HOSPICE IN THE PINES
JOB DESCRIPTION
REGISTERED NURSE INPATIENT
I. QUALIFICATIONS:
A. Graduate of an approved school of professional nursing.
B. Preferred six months or more in hospital/rehabilitation/nursing home setting.
C. Licensed with the Board of Nurse Examiners for the State of Texas.
D. Requires contact inside and outside the organization to furnish or obtain information-normal courtesy, tact, and discretion required.
II. JOB KNOWLEDGE:
A. Ability to understand the physical, psychosocial, and spiritual concerns/problems of the terminally ill patients and families.
B. Demonstrates knowledge of disease processes in teaching and delivery of empathetic care.
C. Understands the importance of financially responsible administration of care and utilization of resources.
III. FUNCTIONS:
A. Quality-completes work with accuracy and thoroughness.
B. Productivity-effectively utilizes time in accomplishing work.
C. Customer Focus-promotes, ensures, and abides by organizational and departmental standards.
D. Reliability-completes tasks assigned within scope of practice; follows up as needed.
E. Availability-meets attendance standards; is punctual; works when needed, responsible for checking schedule and covering missed shifts. All staff are responsible for covering their shifts when scheduling vacation or requesting time off. Supervising nurse will assist with shift coverage in the event of an emergency or inability to cover shift.
F. Decision making-displays sound judgment; works with minimal supervision.
G. Initiative-seeks out productive duties in absence of guidelines; is a self-starter.
H. Adheres to Policy-follows Hospice in the Pines rules, policies, procedures, and guidelines.
I. Interpersonal Relationships-cooperates, communicates, and works well with others.
J. Abides by time clock policy. Employee is required to clock in on arrival for shift and clock out at end of shift. Employee will be reimbursed for time worked via time clock punches. 30-minute lunches are automatically deducted from time worked if 8 or more hours are worked. Any breaks from the unit, with the exception of allotted breaks, will require employee to clock out for that time. Time worked over expected 12 hours must be approved by supervisor.
K. Professionalism-represents Hospice in the Pines, positively in actions and appearance.
L. Assess the physiological, religious, and cultural practices of patients; verifies patient name, verifies date of birth and allergies. Verification can be done with a family member.
M. Notes and documents condition and integrity of patients’ skin, notes any
abnormalities, injuries, rashes, and reddened areas.
N. Notes sensory impairments (hearing, visual, tactile, ect.)
O. Notes nutritional status of patients.
P. Verifies allergies and documents them appropriately.
Q. Documents findings both physical and mental in nurses’ notes, notifies RN and/or Physician if needed.
R. Assists with the assessment of patient including age, biophysical, environmental, and self-care factors.
S. Has awareness of age continuum; ability to obtain and interpret information in terms of specific age/patient needs and range of treatment per group.
T. Demonstrates accuracy in preparation and administering of medications; including IV medications and blood administration according to protocol.
U. Assists transporting patients of any status whenever necessary; confirms patient identification (both verbally and ID band); ensures safe transfer actions, applies proper principle of patient body alignment.
V. Assists with the teaching needs; provides patients and family instructions;
participates in discharge planning; determines effectiveness.
W. Maintains sterility of items opened; discards contaminated materials immediately.
X. Anticipates and provides equipment/supplies based on patient needs, assures equipment and supplies are functional prior to use; operates equipment according to manufacture guidelines.
Y. Remains aware of patient’s condition, initiates actions based on physical changes, alerts others to patient needs
Z. Maintains confidentiality and privacy; respects patients’ individual rights.
III. FUNCTIONS: (Continued)
AA. Properly records, labels, and handles specimens; ensures prompt and timely delivery.
BB. Provides patient care according to needs, physician’s orders, and established policy and procedure protocol.
CC. Assists Physicians in performing special procedures; complies all assignments in a timely manner.
DD. Demonstrates awareness professional accountability and compliance with regulatory agencies, infection control practices and monitoring, participates in the QAPI program, attends staff meetings and assist with the governance of the unit.
EE. Completes patient care activities during the assigned shift, effectively organizes work schedule and personal time, willingly assists other staff, works time necessary to meet patients needs, demonstrates ability to adjust to unit census/ acuity levels; accepts new, temporary, and special assignments as necessary.
FF. Keeps supervisor informed of effectiveness of nursing interventions; seeks assistance when warranted.
GG. Demonstrates knowledge of current nursing practices, technology, pharmacology, and terminology; remains aware of legal and ethical aspects of nursing care; meets CEU requirements for licensure.
HH. Demonstrates the ability to exercise sound, independent judgment in all situations.
II. Responsible for the delivery of care through the nursing process of assessment, planning, implementation, and evaluation. Directs and guides patient teaching activities. Each RN is assigned managerial responsibilities in the role of charge nurses.
JJ. Abides by overtime policy via handbook: hours beyond those formally budgeted and agreed on must be approved by the supervisor. Whenever possible, preauthorization is needed. In all cases, the supervisor must be notified within 24 hours.
KK. Abides by time clock policy. All inpatient staff are required to clock in and clock out for shifts.
LL. All staff are required to attend monthly mandatory in-services. All staff are to ensure they sign in-service sign in sheet and log.
MM. All other duties as assigned.
IV. ENVIRONMENTAL AND PHYSICAL REQUIREMENTS FOR CLINICAL
POSITIONS (to perform essential functions):
A. Must be able to work in diverse settings, to include possible contact with blood borne pathogens, respiratory hazards, and electrical hazards.
B. Must comply with all agency infection control and COVID policies.
C. Must be able to work in potentially volatile situations, such as being verbally
confronted by hostile individuals, patients, families, to include derogatory language.
D. Must be able to work alone doing repetitive tasks for extended periods of time
to include standing.
E. Must be able to work in high traffic area without disruption.
F. Must be able to stand, walk, lift, pull, and push.
G. Must be able to speak English, have adequate near vision, hear and smell for sensory purpose.
H. Must be able to distinguish colors to verify proper medical condition for
assessment purpose.
I. Must be able to climb stairs and ladders, for job requirements.
J. Must be able to perform repetitive motions, stooping, bending, grasping, reaching,
kneeling, carrying, and typing/word processing.
