RN Emergency Department PT Days

The ED Charge Nurse is responsible for patient care in the emergency room and assists with Acute Care/Swing beds.  This position is designated as the charge nurse for acute care and swing beds and is responsible for the Long-Term care and Assisted Living if needed for emergency situations. 

Duties and Essential Functions

• Follows the role of charge nurse and the responsibilities with staff as well as residents/patients according to policies and procedures of the facility.  
• Acts as a team member and assists with all direct patient care. This may include answering lights, baths, vital signs, etc. as time and census allows.
• Triages all patients within 15 minutes of arrival.
• Maintains optimal physiological function of all patients.
• Performs patient assessment on all ED patients, according to complaint.
• Ensures charting is appropriate, timely and complete on all patients.
• Performs basic and advanced nursing procedures as dictated by physician’s orders and patient assessments.
• Gives report to floor RN for an admission and calls report to transferring hospitals.
• Demonstrates performance of all emergency equipment including but not limited to: EKG machine, ventilator, defibrillator, vein finder, and IV pumps.
• Acts as a liason to all nursing units during emergencies and when questions arise.
• Reports to the medical provider, as needed, when new problems develop with individual patients.  
• Appropriate and complete documentation for all ED patients including but not limited to triage notes, ED procedures, medication administration transfers, and death documentation.
• Completes and forwards, in a timely manner, a Quality Management Memo to Nursing Administration when incidents involving visitors, patients, or staff occur.  Notifies family and physician of all incidents.
• Ensures Incident Reports are completed and forwarded to the Employee Health/Infection Control Nurse.  
• Ensures that patient rights are honored by all under his/her supervision.   Examples: free from abuse, physical or mental, and treated with dignity and respect.
• Assists in completion of administrative forms and reports.  Examples, but not all inclusive are:
  • Performance evaluations of staff.
  • Updating policies and procedures.
  • Gives verbal report for oncoming shift.

Specific shift assignments:

7 am – 7 pm

• • Checks crash carts and documents on log daily.
  • Ensures IV caddy is stocked with needed supplies.

7 am – 7 pm

• • Completes Glucometer Q.C.
  • Monthly complete inventory of crash cart.
  • Ensures ED rooms are stocked.
  • Ensures IV caddy is stocked with needed supplies.