Charge Nurse

Job Summary:

Anderson Hospital seeks a skilled and compassionate Charge Nurse to oversee the day-to-day activities of the Medical unit. As a key member of the healthcare team, you will be responsible for coordinating patient care, ensuring optimal nursing outcomes, and maintaining a safe and efficient work environment.

Key Responsibilities:

• Assign tasks and coordinate resources to ensure seamless patient care.
• Assist with staffing and make phone calls for call-ins and high census situations.
• Conduct department huddles to promote communication and collaboration.
• Facilitate admissions, discharges, and transfers of patients in a timely manner.
• Respond to Code Blue and Rapid Response Team Calls or delegate as appropriate.
• Act as a resource for staff and provide guidance on patient care and hospital policies.
• Makes patient rounds daily to ensure quality care.
• Coordinates activities with MTS and Coroner.
• Checks Crash Carts and monitors Telemetry.
• Assists with Performance Improvement Activities.
• Facilitates conflict resolution within and between departments.
• Utilizes the nursing process to ensure optimal patient care and outcomes.
• Engages in activities to expand and enhance the professional nursing role, including integration of research and evidence-based practices.
• Provides leadership and autonomy in the professional practice setting and the profession.
• Supports patient rights and responsibilities, including respect for cultural, ethical, and religious diversity.
• Provides age-appropriate and population-specific patient care in a safe, skillful, accurate, and efficient manner to primarily adult and geriatric populations.
• Completes documentation accurately and in a timely manner according to hospital policies and procedures.
• Adheres to standard precautions and infection control standards.
• Assesses patient and family learning needs and provides ongoing education and evaluation.
• Utilizes the chain of command.
• Maintains a calm manner during abrupt changes in acuity and/or unit activity.
• Recognizes own limitations and seeks assistance when necessary.
• Is flexible with scheduling, assignments, and job duties when necessary.
• Delegates responsibility to appropriate healthcare team members and monitors their activity and work performance.

Competency Summary:

• Demonstrates an understanding of regulatory requirements and professional practice guidelines.
• Has a working knowledge of organizational policies and procedures.
• Shows competence in the performance of department-specific skills to be a resource and mentor for others in the department.
• Demonstrates an active involvement in leadership activities within the past year.

Professional Development:

• Participates in continuing education activities within the department and organization.
• Promotes, facilitates, and educates team members on new practice changes, regulatory requirements, and organizational practices in a timely manner.
• Monitors and supervises training and education for team members on the unit.
• Attends and actively participates in departmental staff meetings and shared governance councils.
• Keeps up to date with clinical practice and evidenced-based practice guidelines.
• Stays abreast of organizational policies and procedures and is a resource to others in the department.

Service and Quality Standards:

• Service

Is customer-focused, anticipating customer needs, adhering to customer service standards, and demonstrating competent, caring, and compassionate behavior to customers and coworkers.

• People

Is conversation-conscious, assures confidentiality of patient and employee information, is positive in interactions with others, is courteous and respectful, promotes a harassment-free environment, and inspires trust in others.

• Quality

Is excellent in patient care and service, demonstrates multidisciplinary cooperation, assists in obtaining excellent satisfaction scores, is safety-conscious, demonstrates safety consciousness and supports safety initiatives, is involved with improvement efforts, supports performance improvement, seeks ways to improve systems and services, shows commitment to improvement efforts, and meets mandatory educational requirements.

• Growth

Is a loyal ambassador, demonstrates commitment to hospital mission and vision, is active and involved, supports hospital initiatives, champions innovation and supports change, is a positive role model, and fosters team cooperation.

• Finance

Is a good steward of hospital resources, develops/uses efficient work methods, is cost-effective, and conserves organizational resources.

Education Requirements and Other Requirements:

Education Level:
Graduate of an accredited nursing program.

Certification/Licensure:
Illinois Licensed, BLS certification required, ACLS within 1 year of hire.

Experience Requirements:
Minimum of 2 years Medical/Surgical Care Experience.

Education Requirements:
Orientation, Annual competency standards, mandatory training, and unit-specific education.

Working Conditions:
Exposure Category I: Tasks that involve exposure to blood, body fluids, or tissues.

All procedures or other job-related tasks that involve an inherent potential for mucous membrane or skin contact with blood, body fluids, or tissues, or a potential for spills or splashes of them, care Category I tasks.

Use of appropriate protective measures is required for every employee engaged in Category I tasks.

Physical Activity:
NA 0-25% 26-75% 76-100%

Lift/Carry X

Push/Pull X

Reach Overhead X

Climb X

Squat/Bend/Kneel X

Sit X

Stand X

Walk/Move About X

The most significant duties have been included in this description.

Other duties may be assigned and the hospital has the right to modify this job description as needed to accurately reflect assigned duties.

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