Registered Nurse - Labor, Delivery, Recovery & Postpartum

Description

In-House Contract Registered Nurse — Labor, Delivery, Recovery & Postpartum  

Location: Clarksville, Arkansas 

Department: Labor, Delivery, Recovery & Postpartum (LDRP)  

Reports to: LDRP Director or designee 

Assignment Length: 12 weeks  

Base Pay: $50.00 per hour 

Schedule: Assigned 12-hour shifts; able to fill various shifts based on department needs  

Position Type: Temporary, in-house contract employee  

Position Summary:  

Johnson Regional Medical Center (JRMC) is seeking an experienced LDRP Registered Nurse for a12-week in-house contract assignment. 

The RN provides safe, compassionate, family-centered care throughout labor, delivery, recovery, and the postpartum period, along with newborn and mother–baby couplet care.  The successful candidate must demonstrate competency in labor management, postpartum nursing, newborn care, and couplet care. This assignment requires the ability to function independently following hospital orientation and validation of required competencies.  

Contract Eligibility and Terms  

• Base compensation is $50.00 per hour.  
• Assignment duration is 12 consecutive weeks, with start and end dates established in the written agreement.  
• Applicants must not have worked at JRMC during the six months immediately preceding the contract start date, including work as an employee, PRN employee, agency nurse, or other contract nurse.  
• Previous JRMC employees must be eligible for rehire.  
• This is a direct, in-house employment assignment with JRMC.  
• Scheduled weekly hours, shift assignment, weekend requirements, holiday coverage, and any call obligations will be specified in the written agreement.  
• Overtime, applicable differentials, incentive eligibility, benefits eligibility, and any guaranteed hours will be addressed in the written agreement and applicable hospital policies.  
• Completion of the assignment does not guarantee renewal or permanent employment.  Extensions require mutual written agreement.  
• The employee must maintain all required licenses, certifications, competencies, and employment qualifications throughout the assignment. 

 Essential Responsibilities:

Labor and Delivery  

• Perform and document maternal assessments, obstetric history, labor progress, pain assessments, and individualized plans of care.  
• Assess fetal status through appropriate monitoring; recognize concerning patterns and promptly communicate findings.  
• Provide nursing care during spontaneous, induced, and augmented labor.  
• Administer and monitor medications, IV fluids, and blood products according to authorized orders, hospital policies, and validated competencies.   
• Safely manage high-alert obstetric medications, including oxytocin and magnesium sulfate, when ordered and within validated competency.  
• Support patients receiving epidural or other prescribed analgesia and monitor maternal and fetal response.   
• Prepare for and assist with vaginal and operative births within the assigned nursing role.  
• Provide immediate maternal recovery care following delivery.  
• Recognize and respond to obstetric emergencies, including hemorrhage, hypertensive emergencies, eclampsia, shoulder dystocia, cord prolapse, and suspected maternal sepsis.  
• Assist with urgent or emergent cesarean birth preparation and care within validated competencies and hospital staffing arrangements. 

Postpartum Care 

• Perform and document postpartum assessments, including bleeding, uterine tone, vital signs, pain, incision or perineal status, elimination, mobility, and emotional well-being.  
• Recognize and escalate signs of postpartum hemorrhage, infection, hypertension, thromboembolism, and other complications.   Administer medications and evaluate treatment response.  
• Provide education on recovery, medications, warning signs, follow-up care, and when to seek emergency assistance.  
• Assess psychosocial needs and communicate concerns requiring additional support or evaluation.   
• Support feeding choices and provide breastfeeding assistance within nursing competency.  

Newborn Care 

• Perform and document newborn transition assessments and ongoing assessments.  
• Monitor respiratory status, temperature, feeding, intake and output, weight, and other clinical findings.  
• Recognize and respond to respiratory distress, hypoglycemia, temperature instability, feeding difficulty, jaundice, suspected infection, and other changes in condition.  
• Administer ordered medications and prophylaxis and complete required screenings according to hospital policy.   
• Initiate neonatal resuscitation and stabilization within NRP training and validated competency.  
• Assist with preparation for transfer when a newborn requires a higher level of care.  
• Teach parents and caregivers safe sleep, feeding, cord care, infant security, and newborn warning signs.  

