Operating Room Registered Nurse 3

The Operating Room RN III is an advanced licensed clinician and functions at the proficient level. The RN III provides professional direct patient care to a diverse population and is considered an expert in the specialty. Besides conducting nursing assessments, assisting with exams and treatment, and maintaining medical records, the RN III assists in coaching and mentoring department staff in clinical and professional practice areas. Role modeling compassionate communication with physicians and the interprofessional health care team, the RN III assumes leadership responsibilities with high-level contributions at the bedside, unit, service line, and across the institution. Responsibilities may include, but are not limited to, leading unit and shared governance activities, serving as charge nurse as needed, assessing the unit's needs related to practice and improvement opportunities, serving as a clinical resource for both unit and hospital staff, and coordinating unit and hospital-wide education in partnership with management.

Education:

• Must obtain the Bachelor of Science in Nursing within 2.5 years of the date of hire.
• The Associate's degree in Nursing is required at the date of hire.

Licensure/Certification:

• 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. 

This position may require the ability to maintain the security and integrity of UT San Antonio and its infrastructure per Texas EO-GA-48.

• Fosters staff engagement by listening actively, requesting and acknowledging feedback, making equitable decisions, providing appropriate rationale, and supporting organizational goals. 

• Anticipates the needs of the staff members and proactively offers assistance. 

• Role models interprofessional communication, which includes active listening and teaching, and assists with staff stress management as needed. Improves departmental scores for turnover/retention on unit-based scorecard. 

• Role models fair and consistent leadership skills for effective team dynamics and teambuilding strategies through problem-solving, coaching, and developing staff.

• Coaches staff to use efficient and effective communication to establish and maintain a team environment and to include the patient and family in the team regarding their care plan. 

• Provides input into staff performance reviews. Functions as a mentor and resource to unit staff and provides oversight for students/new employees/preceptorships. Identifies levels of organizational conflict and applies tools to effectively resolve concerns, complaints, or disputes with patients, families, physicians, and other interprofessional healthcare team members. 

• Leads patient and family-centered care standards. Mentor others regarding specialty populations; audit plan of care. 

• Practices in a manner that is congruent with cultural diversity and inclusion principles. 

• Maintains ongoing interactions with patients, families, and staff on improving patient care through leader rounding. 

• Ensures effective collaboration with other departments regarding patient process issues. 

• Drives department service standards and activities to improve department scores for patient satisfaction on unit-based scorecards. Models the standards of care related to the nursing process by actively participating in meeting and improving nurse-sensitive quality indicators and patient safety goals. 

• Participates in creating a continuous improvement environment. Coordinates nursing care throughout the shift schedule, considering patient acuity, staff skill level, and safety to ensure our duty to our patients can be met. 

• Models the standards related to regulatory requirements and professional practice. Facilitates seamless patient flow to/from/through the department, leading the delivery of quality family-centered care throughout the continuum of care. 

• Ensures the patient care plan is accurate and timely, coaching staff if documentation deficiencies are identified. Works closely with the OAs and bed management regarding timely patient placement. 

• Proactively recognizes and determines a plan of action and responds to situations, such as rapid response/CERTs and emergency codes. 

• Participates in initiatives to improve quality and safety scores on the unit and hospital scorecards through peer-to-peer accountability, reporting near misses, and identifying solutions by collaborating with the interprofessional team. Role models situational awareness, using teachable moments to improve safety. 

• Assists with audits. Implements department strategies to achieve financial targets on unit-based scorecards. 

• Metrics include documentation of care and length of stay while optimizing efficiency and resources, such as overtime. 

• Attends daily care coordination rounds to facilitate patient progression. 

• Ensures that follow-up has been implemented on any concerns or issues the team identifies. 

• Manages productivity by the staffing grid. Provides input into unit resource utilization, including unit capital and operational budget needs. 

• Oversees shift-by-shift resource utilization. Manages to identify and implement innovative solutions for practice changes to improve patient care or unit operations, such as reducing hospital readmissions or other department-specific measures by leading and participating in unit projects and shared governance activities.

• Investigate and incorporate evidence-based practices that are presented to shared governance and leadership. 

• Supports change initiatives and adapts to unexpected changes. 

• Expands individual nursing knowledge and coaches staff to grow knowledge, abilities, and skills. Serves as a clinical resource. 

• Develops and disseminates, as appropriate, informational/educational resources and programs designed to improve quality and professional practice. 

• Performs other job-related duties as assigned.