CHARGE NURSE - FT NIGHTS

Description

Job Classification: Non-Exempt

Reporting Relationship: Reports to Acute Nurse Manager

Primary Accountability:

The Charge Nurse is responsible for the coordination of care, including direct patient care, patient/family education and transitions of care across the continuum of care to meet the needs of the patient and family. This position delegates patient care according to skill level, experience, patient acuity, fiscal accountability and adequacy of resources – possessing excellent communication skills and is skillful in mentoring and teaching.  

Major Duties:

• The Charge Nurse will complete staffing assignments based on the acuity of patients for all staff, including the ER and Outpatient Services.
• It is preferred that the charge nurse delegate patient assignments to core staff, but may need to assume patient care duties in certain situations.
• Ensure that staff is performing proper and complete bedside reporting during shift change.
• Assess staff competency and ability to care for assigned patients.
• Assign obstetrical patients to a qualified nurse.
• Ensure proper techniques are performed on all patients such as, but not limited to, catheterization, tube feedings, suction, dressing changes, NG tube placement and maintenance, and IV starts.
• Provide directions, instructions, and supervision to all nursing staff in the department to ensure quality patient care and satisfactory outcomes.
• Follow and enforce written policies and procedures regarding all aspects of patient care and staff behavior as established by nursing and hospital administration.  
• Assist with orientating new employees.
• Ensure ER patients are triaged and, if provider requests, a medical screening exam is completed within 15 minutes of patient’s arrival.
• Organize and maintain the outpatient schedule.
• Visit patients and families to determine the needs of patients and ensure they are being met.
• Ensure all SQSS checks are completed and any discrepancies are addressed within the allotted time frame.
• Ensure all nursing equipment is in proper working order. Report to appropriate department any defects or malfunctions. 
• Take telephone, written or verbal orders from physicians, and input order in the EMR. Report critical lab values, other diagnostic results and pertinent patient information to providers when necessary.  
• Ensure primary nurse reviews and implements orders. 
• Perform 12-hour chart checks to review staff’s documentation for completion and accuracy. 
• Assist with supplying medications in the Pyxis.
• Fill out employee slips in regards to low census and turn into the Nursing Manager.
• Ensure the unit is adequately staffed for the upcoming shift. Make changes on the schedule for coverage needs and communicate these changes to the Nursing Manager.
• If inappropriate behavior is noted, correct it immediately with that staff member in a professional and private manner. Report staff behavior to the Nursing Manager.
• To ensure 24 hour coverage of charge nurses, a charge nurse shift can only be covered by another nurse who can perform charge nurse duties.

Qualifications:

• Must be licensed as a Registered Nurse (RN) in the state of Kansas.
• Two (2) years of RN experience preferred.
• Must be CPR certified.
• Must have or complete ACLS, PALS, TNCC and NRP certification within one (1) year of employment.

Physical Demands:

• Eye/Hand, Eye/Foot and Hand/Foot Coordination.
• Normal eyesight, with or without corrective lenses.
• Normal hearing, with or without hearing aids.
• Motor coordination and manual dexterity. 
• The ability to bend, stoop, crawl, and kneel.
• The ability to exert 20 to 50 pounds of force occasionally, and/or 10 to 25 pounds of force frequently, and/or greater than negligible up to 10 pounds of force constantly. 

Work Environment:

• Well-lit/well-ventilated work area; close visual work.
• Prolonged amount of sitting, standing and walking throughout the day. 
• Subject to frequent interruptions.
• May be exposed to infectious and contagious diseases. 
• Meet and talk with a wide variety of employees, visitors and patients. 
• Exposed to offensive odors or hazards of explosive gases. 
• Exposure to unpleasant elements such as accidents, illnesses and injuries. 
• Able to work under emergency situations. 
• Requires judgement/action in life/death situations.

Additional Duties:

Additional duties and responsibilities may be added to this job description at any time. The job description does not state or imply that these are the only activities to be performed by the employee holding this position. Employees are required to follow any other job-related instructions and to perform any other job-related responsibilities as requested by their Supervisor or assigned charge personnel.

Employee Signature Date Supervisor Signature Date