Description
Summary of Duties
The primary area of responsibility is the management of patient care. This includes clinical nursing practice/caring, leadership professionalism, and growth and development. The RN is responsible for the assessment, planning, implementation, and evaluation of patient care. He/she demonstrates positive customer service relations through effective communication skills, patient advocacy, and maintaining collaborative relationships. The RN is expected to contribute to improvements in standards of care, support departmental policies and assume responsibilities for meeting professional education goals.
Major Tasks, Duties and Responsibilities:
Leadership
1. The RN provides leadership in the professional practice setting and the profession.
2. Integrates evidence-based knowledge into practice.
3. Assists with QI data collection on the unit.
Teamwork

1. Collaborates and communicates with the patient, family members, and other health care team members to meet the patients' needs.
2. Recognizes and understands the importance of involving patient, family and other healthcare providers in implementing patient plans.
3. Implements the discharge plan as applicable to this setting, involving patient, family and health care providers.
4. Interacts with and contributes to the professional development of peers and colleagues.
5. Follows established communication, dress, and behavior guidelines.
6. Performs other such duties not listed herein but deemed in the best interest of the unit and/or the hospital.

Professional Nursing

1. Provides safe patient care according to established standards, polices, and procedures.
2. Attains knowledge and competency that reflects current nursing practice.

Reads current nursing literature.
Maintains professional records that provide evidence of competency and lifelong learning.
Assumes responsibility for meeting educational needs including mandatory programs.
Obtains a minimum of 30 hours of professional development per year.
3. Evaluates areas of professional development needs and develops goals and a plan to meet them with manager annually.
4. Integrates ethical provisions in all areas of practice.
Uses ANA's Code of Ethics for Nurses to guide practice.
Delivers care in a manner that preserves and protects patient autonomy, dignity, and patient rights.
Maintains patient confidentiality within legal and regulatory parameters.
Reports illegal, incompetent or impaired practices.

1. Participation in Shared Leadership

Attends and participates in 75% of unit staff meetings.
Safe Patient Care Delivery

1. Maintains safe and therapeutic patient care environment and equipment which minimizes risk, injury, error, infection and allows healing.
2. Uses best practices in communications in transferring or reporting patient care using established hand-off communication processes.
3. Collects comprehensive data pertinent to the patient's health or situation, cultural or spiritual needs.
4. Performs and documents systematic assessments according to established criteria.
5. Recognizes and responds to abnormal diagnostic data and reports to appropriate provider.
6. Develops and maintains a professional and personable relationship with patients/families.
7. Demonstrates basic critical thinking skills.
8. Documentation reflects adherence to hospital and legal requirements.
9. All standards of practice are based on individualized cultural, age appropriate, environmentally sensitive, and population specific factors.
10. Meets age and population specific mandatory education competencies as defined by the department specific scope of service.
11. Provides care to patients and families from all manner of diverse backgrounds and presentations in a non-judgmental manner.
12. Recognizes the patient and family as the center of care.

Resources

1. Understands the principles of time management and seeks assistance when needed.
2. Considers factors related to safety, effectiveness, cost, and impact on practice in planning and delivery of nursing services.
3. Knowledgeable about Maine nursing statutes regarding the conditions under which an RN may delegate.

Outcomes

1. Identifies expected outcomes for a plan individualized to the patient or situation.
2. Evaluates patient care and effectiveness of interventions.
3. Documents teaching and evaluation of patient/family understanding.
4. Demonstrates awareness of unit teaching resources.
5. Assists the patient and family in becoming informed consumers about treatment and care.

Requirements
Accountability
The registered nurse, by his/her license, is accountable for the care of assigned patients. The nature of the duties requires responsibility for carrying out direct patient care assignments and/or working with programs of an interdepartmental nature. May have routine access to privileged patient, diagnostic, or prognostic information.
Education

1. Graduate from an accredited school of nursing. Holds a current RN license with the Maine State Board of Nursing.
2. Must meet mandatory education requirements defined by the organization.
3. In addition, specific units have additional minimum requirements that must be met within the time limits noted: