Job Description

University of Utah Job Description

Job Summary

This position is responsible for delivering professional nursing care to patients by utilizing strong organizational and leadership skills to assess patient status; implements clinical nursing interventions to modify symptoms; and develops, implements and evaluates patient care plans to enhance and improve outcomes and ensures a safe and therapeutic environment.

Qualifications

Current licensure to practice as a Registered Nurse in the State of Utah or equivalency required. Basic Life Support Health Care Provider card or must obtain one within one month of hire required. Must demonstrate evidence of 400-800 clinical hours in an acute care setting during formal education through an academic entity that has arranged and provided for the clinical training site, or 2080 hours in an acute care setting post course work. Strong organizational and leadership skills as well as demonstrated human relation and effective communication skills are also required. Some positions may require additional certifications such as Advanced Cardiac Life Support (ACLS), Pediatric Advanced Life Support (PALS), or Neonatal Resuscitation Program (NRP) within one year of hire.

This position is patient-sensitive and must fulfill all associated requirements. We protect our patients, coworkers and community by requiring all patient-sensitive employees to be immunized according to CDC standards and hospital policy. Limited exemptions may be made for documented medical contraindications or religious beliefs that object to vaccinations.

Applicants must demonstrate the potential ability to perform the essential functions of the job as outlined in the position description.

Disclaimer

This job description has been designed to indicate the general nature and level of work performed by employees within this classification.  It is not designed to contain or be interpreted as a comprehensive inventory of all duties, responsibilities and qualifications required of employees assigned to the job.

Essential Functions

1. Identifies, assesses and diagnoses problems through patient assessment and interactions; and evaluates actual or potential patient health problems.
2. Assesses, plans and implements interventions for solving patient care problems.
3. Formulates care plans for specific patients and documents the nursing process in patients record.
4. Evaluates patient response to interventions and modifies plan of care as needed to achieve health care goals.
5. Develops and participates in educating patients, their families, or significant others about post discharge care programs.Initiates patient care meetings with the health care team to revise the plan of care as the patient’s condition warrants.
6. Maintains a safe and therapeutic patient care environment.
7. Provides guidance and direction to members of the health care team to ensure quality patient care.
8. Keeps current on advances in nursing care by participating in educational programs.
9. Orients and educates new staff in nursing techniques and departmental procedures.
10. Provides and oversees direct patient care in accordance with established nursing protocol and physicians’orders.
11. Utilizes knowledge of medications, procedures, infection control, and safety precaution; and initiates appropriate interventions in crisis situations.
12. Participates in total quality management to positively effect patient and system outcomes to improve care.

Problem Solving

The scope of the Clinical Nurse’s authority is to make nursing practice decisions in his/her area of specialty as is broadly defined by University of Utah Hospital, Nursing Practice Department, unit-specific policies and standards, and as outlined in the Nurse Practice Act. Major challenges encountered by the incumbent include problems related to patients and/or patient’s families; determining the appropriate nursing action in crisis/emergency situations; assessing and prioritizing patients needs.

Comments

Incumbents must have the ability to function during regularly scheduled, 12 hour, extended, or alternative shifts; demonstrates both mental and emotional stamina in situations dealing with death, multiple patients, family members, etc.; function calmly and competently in high stress situations; and the ability to deal with the hazards involved in assessing and providing care to patients. Incumbents face exposure to potentially dangerous infections contaminants as part of the daily hazards of the job.

The staff member must be able to demonstrate the knowledge and skills necessary to provide care appropriate to the age of the patients served on his or her assigned unit.  The individual must demonstrate knowledge of the principles of life span growth and development and the ability to assess data regarding the patient's status and provide care as described in the department's policies and procedures manual.