Clinical Nurse I Position

Clinical Nurse I Job Description

Cook County Health and Hospitals is seeking a highly skilled and dedicated Clinical Nurse I to join our team. As a Clinical Nurse I, you will be responsible for providing safe, effective, and individualized care to patients using the nursing process.

Key Responsibilities:

• Completes admission and ongoing patient assessment
• Ensures formulation of an individualized plan of care derived from assessment data
• Ensures appropriate documentation
• Performs duties as needed to prepare the preoperative patient for the Intraoperative experience
• Identifies, plans, and cares for the total needs of the patients, taking into consideration the age-specific needs of patients in assigned area of responsibility
• Makes appropriate and timely decisions in a crisis or emergency situation
• Works and communicates effectively with a variety of individuals
• Provides general direction, guidance, and coordination of patient care given by other levels of nursing staff
• Applies knowledge of standard operating policies and procedures
• Operates equipment correctly and safely necessary for providing patient care in Post-Anesthesia Care Unit (PACU)
• Organizes or manages nursing work activities to reflect due consideration for patient needs
• Applies principles of infection control and safety
• Performs admission assessments on assigned patients upon arrival to the unit
• Obtains assessment information from patients/significant others as appropriate
• Collects assessment data as a basis for formulating nursing diagnosis and provides appropriate age-specific care relative to the following factors: biophysical, psychosocial, environmental, self-care capabilities, safety, infection control, learning needs, ability to manage continuing care needs after discharge
• Performs ongoing and scheduled reassessments according to divisional/unit standards
• Performs transfer assessments on assigned patients when transferred in or out of the unit
• Provides appropriate clinical care and prepares patients for medical consultation required before the surgical procedure
• Establishes nursing diagnosis/problems, desired outcomes, and interventions based on assessed needs
• Collaborates with patient/significant others, and healthcare team members in planning nursing care during hospitalization and for discharge
• Develops nursing plan of care that: is consistent with the therapies of other disciplines, based on patient care and nursing practice standards, considers the cultural and spiritual values, considers patient age-specific needs relative to these factors: biophysical, psychosocial, environmental, self-care capabilities, safety, infection control, learning needs, discharge planning needs
• Communicates with patient and significant others the nursing plan of care
• Performs interventions in a competent, skillful, and safe manner
• Prioritizes interventions according to patient needs
• Applies principles of growth and development across life span in providing care appropriate to patient's age-specific needs
• Provides education to patient and significant others based on assessed learning needs
• Provides appropriate Perioperative Teaching and Postoperative discharge instructions
• Performs the technical aspects of care according to established practice standards: procedures, treatments, IV/blood administration, medication administration, moderate sedation
• Performs or directs cardiopulmonary resuscitation and other lifesaving interventions
• Demonstrates competence in applying the principles of: Standard precaution, Isolation, Asepsis
• Provides interventions to meet patients' identified discharge needs
• Evaluates patients' responses to interventions
• Modifies and implements interventions as appropriate
• Re-evaluates patients' responses
• Records accurately, concisely, either on paper form or electronic, the following information: assessments/reassessments, plan of care, interventions, patient's responses
• Signs documentation with legible signature and classification in paper form and electronic with correct computer sign on
• Performs charge nurse/team leader responsibilities competently when assigned
• Plans and coordinates patient care activities
• Identifies problems and recommends solutions
• Delegates nursing tasks based on the needs of the patient and competence of staff
• Established priorities based on the changing patient care needs
• Participates in standards development quality assessment and improvement activities and research as request or assigned
• Communicates pertinent information to patient physician, nurses, and other healthcare team members as appropriate
• Utilizes the chain of command appropriately to address issues of concern
• Maintains confidentiality in all patient-related information
• Provides privacy for patient/family
• Treats appropriate actions to address ethical concerns
• Performs as resource nurse/buddy when assigned
• Assists new hires with information or directions whenever requested and offers assistance as needed
• Conducts CPR drills, fire drills, and patient-centered conferences or other unit educational activities as requested or assigned
• Maintains certification as required in special areas of practice
• Recognizes own learning needs, and seeks opportunities to meet those needs
• Renews professional license in a timely manner
• Attends safety, infection control in-services, and maintains Cardiopulmonary resuscitation (CPR) certification annually
• Adheres to dress code
• Performs all other duties as assigned

Requirements:

• Licensed as a Registered Professional Nurse in the State of Illinois
• Three (3) years of nursing experience in an acute care or hospital setting
• One (1) year of nursing experience in Critical Care or PACU in an acute care hospital, level 1 trauma hospital, or teaching hospital
• Must possess Basic Life Support (BLS) certification
• Pediatric Advanced Life Support (PALS) certification or ability to obtain within six months of hire date
• Must possess Advanced Cardiovascular Life Support (ACLS) certification

Preferred Qualifications:

• Bachelors of Science in Nursing (BSN) from an accredited college or university
• Two (2) years of Post-Anesthesia Care Unit (PACU) nursing or Critical Care nursing experience

Knowledge, Skills, Abilities, and Other Characteristics:

• Knowledge of medicals and IV fluids and correct admission based on patient age and clinical condition
• Demonstrate competence in the safe and effective use of clinical equipment
• Demonstrate working knowledge of the current requirements of accrediting and regulatory agencies
• Excellent interpersonal, verbal, and written communication skills necessary to a variety of people from different socio-economic backgrounds
• Strong emergency response skills
• Strong customer service and empathy skills
• Demonstrate analytical and organizational, problem-solving, critical thinking, and conflict management/resolution skills
• Demonstrate attention to detail, accuracy, and precision
• Ability to perform a pre-procedure assessment on all patients and reassessment during and post procedure
• Ability to maintain confidentiality
• Ability to resolve complex patient/administration problems and research issues
• Ability to prioritize, plan, and organize projects and tasks
• Ability to maintain a professional demeanor and composure when challenged
• Ability to function autonomously and as a team member in a multidisciplinary team
• Ability to see and hear clearly (including with correction)
• Ability to tolerate exposure to unpleasant noise, odor, and temperature
• Ability to walk extensively, lift moderately heavy objects, and climb stairs
• Ability to consistently push, pull, twist, turn, bend, kneel, stoop, lift, and reach above shoulder and stand for prolonged periods of time

Cook County Health and Hospitals is an equal opportunity employer.

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