Purpose of Your Job Position: Provides direct medical and programmatic nursing care to all adult patients, ages 18+, utilizing the nursing process and participating in inpatient and family teaching and discharge planning. Assumes responsibility for completing assigned duties and for supervision of non-licensed nursing staff, LVN’s and LPT’s. Works cooperatively with patient care personnel to maintain standards of professional nursing practice in the clinical setting.

MAJOR DUTIES AND RESPONSIBILITIES

NURSING PROCESS:

• Performs assessment/data collection in an ongoing and systematic manner, focusing on physiologic, psychological, and cognitive status.

• Formulates a goal-directed plan of care which is prioritized and based on determined nursing diagnosis and patient outcomes.

• Implements care of all adult patients, ages 18+, in a knowledgeable, skillful, consistent and continuous manner.

• Functions to establish priorities of patient care based on essential adult needs and available unit resources of time, personnel, equipment, and supplies.

• Communicates with adults, ages 18+, in language the patient can understand.

• Evaluates effectiveness of self, care given by all health care team members, and contribution of systems, environment, and program progressing patient toward desired outcomes.

• Ability to assess the age-specific needs for all adults, ages 18+.

• Demonstrates competency working with the age and unit-specific needs of adults, ages 18+, as addressed in the individual unit competency checklists.

• Assesses the patient’s current growth and developmental stage and plans interventions to facilitate movement to the next stage; evaluates the effectiveness of interventions.

TECHNICAL SKILLS:

Demonstrates competency in selected psychomotor skills and therapeutic use of self.

PATIENT EDUCATION:

Identifies patient learning needs and implements age-appropriate measures to meet these.

DOCUMENTATION:

Performs documentation duties on unit and in patient records which are timely, accurate, and concise.

PATIENT’S RIGHTS:

Demonstrates awareness of and sensitivity to patient rights, as identified within the institution and by the California Department of Health Care Services.

SAFETY:

Functions with an awareness of patient safety issues and applies basic principles of safety as identified within the facility.

EMERGENCY SITUATIONS:

Performs efficiently in emergency patient situations following established protocols, remaining calm, informing appropriate persons, and documenting events.

PROBLEM-SOLVING/DECISION MAKING:

• Practices effective problem identification and resolution skills as a method of managing problems and conflicts.

• Consistently considers unit/program/department/facility goals as part of the problem-solving/ decision-making process.

LEGAL ISSUES:

Demonstrates awareness of legal issues pertinent to all adult patients, ages 18+, in all aspects of patient care and unit function and strives to manage situations in a reduced risk manner.

GUEST RELATIONS:

Extends self to make patients, visitors, clinical staff, and peers feel welcome and respected.

KNOWLEDGE BASE:

Demonstrates sound knowledge base and actions in the care and decision making for all adult patients, ages 18+.

GOALS:

Participates in development and attainment of unit and Department of Nursing goals.

DELEGATION/COORDINATION:

Demonstrates appropriate delegation of tasks and duties in the direction and coordination of the nursing team members, patient care, and unit activities.

QUALITY ASSURANCE/STANDARDS:

Participates in unit and Department of Nursing Quality Assurance activities; gives input into standards development.

COMMUNICATION:

• Demonstrates effective communication methods and skills, using lines of authority appropriately.

• Keeps self-informed of the content of staff meetings, new policies, and other significant information.

WORKING RELATIONSHIPS:

Develops and maintains effective working relationships with all health care team members, patients, and their significant others.

TEACHING OTHERS:

Participates actively in staff development activities for unit and nursing personnel in general.

PROFESSIONALISM:

Demonstrates awareness of self responsibility and accountability for own professional practice.

STAFFING:

Remains flexible in responding to unit needs regarding schedules and resolution of staffing conflicts; cooperates with temporary assignment measures of the Department of Nursing.

SELF VALIDATION:

Seeks validation of knowledge base, skill level, and decision making as necessary and assertively seeks guidance in areas of question.

SELF DEVELOPMENT:

Demonstrates self-directed learning and participation in continuing education to meet own professional development needs.

MINIMUM DATA SETS (MDS’S)

Completes MDS’s for patients as needed.

QUALIFICATIONS

• Graduation from an accredited professional nursing school.

• Current license to practice professional nursing in the State of California.

• Previous psychiatric/chemical dependency treatment experience or experience in a related field, or beginning with employment concurrently attending seminars, workshops, or staff development in-services in the area of assignment.

• Ability to assess the age-specific needs for all adults, ages 18+.

PHYSICAL AND SENSORY REQUIREMENTS:

• Must be able to move intermittently throughout the workday.

• Must be able to read, write and speak English in an understandable manner.

• Must be able to cope with the mental and emotional stress of the position.

• Must possess sight/hearing senses, or use prosthetics that will enable these senses to function adequately so that the requirements of this position can be fully met.

• Must function independently, and have flexibility, personal integrity, and the ability to work effectively with patients, personnel, and support agencies.

• Must be in good health and demonstrate emotional stability.

• Must be able to relate to and work with ill, disabled, elderly, emotionally upset, and at times hostile people within the facility.

• May be required to lift residents, medical equipment, supplies, etc.