PERFORMANCE PLANNING

Plans, coordinates and directs quality, compassionate care by maintaining standards of professional nursing practice and creating positive therapeutic relationships with patients/families.  Provides leadership to other team members by articulating and delegating expected standards of care, supervising and encouraging team members, and supporting their contributions.  Supervises LPNs, PCAs, PCAs/US, US and/or Techs.

KEY RESPONSIBILITIES/ESSENTIAL JOB FUNCTIONS

1. Assess condition on each assigned patient on admission and on an ongoing basis to include but not limited to the patient’s physical condition, psychological status, social status, spiritual and cultural needs, pain assessment/management, nutritional and functional status, developmental or age related             factors, and discharge planning needs.  Specific ages:  adult and geriatric as defined by scope of   service.
2. Administers and manages dialysis treatments including set-up, monitoring, and daily maintenance of equipment.
3. Manages the full continuum of care for End-Stage Renal Disease (ESRD) to include assessment,            monitoring of vital signs of patient’s condition before, during and after dialysis treatments and management of dialysis access site.
4. Maintains functional knowledge of dialysis equipment and water systems and follows safety practices to include but not limited to water-ph monitoring, checking of chlorine residuals, auto testing and alarms testing machines, water hardness, water pressure monitoring, disinfecting and collection of environmental cultures.
5. Plans, directs, supervises and evaluates nursing care provided to patients according to problems identified.
6. Collaborates and coordinates with physicians and other disciplines regarding individualized patient treatment/care plans by participating in interdisciplinary conferences, care planning/problem identification and shift reports.
7. Administers medication, IV therapy, and performs treatments to all assigned patients, according to policy and procedure.
8. Plans and provides patient and/or significant other education based on physical, behavioral, psychological, developmental, and age-related factors, after identifying barriers to learning.
9. Follows safety practices and helps to maintain a safe, clean environment.
10. Reports pertinent patient observations and test results to the appropriate person (i.e., physicians, nurse manager, charge nurse and/or nursing supervisor) and records those observations accurately and concisely. 
11. Documents all patient care assessments, evaluations, activities and/or observations according to policies and \ procedures.
12. Assigns nursing care to team members in accordance with the patient’s needs and the personnel’s capabilities and qualifications, and assigns other duties as needed.
13. Assists with or institutes emergency measures for sudden adverse developments in patients such as cardiac arrest.
14. Attends inservice programs (mandatory), all required training/education and unit/departmental service meetings.
15. In order to be eligible to serve as RN Charge Nurse the following requirements must be met:

• Demonstrates leadership skills, decision making abilities and communications skills necessary for the role.
• Adequate clinical experience and functioning as a resource person for the unit.
• Ability to assign staff, considering acuity, needs of the patient, level of staff experience and unit guidelines.

DCH Standards:

• Maintains performance, patient and employee satisfaction and financial standards as outlined in the performance evaluation.
• Performs compliance requirements as outlined in the Employee Handbook
• Must adhere to the DCH Behavioral Standards including creating positive relationships with patients/families, coworkers, colleagues and with self.
• Requires use of electronic mail, time and attendance software, learning management software and intranet.
• Must adhere to all DCH Health System policies and procedures.
• All other duties as assigned.

MINIMUM KNOWLEDGE, SKILLS, EXPERIENCE REQUIRED

Current Alabama RN licensure.  Must be able to read, write legibly, speak, and comprehend English.