REGISTERED NURSE RN - STEP DOWN UNIT

Independence Health System Careers; Greensburg (Westmoreland County); On-site; USD 65,000 - 90,000; Full time

Job summary

Independence Health System seeks a Registered Nurse to assess, plan, implement, and evaluate care for a designated patient group. You will coordinate with the interdisciplinary team to promote positive patient outcomes and maintain documentation in patient records.

The role requires PA RN licensure, BLS, and ACLS eligibility. Strong leadership, communication, and critical thinking skills are essential to provide high-quality nursing care in a fast-paced setting.

Qualifications

• Graduate of an accredited Nursing Program required.
• Current licensure to practice as a Registered Nurse in the State of Pennsylvania.
• Current Basic Life Support (BLS) approved by AHA.
• ACLS or completion within one year of hire/transfer date into department.
• Act 33 with renewal; Act 34 with renewal; Act 73 FBI Clearance.

Responsibilities

• Assess, plan, implement and evaluate care for a designated group of patients.
• Coordinate and participate as a member of the interdisciplinary health care team.
• Document patient care services by charting in patient and department records.
• Maintain infection-control practices and safe medication administration.

Skills

Leadership

Organizational skills

Critical thinking

Judgment

Communication of complex topics

Education

Nursing degree (accredited)

Bachelor’s Degree in Nursing preferred

Job description

The RN assesses, plans, implements and evaluates the care for a designated group of patients. The RN coordinates, directs and actively participates as an effective member of the interdisciplinary health care team, contributing to the efficient operation of the unit and promoting positive patient outcomes.

Essential Job Functions

• Maintain professional and technical knowledge by attending education workshops, review professional publications, establish personal networks, and participate in professional societies.
• Assure quality of care by adhering to therapeutic standards, measuring health outcomes against patient care goals and standards, making or recommending necessary adjustments, and following system/hospital and nursing division's philosophies and standards of care set by state board of nursing, state nurse practice act, and other governing agency regulations.
• Protect patients and employees by adhering to infection-control policies and protocols, medication administration and storage procedures, and controlled substance regulations.
• Document patient care services by charting in patient and department records.
• Maintain continuity among nursing teams by documenting and communicating actions, irregularities, and continuing needs using Nurse Knowledge Exchange techniques.
• Maintain patient confidence and protects operations by keeping information confidential.
• Identify patient care requirements by establishing personal rapport with potential and actual patients, and other persons in a position to understand care requirements.
• Establish a compassionate environment by providing emotional, psychological, and spiritual support to patients, friends, and families.
• Promote patient's independence by establishing patient care goals, teaching patient/family to understand condition, medications, and self-care skills, and answering questions.
• Maintain safe and clean working environment by complying with procedures, rules and regulations; calling for assistance from health care support personnel.
• Resolve patient problems and needs by utilizing multidisciplinary team strategies.
• Maintain a cooperative relationship among health care teams by communicating information, responding to requests, building rapport, and participating in team continuous quality improvement and problem-solving methods.
• Contribute to team effort by accomplishing related results as needed.
• Ensure operation of equipment by completing preventive maintenance requirements by following manufacturer's instructions, troubleshooting malfunctions, calling for repairs, maintaining equipment inventories, and evaluating new equipment and techniques.
• Maintain nursing supplies inventory by checking stock to determine inventory level, anticipating needed supplies, placing and expediting orders for supplies, verifying receipt of supplies, and using equipment and supplies as needed to accomplish job results.
• The Registered Nurse provides direct oversight of the GN, LPN, Technical Partner, ALS Technician, Nurse Extern and Unit Clerks. This oversight includes the Registered Nurse conducting the initial comprehensive assessment and interpreting the assessment to initiate the interprofessional plan of care. This oversight includes supervision of the delegation of duties that are within the scope and capability of the care team supervised.
• Other related duties as assigned.

Specialty Job Functions

• Demonstrates the ability to interpret and treat arrhythmias in ICU.
  • Reviews rhythm strips.
  • Demonstrates appropriate treatment of arrhythmia.
  • Utilizes appropriate protocols for administration of drugs for treatment of arrhythmias.
• Demonstrates the ability to care for a patient requiring ventilator support.
• Demonstrates ability to care for patient receiving invasive monitoring, not limited to Swan Ganz catheters, but including A-lines and CVP monitoring
• Other related duties as assigned.

