RN NICU Transport Nurse

All nursing practice is based on the legal scope of practice, national and specialty nursing standards, CNMC Policies and Procedures, and in accordance with all applicable laws and regulations. The Professional Model of Care requires registered professional nurses to be responsible and accountable for their own practice. CNMC supports the development of RN relationships within the community; specifically those relationships associated with the health and well being of the community at large. The NICU Transport Nurse will provide safe and effective inter-hospital transport of a wide variety of pediatric patients. Will be responsible for the initial assessment, stabilization, and provision of diagnostic and therapeutic interventions while on transport. Transports usually take place using a ground ambulance, but may also occur using rotary-wing (helicopter) or fixed-wing air transport. Will support Patients Care Services and the Emergency Medicine and Trauma Center (EMTC) to establish and maintain constructive departmental and inter-organizational relationships. Will ensure optimal use of joint resources through collaboration with the Neonatal Transport Team.

Children's National Hospital is the only hospital in the Washington, D.C., metropolitan area with a rapid air and ground transport system dedicated exclusively for neonates, infants, children and adolescents. Our highly specialized pediatric and neonatal transport team transports more than 5,000 neonates and children each year.

As the region's primary transport medicine specialists, we provide critical treatment as soon as possible, even on the go. Our physicians, nurses, paramedics, respiratory therapists, and emergency medical technicians (EMT) are specially trained in transport medicine for kids. Plus, all of the transport teams work with pediatric-sized equipment. This customization minimizes the risk to patients in transit to Children's National.

We offer one point of contact for referring physicians, to provide critical medical advice, transport logistics, and hospital admission. Patients receive care tailored to their needs, and the quality of care expected from one of the nation's best pediatric hospitals.

Our team also follows-up with referring medical facilities, making the transition as seamless as possible.

Qualifications:
Minimum Work Experience
3 years of progressive RN experience (Required)
2 years Neonatal critical care, pediatric critical care, or pediatric emergency care experience. (Required)

Required Skills/Knowledge
Ability to perform accurate medication dosing calculations under time-sensitive situations.
Must have excellent interpersonal and communication skills.
Must maintain skills and proficiency with the use of information technology.
Demonstrates competence in required procedures in accordance with established practice guidelines.
Demonstrates advanced leadership and management skills.
Demonstrates cost containment by identifying practices that affect Service Area's cost effectiveness.

Required Licenses and Certifications
Certification in Neonatal Nursing (Preferred)
Pediatric Advanced Life Support (PALS); Nationally Registered Paramedic (NRP) (Preferred)

Functional Accountabilities
Professional Practice

• Support Shared Leadership.

• Contribute to CNMC's Magnet Journey .

• Ensure nursing practice is based on evidence of best practice.

• Accountable to participate in the Division of Nursing's Performance Improvement process (division or unit level).

• Participate in community Activities.

• Assess - Anticipate patient needs and secure proper equipment and personnel for transport; assess stable and critically ill neonates/children thoroughly on arrival at referring hospital and throughout transport; anticipate clinical problems associated with patients individual diagnosis, make appropriate preparations to deal with anticipated or potential problems during transport; assess parent/child's learning needs at the time of transport and communicate these to admitting nurse.

• Plan - Formulate care plan for transport; continuously reassess patient and make appropriate changes to plan based on patient response; can perform any/all expanded role procedures according to policy and procedure.

• Identify the comprehensive learning needs of families; give families realistic picture of what to expect during transport and immediately on admission to the hospital; begin the teaching process with families while on transport.

• Implement - Actively organize all activities necessary to prepare and transfer patients to and from hospital; ensure the safe transport of critically ill & convalescing infants between CNMC, community hospital or to an alternate site and provide total patient care; provide for the safe transport of patients and team members by adhering to established transport procedures including regular air transport training and certification; communicate with referring hospital and CNMC staff to ensure smooth transition of care and appropriate family involvement;

• Evaluate - Determine the effectiveness of all interventions and make revisions as necessary; individualize problems on care plan and adapt nursing interventions to obtain optimum patient outcome; review the process of back transfer planning for all patients and make appropriate arrangements for transfers.

• Maintain an open line of communication with the referring physician and the CNMC physician as the patient's condition warrants.

• Communicate all pertinent patient information in both written and verbal form.

• Establish therapeutic rapport with parents prior to transport of neonate.

• Communicate professionally with members of the health care team and families.

• Provide written and verbal report to receiving provider in an organized and timely manner.

• Provide written and verbal follow-up information to referring facility/physician.

• Participate in the transport data collection;

• Actively participate in patient review and performance improvement projects; recognize recurring problems and participate in their problem solving and resolution; complete transport QA problem screening sheets for each transport, reporting problems in a timely manner; participate in the transport QA data collection.

• Appropriately delegate tasks to other team members/referring hospital staff while on transport.

• Utilize neonatal transport protocol and guidelines appropriately; participate in assigned transport-related duties associated with fetal medicine program.

• Assume clinical role in Trauma Stats, Code Blue, and Medical Alerts as assigned; assume self-directed role during low periods of activity; when not on transport, support unit activities such as in-house transport, central line maintenance, and serve as expert clinical resource to bedside RNs; act as a resource and role model to staff.

• Independently operate all medical equipment utilized in transport; ensure equipment and supply problems have been communicated appropriately , provide follow-up as necessary; follow established procedures to maintain fully functioning transport equipment and supplies.

• Recognize own limitations and seek appropriate resources for continued professional development; set & review annual goals for professional development with leadership staff.

• Maintain a positive public image of the transport program through contact with clinical facilities.

• Participate in Neonatal outreach-related activities such as site visits to referral facilities, distribution of educational program materials (e.g. ST ABLE), and closed-loop communication to referral centers.

• Provide for own development and the development of the staff by attending staff meetings and educational in-services.

• Incorporate current research and relevant literature into practice; regularly review and revise policies and guidelines as indicated.

• Serve as a contributing member of transport/unit/hospital committees.

• Anticipate and responds to customer needs; follows up until needs are met

• Demonstrate collaborative and respectful behavior

• Partner with all team members to achieve goals

• Receptive to others' ideas and opinions

• Contribute to a positive work environment

• Demonstrate flexibility and willingness to change

• Identify opportunities to improve clinical and administrative processes

• Make appropriate decisions, using sound judgment

• Use resources efficiently

• Search for less costly ways of doing things

• Speak up when team members appear to exhibit unsafe behavior or performance

• Continuously validate and verify information needed for decision making or documentation

• Stop in the face of uncertainty and takes time to resolve the situation

• Demonstrate accurate, clear and timely verbal and written communication

• Actively promote safety for patients, families, visitors and co-workers

• Attend carefully to important details - practicing Stop, Think, Act and Review in order to self-check behavior and performance