Job Summary
Provides direct and indirect patient care in the emergency care setting.
Provides care that reflects initiative, flexibility, and responsibility indicative of professional expectations with minimal supervision.
Can triage safely, rapidly, and accurately every patient that enters the emergency care system.
Determines priorities of care based on physical and psychosocial needs, as well as factors influencing patient flow through the system.
Communicates with Emergency Department physicians about changes in the patient's status, symptomatology, and results of diagnostic studies.
Can respond quickly and accurately to changes in condition or response to treatment.
Duties and Responsibilities
- Provides direct patient care, evaluates outcomes, consults with other specialists as required and adjusts nursing care processes as indicated to ensure optimal patient care.
- Ability to perform a head-to-toe assessment on all patients and reassessments as per policy. This includes pediatric, adolescent, and geriatric patients, as well as the general patient population.
- Ability to adequately assess and reassess pain. Utilizes appropriate pain management techniques. Educates the patient and family regarding pain management.
- Performs all aspects of patient care in an environment that optimizes patient safety and reduces the likelihood of medical/healthcare errors.
- Ability to monitor hemodynamic status of patient and correctly interpret the results.
- Demonstrates knowledge of cardiac monitoring, identifies dysrhythmias and treats appropriately.
- Accurately assigns triage categories.
- Maintains accurate and continued nursing documentation including patient histories, conditions, treatments, responses and assessment of changes.
- Treats patients and their families with respect and dignity. Identifies and addresses psychosocial, cultural, ethnic and religious/spiritual needs of patients and family. Functions as liaison between administration, patients, physicians and other healthcare providers.
- Demonstrates knowledge of the principles of growth and development over the life span and the skills necessary to provide age-appropriate care to the patients served. Able to interpret data about the patient’s status in order to identify each patient’s age-specific needs and provide the care needed by the patient group.
- Interacts professionally with patient and family and involves patient and family in the formation of the plan of care.
- Formulates a teaching plan based on identified learning needs and evaluates effectiveness of learning; includes family in teaching, as appropriate.
- Maintains current knowledge of medications and their correct administration based on age of the patient and his/her clinical condition.
- Follows the five medication rights and reduces the potential for medication errors.
- Prepares, hangs, monitors and discontinues IV fluids.
- Maintains established departmental policies and procedures, objectives, performance improvement program, safety, environmental and infection control standards.
- Maintains a safe, comfortable and therapeutic environment for patients and families in accordance with Hospital standards.
- Ensures an adequate stock of supplies and proper functioning of equipment.
- Assists in cost containment through appropriate ordering and conserving of supplies and equipment.
- Cooperates with other personnel to achieve departmental objectives, maintain good employee relations and interdepartmental objectives.
- Demonstrates the ability to assist physicians with procedures in the Emergency Department.
- Leads one or more employees performing similar work; supervises temporary employees and employees who do not supervise; trains new employees; allocates and monitors the work of others.
- Participates in performance improvement activities.
- Enhances professional growth and development through participation in educational programs, current literature, in-service meetings, and workshops; shows responsibility for own professional practice and ongoing education.
- Performs other related duties as assigned or requested.
Professional Requirements
- Ensures that appearance and personal conduct are professional at all times.
- Excellent attendance record.
- Wears appropriate clothing for job functions. Wears ID badge.
- Works at maintaining a good rapport and a cooperative working relationship with physicians, administration, and staff.
- Represents the organization positively and professionally in the community.
- Maintains patient confidentiality at all times.
- Complies with all organizational policies regarding ethical business practices.
Regulatory Requirements
- Associates degree
- One year med/surg or ICU experience, or equivalent preferred
- Current Utah State license to practice as a Registered Nurse and ACLS certification are required
- PALS, NRP, TNCC, ENPC, are required within 1 year of hire and CEN is preferred