Required Qualifications

• Graduate of an accredited Nursing Program required.
• Strong leadership ability, good organizational skills, independent and critical thinking skills, sound judgment, and knowledge of legal aspects and liability of nursing practice.
• Strong ability to communicate complex and/or controversial topics and concepts to a wide and diverse audience.
• A Nursing refresher course may be required if employee hasn’t worked in an acute care setting for his / her most recent three consecutive years of professional employment.

Preferred Qualifications

• Bachelor’s Degree in Nursing preferred.
• Critical Care Experience
• Open Heart Experience
• One (1) year Med/Surg or PCU experience.

License, Certification & Clearances

• Current licensure to practice as a Registered Nurse in the State of Pennsylvania required.
• Current Basic Life Support (BLS) approved curriculum of the American Heart Association (CPR and AED) program required.
• Act 33 with renewal
• Act 34 with renewal
• Act 73 FBI Clearance
• Current ACLS or completion within one (1) year of hire/transfer date into department
• NIH Stroke Scale – current or within six (6) months of hire/transfer into department.

Supervisory Responsibilities

• This position has no direct supervisory responsibilities, but may serve as a coach and mentor for other positions in the department.

Position Type/Expected Hours of Work

• Incumbent will be scheduled based on operational need (rotate shifts, standby, on-call, etc.).
• Travel may be expected locally between Excela Health locations.

LEAN

• Actively promotes a Lean work culture by performing team member duties to encourage consistent use of LEAN principles and processes, including continually seeking work process improvements. Recognizes the necessity of taking ownership of one’s own motivation, morale, performance and professional development. Strives for behavior consistent with being committed to Excela’s missions, vision and values.

AAP/EEO

• Excela Health is an Equal Opportunity Employer. It is the policy of Excela Health to prohibit discrimination of any type and to afford equal employment opportunities to employees and applicants, without regard to race, color, religion, sex, national origin, age, marital status, non‑job related disability, veteran status, or genetic information, or any other protected class. Excela Health will conform to the spirit as well as the letter of all applicable laws and regulations.
• Ability to perform the Essential Functions listed on the Physical Conditions and ability to perform the Essential Functions on the Working Condition chart below.

Effective March 2020 or during pandemic: goggles, face shield and mask are required according to CDC guidelines

When lift requirement is in excess of 50#, lift assistance (2 person) and/or transfer device is required.

Essential – Absolute Necessity.

Marginal – Minimal Necessity.

Constantly – 5.5 to 8 hours or more or 200 reps/shift.

Frequently – 2.5 to 5.5 hours or more or 32-200 reps/shift.

Occasionally – 0.25 to 2.5 hours or 2-32 reps/shift.

Rarely – Less than 0.25 hours or less than 2 reps/shift.

Physical Condition

Marginal

Constantly

Frequently

Occasionally

Rarely

Never

Extreme Heat

x

Extreme Cold

x

Heights

x

Confined Spaces

x

x

Mechanical Hazards

x

Use of Vibrating Tools

x

Operates Vehicle (Company)

x

x

Use of Lifting/Transfer Devices

x

x

Rotates All Shifts

x

x

x

x

x

x

On-Call

x

x

Overtime(+8/hrs/shift; 40/hrs/wk)

x

x

x

x

x

Respirator Protective Equipment

x

x

Eye Protection

x

x

x

Hearing Protection

x

Hand Protection

x

x

Feet, Toe Protection

x

Body Protection

x

x

Latex Exposure

x

x

Solvent Exposure

x

Paint (direct use) Exposure

x

Dust (sanding) Exposure

x

x

Cytotoxic (Chemo) Exposure

X all other

x

x

x

x

Mist Exposure

x

x

x

x

Laser Exposure

x

Physical Demands

When lift requirement is in excess of 50#, lift assistance (2 person) and/or transfer device is required.

Essential – Absolute Necessity.

Marginal – Minimal Necessity.

Constantly – 5.5 to 8 hours or more or 200 reps/shift.

Frequently – 2.5 to 5.5 hours or more or 32-200 reps/shift.

Occasionally – 0.25 to 2.5 hours or 2-32 reps/shift.

Rarely – Less than 0.25 hours or less than 2 reps/shift.

Physical Condition

Marginal

Constantly