Overview
Under the general supervision of the Nurse Manager, provides direct nursing care to patients in the Perinatal units. Mother/Baby – Full‑Time, 7:00 am to 7:30 pm.
Responsibilities
- Assessment
- Initial observation and assessment of the patient’s needs for immediate nursing action.
- Systematically and accurately assesses nursing needs of the pediatric patient to detect pertinent changes in the clinical picture.
- Identifies appropriate foci.
- Selects, plans, evaluates and documents care based on this assessment.
- Assesses and intervenes appropriately to meet patient’s educational, psychosocial, and discharge‑planning needs; initiates discharge planning.
- Direct Patient Care
- Gives comprehensive patient care.
- Consults with unit Nursing Leadership and peers regarding significant changes in patient’s condition.
- Collaborates and communicates effectively with all members of the health‑care team regarding patient’s needs and/or change in condition.
- Communicates relevant patient care information on shift‑to‑shift report.
- Utilizes patient care standards in clinical practice.
- Writes comprehensive transfer notes and/or discharge summary as indicated.
- Initiates and follows through with patient and family teaching.
- Initiates referrals to appropriate health professionals and/or community services as needed.
- Administers medications to patients in compliance with policies and procedures.
- Titrates medicated infusions.
- Completes ICU Admission/Transfer Summary Sheet and/or Discharge Summary.
- Seeks clarification of physician’s orders that are unclear or inappropriate.
- Interprets clinical data and laboratory findings and notifies the physician promptly if immediate changes in management are indicated.
- Evaluates the result of nursing interventions and documents appropriate foci.
- Safety
- Checks to ensure that emergency equipment is on hand and in good working order.
- Recognizes and reports malfunction or failure of equipment used in the perinatal units to Biomedical Engineering; takes appropriate action to replace such equipment (e.g., oximeter, radiant warmer, fetal monitors, bili‑lite, etc.).
- Perinatal Nursing Skills
- Monitors fetal heart rate and uterine contraction patterns; interprets data, provides appropriate interventions in abnormal fetal heart rate patterns to promote utero‑placental perfusion and documents as per standard practice.
- Relates pathophysiological knowledge to the assessment, intervention and evaluation of nursing care provided to obstetric patients.
- Recognizes and implements independent nursing actions in maternal complications and emergencies (e.g., CPR, hemorrhage, eclampsia, shock, prolapsed cord).
- Administers blood and blood products.
- Validates rubella, VDRL, hepatitis and serology status and HIV status.
- Recognizes and implements independent nursing actions in newborn complications and emergencies (e.g., cardiopulmonary distress and arrest, CNS alterations, drug/substance withdrawal, metabolic alteration).
- Provides and maintains a neutral thermal environment.
- Monitors newborn nutritional status and feeding patterns and provides appropriate nutrition.
- Provides pre‑ and post‑testing counseling on HIV to comply with expedited HIV DOH requirements.
- Performs newborn screening as per established procedure.
- Provides ongoing newborn identification as per established procedure (ID bracelets, footprints).
- Indirect Patient Care Activities
- Participates in patient care rounds by presenting findings on patients.
- Applies principles of infection control and safety.
- Assists in the orientation of new personnel.
- Provides clinical supervision of LPNs, Nursing Attendants, Patient Care Technicians.
- Maintains established departmental policies and procedures, objectives, quality assurance program, safety, environmental, and infection control standards; promotes adherence to Patient Bill of Rights.
- Indicates an Essential Job Function.
Qualifications
- Education
- Graduation from an accredited school of Nursing; BSN preferred.
- Current NYS licensure as RN.
- Current BCLS certification required.
- Certification by a specialty organization (e.g., AWHONN, ANA) preferred.
- Complete NRP certifications within 6 months of hire and maintain certification is preferred.
- Experience
- At least 1 year of nursing experience in the field of Perinatal Nursing (Maternal/Newborn) preferred.
- Skills
- Proven clinical and technical skills required for Perinatal nursing practice.
- Ability to understand and react effectively to the unique needs of the newborn patient.
- Good oral and written communication skills.
- Good interpersonal skills.
- Speaks, reads and writes English to the extent required by the position; knowledge of a second language helpful.
Pay Range
USD $118,370.27 - USD $118,370.27 /Yr.
Equal Employment Opportunity Employer—Maimonides Medical Center (MMC) is an equal opportunity employer.