Intensive Care Unit RN

Responsibilities:

The Advanced Skills Critical Care Registered Nurse is responsible for providing quality patient care through the nursing process of Assessment, Planning, Intervention, and Evaluation. This nurse serves as a patient advocate at all times, supervising the nursing care provided to each patient by other caregivers.

Developing the plan for nursing care as a result of coordination with the patient, family, and staff of other disciplines as necessary. Recognizing and responding appropriately to patient change in condition, institutes emergency action, notifies physician, obtains orders, etc.

Main Accountabilities:

• Maintain the standard of nursing care and implement the policies and procedures of the hospital and the nursing department
• Assess the patient on admission within the required time frame and make referrals to other disciplines based on the assessment
• Develop a nursing care plan for assigned patient on admission and update the plan of care as needed
• Able to release, remove, and reapply restraints to patient and ensure patient is in proper position and alignment
• Document patient admission assessment and reassessments, patient care plans, and other pertinent information completely in the patient's electronic medical record
• Demonstrate correct use of biomedical equipment such as defibrillator, suction machine, IV and feeding pumps, PCA pump, blood glucose monitoring machine
• Demonstrate safe and effective delivery of patient care such as completing team/patient assignments on time, making effective use of available time, showing initiative and teamwork
• Obtain consents for procedures and blood transfusions, ensuring patient has necessary information to make an informed decision
• Receive physician's orders, ensure transcription is accurate, and order entry is accurate
• Recognize and respond appropriately to patient change in condition such as cardiac rhythm, respiratory distress, GI bleed, pulmonary emboli/edema, diabetic ketoacidosis, adverse drug reaction, and blood transfusion reaction, etc.
• Institute emergency action, notify physician, obtain orders, etc
• Complete and document patient admission assessment and reassessments as required according to policy
• Report pertinent observations and reactions regarding patients to the appropriate person (i.e., physician, supervisor, charge nurse) and record these observations accurately
• Administer medications with verbalized knowledge of the action, side effects, correct dosages, and route according ICU policies and procedures
• Demonstrate ability to recognize and institute arrhythmia protocol for the following cardiac rhythms V-tach, V-fib, PVC's, asystole, 1st, 2nd, and 3rd degree heart block, atrial fibrillation, and atrial flutter
• Direct, supervise, and evaluate nursing care provided to patients
• Administer medications utilizing the seven rights of medication administration: right patient, route, time, medication, dose, reason, and documentation
• Assist physicians with special tests and procedures such as thoracentesis, paracentesis, arterial line, and bronchoscopy
• Participate in economical utilization of supplies and ensure that equipment is maintained in a clean and safe manner
• Participate in orientation of new personnel and performance evaluations of nursing staff
• Assist team members in giving care to patients or administer direct care when professional nursing skills and judgment are needed
• Coordinate nursing care of patients when scheduled for therapy or procedures by other departments
• Assist with or institute emergency measures for sudden adverse developments in patients such as cardiac arrest, respiratory arrest, or sepsis