RN II Critical Care LTAC

Houston Methodist; Katy (TX); On-site; USD 75,000 - 95,000; Full time

Job summary

Houston Methodist is seeking an RN II to provide skilled nursing care across diverse patient populations, perform assessments, assist with exams, and educate patients while maintaining records. The RN II collaborates with physicians and care teams to coordinate high-quality care and advocate for patients and families in a dynamic hospital setting.

This role includes leadership duties as charge nurse or preceptor and participation in governance initiatives, with emphasis on safety, documentation,

Qualifications

• Requires RN license in Texas with permanent licensure within 60 days.
• Minimum 12 months RN experience in healthcare.
• Graduation from an approved nursing education program.

Responsibilities

• Provide direct patient care and nursing assessments.
• Collaborate with physicians and interprofessional team to plan care.
• Maintain accurate medical records and patient education.
• Lead unit activities as charge nurse or preceptor when assigned.

Skills

English proficiency

Communication skills

Critical thinking

Team collaboration

Nursing assessment

Education

RN licensure and program qualifications

Tools

Microsoft Outlook

Job description

Position Overview

At Houston Methodist, the Registered Nurse (RN) II position is a licensed staff nurse, an experienced clinician who functions at the Competent to Proficient stage of Benner's model of clinical practice. The RN II provides professional nursing care to a diverse patient population, conducts nursing assessments, assists with exams and treatment, offers patient education, and maintains medical records. The RN II delivers direct patient care efficiently to patients with varied and complex needs, communicates and collaborates with physicians and the interprofessional health‑care team to facilitate, coordinate, and maintain compassionate, high‑quality care, and acts as a patient and family advocate to monitor and uphold patient rights. Leadership roles are assumed, including charge nurse or preceptor duties and participation in unit and shared‑governance initiatives or hospital‑wide projects in partnership with management.

FLSA Status

Non‑exempt

Qualifications

Education

• Graduate of an education program approved by the credentialing body for the required credential(s) indicated below in the Certifications, Licenses, and Registrations section

Experience

• Twelve months registered nurse experience in a healthcare environment

Licenses and Certifications

Required

• RN – Registered Nurse – Texas State Licensure – Texas Board of Nursing (PSV Compact Licensure) – Must obtain permanent Texas license within 60 days (if establishing Texas residency)
• BLS – Basic Life Support or Instructor (AHA)
• ACLS – Advanced Cardiac Life Support or Instructor (AHA) within 4 months
• NIHSTROKE – National Institute of Health Stroke Scale Certification (AHA) within 4 months

Preferred

• Magnet – ANCC Recognized Certification or
• NVCRISIS – Nonviolent Crisis Intervention or Instructor (CPI)

Knowledge and Abilities

• Demonstrates the skills and competencies necessary to safely perform the assigned job, as determined through ongoing skills, competency assessments, and performance evaluations
• Proficient in speaking, reading, and writing English for essential functions, particularly where patient or employee safety is involved
• Effectively communicates with patients, physicians, families, and co‑workers in a customer‑service focus, applying positive language principles
• Strong assessment, organizational, and problem‑solving skills; prioritizes multiple tasks and role components
• Functions independently and exercises sound judgment in interactions with the interprofessional team and patients and families
• Employs critical thinking and clinical judgment to work autonomously as defined by the Nurse Practice Act
• Exhibits proficient time‑management skills
• Maintains professional contributions as defined by the Clinical Career Path program guide
• Working knowledge of Microsoft products, including Outlook

Essential Functions

People Essential Functions

• Uses therapeutic communication, including active listening and teaching, to establish relationships with patients, families, and the health‑care team to collaborate on the plan of care
• Contributes to teamwork by being aware of overall unit acuity, consistently offering assistance, and responding positively to requests for assistance; fosters healthy work‑environment relationships, seeks guidance from, and provides guidance to the interprofessional team, applying feedback to improve outcomes
• Implements staff education specific to patient populations and unit processes; coaches and mentors other staff and students; may include preceptorship; uses peer‑to‑peer accountability to improve department scores for turnover, retention, and employee engagement on the unit‑based scorecard

Service Essential Functions

• Follows patient- and family‑centered care standards outlined in the Houston Methodist Professional Nursing Practice document; conducts nursing assessments, assists with exams and treatment, and maintains medical records; practices in a manner consistent with cultural diversity and inclusion principles
• Develops, updates, and communicates the plan of care, including discharge, in partnership with the patient, family, and the interprofessional health‑care team, using the nursing process; prioritizes care based on the patient’s needs, abilities, and preferences; advocates on behalf of patients/families to resolve clinical and ethical concerns, utilizing appropriate resources
• Provides patient teaching based on learning needs, uses appropriate resources, and incorporates planning for care after discharge; consistently evaluates patient comprehension and adapts teaching methods accordingly
• Helps drive improvement of the department score for patient satisfaction on the unit‑based scorecard, through peer‑to‑peer accountability to service standards

Quality/Safety Essential Functions

• Follows the standards of care related to the nursing process, as outlined in the Houston Methodist Professional Nursing Practice document
• Adheres to regulatory requirements and professional practice standards; identifies areas of practice improvement with evidence-based research to achieve core measures and patient safety outcomes, supported by accurate documentation
• Provides and modifies care to complex patients and coordinates care with the interprofessional team based on evaluation of the patient’s condition, supported by accurate documentation; utilizes clinical judgement and evidence-based analysis
• Improves quality and safety scores on the unit‑based scorecard through peer‑to‑peer accountability, reporting near misses, and collaborating with the interprofessional health‑care team

Finance Essential Functions

• Displays self‑motivation to manage time effectively, document care promptly, minimize incidental overtime, and prioritize daily tasks; provides input into unit resource utilization, including capital and operational budget needs
• Contributes toward meeting department financial targets on the unit‑based scorecard by reducing length of stay, optimizing efficiency, and other departmental initiatives

Growth/Innovation Essential Functions

• Identifies and presents areas for innovation, efficiency, and improvement in patient care or unit operations using evidence-based practice literature; offers innovative solutions through evidence-based practice/performance improvement projects and shared governance activities
• Champions new care pathways or service line implementation to improve community service; identifies trends for improvement opportunities or practice changes and supports initiatives; researches changes and presents options to shared governance and leadership

Supplemental Requirements

Work Attire

• Uniform: No
• Scrubs: Yes
• Business professional: No
• Other (department approved): No

On‑Call

• On Call: Yes

Travel

• May require travel within the Houston Metropolitan area: Yes
• May require travel outside Houston Metropolitan area: No