Assistant Head Nurse

Overview:

The Assistant Head Nurse (AHN) assists in coordinating, developing, implementing and evaluating nurse care and practice within a specific unit. Maintains standards of nursing care and practice by directing and guiding unit personnel. Collaborates with nurse manager and educator with orientation of professional and ancillary nursing personnel assigned to unit.

• Provide age-appropriate, culturally competent care and family-centered care.
• Able to prioritize and assist in the care of Triage patients in Labor and Delivery.
• Performs a thorough patient assessment and reassessment of the maternity patient and neonate.
• Establishes a plan of care based on patient diagnosis.
• Demonstrates a thorough knowledge of equipment utilized in patient care (infant warmers, fetal monitors, birthing bed, infant warmers, cardiac monitoring).
• Able to care for antepartum (low and high risk), postpartum (NSVD and C/S) and low-risk GYN patients
• Pain assessment and reassessment.
• Able to interpret fetal monitoring and contraction patterns (internal and external)
• Recognizes deviations from normal maternal, fetal and neonatal status, alert providers and initiate interventions
• Initiates and assists with breastfeeding, unless medically contraindicated.
• Aware of and assists with policy and procedure review and development
• Participation in unit-based performance improvement and quality measures
• Participation in unit and multidisciplinary rounds
• Involved in discharge planning
• Can initiate and assist with neonatal resuscitative measures
• Ensuring regulatory requirements are met and maintained Follows infection control standards of care
• Aware of Code Pink infant safety policies and procedures
• Conducts individual and group discharge education and breastfeeding classes.
• Provide low-risk neonatal care to infants in the well-baby nursery including newborn assessments, daily care, audiology, phototherapy and other procedures as ordered
• Circulate during newborn procedures such as circumcision
• Performs transitional duties; assists with the initiation of skin to skin and newborn care after NSVD and C-Sections
• Collaborates with social work/case management for appropriate referrals to ACS, external agencies, etc.
• Monitors patients vital signs according to hospital policy.
• Administers medications and performs diagnostic tests.
• Consulting with physicians/providers and other team members.
• Monitors and performs essential tests on newborns
• Provides education and support to mothers and family
• Performs duties of transitional nurse: assisting with skin to skin initiation ns newborn care after vaginal and cesarean delivery.
• Participates in clinically appropriate continuing education activities.
• Delegates responsibilities to PCA/PCT to ensure tasks are completed; provide assistance as needed
• Maintains current nursing knowledge to assure a safe working environment.
• Maintains competency and updates knowledge of standards of practice in scope of practice as per AWHON.
• Participates in assigned departmental or organizational committees, meetings and/or conferences.
• Performs other duties as assigned within the RN scope of practice.
• Supervises and assists staff in the delivery of patient care through the nursing process of assessment, planning, intervention, and evaluation.
• Establishes work schedules and assignments for staff according to patient census and acuity, space and equipment availability.
• Ensures that equipment is in working order and that supply levels are maintained appropriately.
• Monitors and evaluates patient status, appropriateness of the nursing plan of care, and outcomes of the care provided. Intervenes in identified patient problems and seeks resolution.
• Serves as a clinical resource and assists staff in clinical role based on staffing needs.
• Provides regular feedback to the patient care team to foster engagement and personal growth.
• Assists the Nurse Manager in the performance evaluation of assigned staff. Communicates immediate concerns related to staff performance to Nurse Manager.
• Facilities and collaborates with healthcare team to ensure coordination of unit activity and effective and efficient interdisciplinary care.
• Acts as liaison to internal and external personnel, patients, medical and nursing staff, and hospital administration.
• Responsible for regulatory agency compliance during assigned shift.
• Participates in professional organizations and activities which promote growth and development.
• Participates in continuous quality improvement teams and activities.
• Manages the Nursing Unit in the absence of the Nurse Manager.
• Involved in the performance evaluation process.
• Participation in unit and multidisciplinary rounds.
• Ensures the appropriate inventory of equipment and supplies are available.
• Participates in supporting the organizations vision, mission and values and adheres to and exhibits Organizational Standards of Behavior.
• Performs other duties as assigned to meet the goals and objectives of the Organization.

Education:

• BA/BS in Nursing or current enrollment to BSN Program.
• Master's Degree in Nursing or Related Filed preferred.

Experience:

• Minimum three (3) years' of Mother-Baby experience.

Knowledge and Skills:

• Critical thinking, math, and computer skills; Works as a team player.
• Demonstrates respect and professionalism in all interactions.
• Excellent oral and communication skills.
• Decision making and problem solving.
• Able to read, write, see and hear English.

Licenses, Certifications:

• Current NY State RN License required
• Basic Life Support (BLS) required
• ACLS required
• NRP required
• WHO 20 hour Breastfeeding Course (Women and Children Division) or equivalent training required
• Maternal Newborn Nursing Certification and/ or Inpatient Obstetric Nursing Certification preferred
• AWHOM: Fetal Monitoring Certificate Intermediate and/ or Basic preferred
• Certified Lactation Counselor preferred
• International Board Certified Lactation Consultant preferred

Physical Requirements:

• Physically demanding, high-stress environment requiring prolonged periods of standing, reaching, walking throughout the working day.
• Position will be required to stoops, bends, lifts, carry items weighing up to 35 pounds for routine performance of essential functions.
• An individual in this position may be exposed to: Adverse indoor environmental conditions, Blood borne pathogens, Blood and body fluids, Physical hazards (e.g., needle pricks, etc.), communicable diseases, chemical hazards, radiation, and repetitive motions.
• Full range of body motion, able to lift up to 100 pounds, if necessary, to assist lifting and moving patients.
• Manual and finger dexterity, as well as hand and eye coordination.
• Corrected vision and hearing to within normal range
• Frequently sitting at desk working on computer
• Ability to flex working hours.

Reasonable accommodations may be made to enable individuals with disabilities to perform the essential functions.

The statements herein are intended to describe the general nature and level of work being performed by employees, and are not to be construed as an exhaustive list of responsibilities, duties, and skills required of personnel so classified. Furthermore, they do not establish a contract for employment and are subject to change at the discretion of The Brookdale Hospital Medical Center.

BHMC is an equal opportunity employer, it is our policy to provide equal opportunity to all employees and applicants for employment without regard to race, color, religion, national origin, marital status, military status, age, gender, sexual orientation, disability or handicap or other characteristics protected by applicable federal, state, or local laws.