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Northeast Georgia Health System is rooted in a foundation of improving the health of our communities.

About the Role:

Department Overview:

Woody Stewart Heart Failure is a 24 bed Intermediate Care Unit. Our patients consist of LVAD patients, patients with a low EF, heart failure patients that need IV diuretics (Lasix drips and Bumex) and Cardiac drips. The majority of patients have PA catheters that require CVP monitoring. Patients are monitored with bedside and central nurses' station continuous cardiac monitoring. Telemetry monitoring is provided by the Central Monitoring Unit. Early ambulation and strict I's and O's are a part of every patient's treatment plan as both are very important with heart failure patients. Patients admitted or transferred to this area are assessed, educated, monitored, cared for and treated. Education is a big part of what we do. Heart Failure doesn't just go away so we educate each patient on how to adjust to a life with heart failure.

Patients on this unit include:

* Hemodynamically stable heart failure patients with pulmonary artery (PA) catheter or CVP monitoring

* Patients with acute decompensated heart failure without shock

* Acute decompensated heart failure patients with stable respiration on chronic bipap or acute need for bipap

* Pre and post cardiac catheterization patients

* Pre and Post cardiac intervention patients, including pacemaker insertions and ICD implantations. Interventional peripheral and renal angioplasty patients requiring sheath care and removal

* Patients who have a Left Ventricular Assistive Device (LVAD) and are hemodynamically stable. * (LVAD) post-implantation surgical patients

* Patients with a venous or arterial sheath requiring care, monitoring and removal

* Pre-op open-heart surgical patients

* Patients receiving treatment of cardiac arrhythmia and hypotension including critical drips such as antiarrhythmic medications, and vasopressors

* Patients receiving pre and post electrophysiology procedure care

Job Summary

Capable clinician with previous specialty experience preferred, focused on expanding knowledge and skills. Consistently provides effective direct care as part of the interdisciplinary team to a variety of complex patients. Seeks as well as provides feedback for improved clinical practice. Assumes a beginning clinical bedside leadership role and seeks mentoring in this process. Is a professional member of VOICE professional nursing shared governance providing feedback on issues being addressed at meetings. Participates as a member on VOICE councils and Nursing Quality Teams as appropriate. Actively participates on Unit Council helping with plans to improve NDNQI nursing sensitive indicators, RN Satisfaction, Employee Engagement, Culture of Safety, and Patient Experience data. Works together with other care team members to recruit and retain an excellent nursing care team. For the new graduate clinical RN: focuses primarily on developing knowledge and skills and showing growth in ability to care for increasingly complex patients. Responsible for providing direct and safe patient care based on the nursing process, and for coordinating care for assigned patients on a shift to promote the achievement of clinical outcomes. Requires consultation with more experienced clinicians and accepts feedback as a constructive professional development tool.

Minimum Job Qualifications

• Licensure or other certifications: Licensed to practice as an RN in Georgia

• Educational Requirements: Associates Degree

• Minimum Experience:

• Other: One year of experience as a professional RN. New graduate RNs or those with less than one year of experience will be referred to the RN Residency Program.

Preferred Job Qualifications

• Preferred Licensure or other certifications: National certification in clinical specialty

• Preferred Educational Requirements: Bachelor of Nursing Degree

• Preferred Experience: Long Term Care: One year experience

• Other: Membership is professional organization

Job Specific and Unique Knowledge, Skills and Abilities

• Delivery of safe, effective, efficient care that meets population specific guidelines

• Actively works to make own and related teams successful, effectively communicates with patients, families and colleagues at all levels, shows consideration and respect or others and fosters customer service

• Effectively prioritizes, recognizes problems, and utilizes evidence based practice

• Demonstrates personal mastery, leadership of self and others, as appropriate, delegates appropriately, and supports NGHS shared governance model

• Basic computer skills necessary to operate computer systems used on unit
  

Essential Tasks and Responsibilities

• Clinical Skills and Knowledge: Demonstrates basic assessment skills. Demonstrates the 5 rights of medication administration. Manages care for basic patient assignment and progresses to care for increasingly complex patients. Accurately documents all aspects of the nursing process using the electronic medical record as applicable. Understands and complies with all DNV standards. Accesses and follows polices. Evaluates patient response to interventions and adjusts plan of care appropriately. Consistently coordinates interdisciplinary care. Uses resources effectively to reduce waste. Participates in PI processes. Participates in maintaining and monitoring the work environment to ensure compliance with DNV regulations. Coordinates discharge planning. Actively contributes to a culture of safety within the organization.

• Interpersonal Skills and Relationships: Includes the patient and family in patient care. Provides effective education appropriate for the learning needs of patient/ family. Demonstrates appropriate customer service behaviors. Participates in organizational and unit based customer service initiatives.

• Critical Thinking Skills and Innovation: Plans patient care based on assessment. Displays basic prioritization and time management skills. Evaluates patient's response to interventions and seeks support to adjust the plan of care. Utilizes resources on the unit to increase understanding of the care of unfamiliar patient populations. Recognizes signs of deteriorating patient and accesses appropriate resources. Reads nursing research/EBP articles. Participates in discharge planning with increasing responsibility and coordination. Demonstrates the ability to rapidly recognize and anticipate changes in patient status and takes appropriate action while maintaining professional composure. Recognizes existence of nursing practice trends and questions care as it relates to evidence based practice. Consistently and independently prioritizes patient care.

• Leadership and Professional Development: Supports unit goals. Demonstrates support of shared governance through awareness of initiatives. Completes a professional development plan and shows progress on personal learning goals. Supervises and ensures completion of task assigned to ancillary/support staff. Participates in the enhancement of the nursing profession and supporting the community. Appropriately delegates tasks. Seeks resources by actively consulting with the interdisciplinary team. Demonstrates support of shared governance through awareness of initiatives and by providing input. Serves in a unit leadership role(s). Serves as the Nurse in Charge as necessary fulfilling the following responsibilities: a. patient flow, b. matches given resources to patients for shift, c. escalates concerns using the chain of command.
  

Physical Demands

• Weight Lifted: Up to 100 lbs, Occasionally 0-30% of time

• Weight Carried: Up to 50 lbs, Occasionally 0-30% of time

• Vision: Moderate, Frequently 31-65% of time

• Kneeling/Stooping/Bending: Frequently 31-65%

• Standing/Walking: Frequently 31-65%

• Pushing/Pulling: Frequently 31-65%

• Intensity of Work: Frequently 31-65%

• Job Requires: Reading, Writing, Reasoning, Talking, Fingering

Working at NGHS means being part of something special: a team invested in you as a person, an employee, and in helping you reach your goals.

NGHS: Opportunities start here.

Northeast Georgia Health System is an Equal Opportunity Employer and will not tolerate discrimination in employment on the basis of race, color, age, sex, sexual orientation, gender identity or expression, religion, disability, ethnicity, national origin, marital status, protected veteran status, genetic information, or any other legally protected classification or status.