Mother–Baby Couplet Care  

• Independently manage assigned mother–baby couplets based on acuity, competency, and the department’s staffing plan.  
• Maintain separate, accurate assessments, medication administration records, plans of care, and documentation for the mother and newborn.  
• Coordinate care while assessing the individual needs and safety of both patients.  
• Promote bonding, skin-to-skin care, rooming-in, and family participation when clinically appropriate.  
• Apply patient identification and infant security procedures consistently.  
• Complete discharge preparation and education for both mother and newborn.  

Safety, Documentation, and Professional Accountability 

• Complete assessments, reassessments, interventions, medication records, education, and discharge documentation accurately and within required time frames.  
• Use barcode scanning and patient identification processes according to hospital policy.  
• Accurately document supplies, procedures, and services to support continuity of care, supply tracking, coding, and billing.  Communicate changes in patient condition promptly and use the chain of command when concerns remain unresolved.  Provide complete bedside handoffs and coordinate care with providers and other departments.  
• Follow infection prevention, medication safety, fall prevention, infant security, and emergency preparedness requirements.  
• Report safety events, near misses, equipment concerns, and care variances promptly.  
• Participate in required drills, education, chart reviews, and quality improvement activities during the assignment.  
• Maintain respectful communication, patient confidentiality, and professional conduct.    

Requirements

  Required Qualifications  

• Graduate of an accredited registered nursing program.  
• Current, unrestricted Arkansas RN license or valid multistate RN license authorizing practice in Arkansas.  
• Recent, demonstrated experience independently caring for laboring patients, postpartum patients, newborns, and mother–baby couplets.  
• Current certifications:   

1. Basic Life Support (BLS).  
2. Advanced Cardiovascular Life Support (ACLS).  
3. Neonatal Resuscitation Program (NRP).  

• Demonstrated competency in electronic fetal monitoring, interpretation, documentation, and appropriate escalation of concerning findings.  
• Ability to recognize maternal and newborn deterioration and initiate appropriate interventions.   
• Successful completion of required preemployment screening, occupational health clearance, orientation, and competency validation.  

Preferred Qualifications  

• Two or more years of recent LDRP or comparable obstetric nursing experience.  
• Experience in a rural hospital setting.  
• Current fetal monitoring education, such as an accepted intermediate or advanced fetal monitoring course.   
• Experience with obstetric emergencies, cesarean birth support, breastfeeding assistance, and newborn stabilization.  
• Experience with JRMC’s electronic health record or a comparable documentation system. 

Scheduling and Attendance Expectations  

• Work the agreed schedule for the full 12-week assignment.  
• Meet assigned weekend and holiday requirements identified in the agreement.  
• Submit requested time off before contract execution; approval must be documented.  
• Arrive on time and ready to assume the patient assignment.  
• Follow hospital attendance, call-off, low-census, and scheduling policies.  
• Accept changes in patient assignments based on department needs, patient acuity, and validated competency.  
• Float only to assignments consistent with demonstrated competency, appropriate orientation, and hospital policy.  
• Complete required orientation and education. 
• Orientation hours and compensation will be specified in the agreement.  

Physical and Functional Requirements  

The role requires frequent standing and walking; bending, reaching, and repositioning; assisting with patient transfers using appropriate equipment and support; and responding promptly to emergencies. The RN must be able to monitor patients and equipment, communicate clearly, document care, and perform essential functions with or without reasonable accommodation.  

Performance and Contract Completion  

Continued assignment is contingent on satisfactory clinical performance, safe practice, attendance, professional conduct, timely documentation, and maintenance of required credentials. Performance concerns will be addressed under applicable JRMC policies and the written agreement. Contract cancellation, early separation, and notice provisions will be defined in the signed agreement.