Acute Care RN 4

The Acute Care RN IV practices at the level of an expert practitioner of nursing. The nurse at this level demonstrates expertise in caring for patients with multiple and complex problems. In addition to demonstrating clinical leadership on the unit, the Registered Nurse IV serves as a resource and system-wide consultant to staff and participates in endeavors to increase nursing knowledge. The Registered Nurse IV functions as a clinical leader.

• Demonstrates the skills and competencies necessary to safely perform the assigned job, determined through on-going skills, competency assessments, and performance evaluations
• Sufficient proficiency in speaking, reading, and writing the English language necessary to perform the essential functions of this job, especially with regard to activities impacting patient or employee safety or security.
• Uses therapeutic communication to establish a relationship with patients, families and interprofessional team to collaborate on the plan of care
• Strong assessment, organizational and problem-solving skill as evidenced by capacity to prioritize multiple tasks and role components
• Ability to function independently and exercise judgment in interactions with physicians, interprofessional care team and patients and their families
• Uses critical thinking skills and clinical judgment to work autonomously as defined by the Nurse Practice Act
• The promotion of expert professional practice by evaluating his/her own practice and evaluating patient outcomes
• The ability to plan for care expertly using the nursing process: assessment, diagnosis, intervention and evaluation of outcomes utilizing nursing art and science.
• The ability to provide others in the profession with expert Peer Review to improve practice.
• The practice of expert anticipatory care, alert to changing patient conditions prior to a critical incident.
• The expert integration and support for patient safety systems by role-modeling for others, such that to “Do No Harm”.
• The expert leadership of research utilization and generation by investing in the development of others.
• The application of expertise in the improvement for the best in patient care
• The ability to contribute to the profession's knowledge by valuing the discipline to bring organizational nursing excellence to the institution.
• Working knowledge of Microsoft Office products including PowerPoint, Word, Excel, and Outlook
• Ability to serve as a preceptor and a mentor by fostering a teaching environment. 

Education: Bachelor's of Science in Nursing required

Certification/Licensure:

• Current Texas Board of Nursing (or Compact State) RN license; Or a Temporary Texas RN License (Permanent TX license within 90 days upon hire).
• American Heart Association Basic Life Support (BLS) certification, within 7 days of hire.

• Promotes an environment that values open communication, teamwork, and exceptional service. Ensures that appropriate care and services are available to patients, clients, and families during assigned shifts.
• Facilitates interdisciplinary collaboration in patient/client care planning to achieve desired patient outcomes. Coordinates care with interdisciplinary team members. Demonstrates and role models clinical expertise in specified patient populations and shares expertise with other staff.
• Promotes and ensures the use of the nursing process to provide quality patient care. Assesses and anticipates patient and family learning needs and organizes resources to ensure that they are met. Performs bedside point-of-care testing as required for a patient care plan.
• Coordinates, designs, and implements educational programs to meet the identified learning needs of staff, patients, and families. Promotes and ensures staff participation in continuing education, orientation, competency, in-service, and staff development offerings.
• Participates in the development and implementation of competency initiatives. Serves as an area of specialty consultant in the design of educational programs.
• Participates in developing and providing clinical expertise for patient education materials. Promotes professional growth of self and staff. Promotes a conducive environment for learning and provides educational experiences for students.
• Creates and promotes an environment conducive to recruiting and retaining staff. Provides feedback to Manager/Assistant Nurse Manager and Director to assist in hiring, promoting, transferring and terminating staff.
• Assists Nurse Manager by providing assigned staff with performance feedback and opportunity to set professional goals. Models and promotes behaviors that effectively give continual feedback to staff and colleagues. Integrates best practice standards regarding retention of staff in all aspects of practice.
• Establishes and promotes standards of excellence for areas of responsibility and ensures consistent implementation by staff. Provides input about trends related to program development, space needs, and fiscal realities.
• Collaborates with the Nurse Manager to evaluate research that applies to practice and promotes changes in standards of care as appropriate. Guides research development and implementation. Utilizes resources in asking research questions and applying appropriate research methods. Shares knowledge with colleagues through publication, presentations, or other means.
• Develops, implements, and evaluates new and creative approaches to meeting goals. Leads participates in and promotes performance improvement initiatives that focus on identified patient safety or quality of care opportunities.
• Performs other job-related duties as assigned.