such care.
• Anticipates and meets patient and family needs throughout the transport encounter that foster a positive environment for the patient and family. Licensure: Nurse, Registered (RN) Education/Experience Required:
• At least 3 years of nursing experience (or 4000 hours equivalent) with a focus on Critical care (peds preferred)
• BSN required
• Interfacility transport experience preferred.
• Earn 15 continuing education credits annually related to transport medicine or neonatal/pediatric critical or emergency care. Knowledge, Skills & Abilities Required:
• Demonstrate strong written and verbal communication
• Strong computer skills and typing skills.
• Ability to utilize mobile devices such as tablets and smart phones while in the mobile environment as approved by program.
• Ability to document and read while in the mobile environment.
• Strong ability to function independently.
• Demonstrate excellent interpersonal and communication skills
• Good crisis management skills with ability to negotiate, defuse stressful situations, and safely improvise as needed.
• Possession of personality traits that ensure a high level of performance in the variable and sometimes unpredictable transport environment.
• Demonstrate leadership, flexibility, independence, initiative, intelligence, inquisitiveness, and ability to solve problems and exercise good clinical judgment.
• Excellent oral and written communication and customer services skills.
• Excellent time management and organizational skills
• Dependability in regard to attendance of work, team meetings, and committee meetings.
• Familiarity with patient care equipment Current Illinois RN license Current BLS Current PALS certification, or obtained and maintained within 6 months of hire/transfer
• Wiliness to obtain RN licenses in other states as directed by Transport Leadership.
• C-NPT (Certified Neonatal Pediatric Transport)certification preferred; must complete within 2 year of hire/transfer Physicial Requirements and Working Conditions:
• Must passes the FIT test with ability to wear an N-95 mask
• Must passes the pre-employment physical and ongoing physical exams as required by program.
• Ability to transport in all modes of transport (ground, rotor and fixed wing)
• Ability to wear securement devices in all modes of transport.
• Ability to work weekends, holidays, and different shifts in order to accommodate staffing/dept needs
• Take call as directed by the leadership team
• Indoor and outdoor environment with possible exposure to infectious, biological, and chemical agents. Occasionally requires working in proximity to sources of radiation. Work area includes riding in enclosed spaces such as ambulances, helicopter, and planes/jets. Work environment commonly provides exposure to high noise levels, vibrations, and rough movements.
• Ability to respond quickly to patient needs and work at fast pace to meet needs of patient.
• Ability to assist in evacuation of patients/family/crew in the event of a fire or other disaster in the vehicle or hospital setting.
• Frequently requires sitting/standing, and walking for long periods. Requires bending, crouching, and kneeling. Requires use of hands, keyboarding, fine motor skills, and frequent lifting of 50 pounds, occasional moving of heavier weights and frequent pushing/pulling of 250 pounds.
• Must be able to work in small confined spaces and be able to work in a mobile environment, with on the ground/air.
• There is a potential for regular exposure to patient with infectious disease requiring observance of appropriate precautions. This job description indicates the general nature and level of work expected of the incumbent. It is not designed to cover or contain a comprehensive listing of activities, duties or responsibilities required of the incumbent. Incumbent may be required to perform other related duties.