Job Description

University of Utah Job Description

Job Summary

This position is responsible for delivering exceptional nursing care to patients by utilizing strong organizational and leadership skills to assess patient status, implement clinical nursing interventions to modify symptoms, and develop and implement patient care plans to enhance and improve outcomes and ensure a safe and therapeutic environment. This position may be required to access and administer medications within their scope of practice and according to State Law.

Qualifications

Required

• Current RQI Healthcare Provider eCredential through the University of Utah Health RQI system. The eCredential is to be obtained within 30 days of hire.

• Current license to practice as a Registered Nurse in the State of Utah, or obtain one within 90 days of hire under the interstate compact if switching residency to State of Utah. Must maintain current Interstate Compact (multi-state) license if residency is not being changed to Utah.

Preferred

• 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 or equivalency (one year of education can be substituted for two years of related work experience).

This position is patient-sensitive and must fulfill all associated vaccination requirements, or be approved for an exemption, prior to the first day of work. 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

• Identifies, assesses and diagnoses problems through patient assessment and interactions; and evaluates actual or potential patient health problems.
• Assesses, plans and implements interventions for solving patient care problems.
• Formulates care plans for specific patients and documents the nursing process in patient's record.
• Evaluates patient response to interventions and modifies plan of care as needed to achieve health care goals.
• 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.
• Maintains a safe and therapeutic patient care environment.
• Provides guidance and direction to members of the health care team to ensure quality patient care.
• Keeps current on advances in nursing care by participating in educational programs.
• Orients and educates new staff in nursing techniques and departmental procedures.
• Provides and oversees direct patient care in accordance with established nursing protocol and physicians' orders.
• Utilizes knowledge of medications, procedures, infection control, and safety precaution; and initiates appropriate interventions in crisis situations.
• Participates in total quality management to positively affect patient and system outcomes to improve care.

Problem Solving

• Demonstrated potential ability to perform the essential functions as outlined above.
• Ability to provide care to the population served.
• Demonstrated leadership, human relations, and effective communication skills.
• Ability to function during regularly scheduled, 12 hour, extended or alternative shifts.
• Ability to display mental and emotional stamina in situations dealing with death, multiple patients, family members, etc.
• Demonstrated ability to function calmly and competently in high stress situations.
• Ability to deal with the hazards involved in assessing and providing care to patients.
• Demonstrated 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.
• 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 skill.

Comments

Employee must be able to meet the following requirements with or without an accommodation.

• This position involves intensive work that may exert up to 100 pounds and may consistently require lifting, carrying pushing, pulling or otherwise moving objects, such as medical equipment, or patients while providing medical care. Workers in this position may be exposed to infectious diseases and may be required to function around prisoners and behavioral health patients.

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.