Registered Nurse (RN) - PRN - Oncology - CSO

Interested in a career with both meaning and growth? Whether your abilities are in direct patient care or one of the many other areas of healthcare administration and support, everyone at Parkland works together to fulfill our mission: the health and well-being of individuals and communities entrusted to our care. By joining Parkland, you become part of a diverse healthcare legacy that’s served our community for more than 125 years. Put your skills to work with us, seek opportunities to learn and join a talented team where patient care is more than a job. It’s our passion.

Primary Purpose

Provides care to assigned patient population in accordance with established protocols and multidisciplinary plan of care utilizing independent, dependent, and interdependent interventions to restore stability, prevent complications, and achieve and maintain optimal patient responses for all patients through patient centered/patient valued care.

Minimum Specifications

Education: Must be a graduate from an accredited school of nursing. Preferred Bachelor of Science in Nursing. 

Experience: Must have two (2) years of oncology experience.

Certification/Registration/Licensure

- Must have current RN license or valid temporary permit with the Texas Board of Nursing; or, valid Compact RN license. 

- Must have and maintain Oncology Nursing Society (ONS) Chemotherapy and Biotherapy certification.

- Must have current healthcare provider BLS for Healthcare Providers certification from one of the following:

• American Heart Association
• American Red Cross
• Military Training Network  

Skills or Special Abilities

- Provides care to assigned patient population in accordance with the current State of Texas Nurse Practice Act, established protocols, multidisciplinary plan of care, and clinical area specific standards.

- Must demonstrate ability to safety and successfully perform all responsibilities of a Senior Registered Nurse-Oncology Services.

- Must have comprehensive understanding of chemotherapy as it relates to indications and side effects. 

- Must be able to start and discontinue intravenous access.

- Must be able to access and provide maintenance of central line devices.

- Provides continuous assessment, consults with other team members as required and provides nursing care which demonstrates patient centered/patient valued care.

- Exercises independent judgment in providing nursing care.

- Must be able to demonstrate effective interpersonal skills and possess good oral and written communication skills.

- Must be able to communicate effectively with patients, families, and hospital staff in accordance with established policies and procedures.

- May be required to communicate effectively, via the overhead paging system.

- Must be able to demonstrate the ability to provide direction to non-nursing staff and serve as a preceptor.

- Must be able to demonstrate patient centered/patient valued behaviors.

- As applicable, will be required to demonstrate acceptable knowledge of nursing standards of care for specialty care area. 

Responsibilities

1. Serves as a patient advocate, by focusing on patient needs, patient rights, confidentiality, and religious and cultural preferences. Maintains positive working relationships with all Parkland internal and external customers, employees, etc. Serves as a resource for patients and other healthcare team members. Provides patient care educational information and training to patient and family members. May serve as a resource for specific clinical patient care issues. May participate in community outreach activities (such as health fairs, community collaborations or outreach clinics) as assigned.
2. Maintains and implements knowledge of applicable rules, regulations, policies, laws and guidelines that impact or govern nursing practice, and ensures the hospital and Parkland are in compliance. This includes EMTALA, Order of Productive Custody, Memorandum of Transfer and APOWW. Develops effective internal controls that promote adherence to applicable state/federal laws and the program requirements of accreditation agencies and federal, state, and private health plans. Maintains and updates knowledge of sanitation, infection control, safety, supplies, equipment, appropriate utilization of supplies and materials.
3. Performs appropriate patient assessments meeting admission and discharge criteria, provide safe medication administration using the patients six (6) rights, adequately perform POC monitoring and demonstrate safe infection control practices. Performs patient assessments related to cancer care and other medical diagnosis to include allergies and hypersensitivity reactions, physical, signs and symptoms, changes in activities of daily living, psychosocial, support network and financial dimensions across the continuum of care (diagnosis, treatment, surveillance, and end of life). Completes appropriate documentation by maintaining accurate and timely entries and notations in patient care records and hospital documents. Ensures that all records and documents meet the standards, goals, and objectives of Oncology Services and Parkland.
4. Educates patients, families and significant others on cancer care, therapies, treatment side effects, interventions and prevention. Performs patient teaching with documented care plans that are disease site oriented as related to phase of care across the continuum and for discharge planning.
5.  Assesses patient performance status for changes to included pain management, collaborating with providers for appropriate interventions (medical providers, nutritionist, rehabilitation, ACS, pharmacy, social work, chaplain, palliative medicine, speech pathologist, etc.).
6. Collaborates with wound care, stoma and ENT nurses for performing wound, colostomy and tracheotomy care as directed.
7. Effectively manages triage for patient/family/other internal and external health care professionals to navigate the health care system with nursing supervision.
8. Serves as a preceptor or trainer to newer nursing staff members. Serves as a Charge Nurse on rotation as necessary. Serves as a role model for oncology nursing. Serves as a resource to unit nurses.
9. Seeks and utilizes direction from more experienced staff and team members as needed. May work with other staff in providing direction to non-nursing staff. Participates in information exchanges with nursing and other Parkland staff that support the standards, missions, goals, and objectives of Oncology Services and the institution.
10. May be required to communicate effectively, via the overhead paging system.
11. Identifies ways to improve work process and improve patient and customer satisfaction. Makes recommendations to supervisor, implements and monitors results as appropriate in support of the overall goals of cancer services and the institution.
12. Stays abreast of the latest developments, advancements and trends in nursing practice by attending seminars/workshops, reading professional journals and actively participating in professional organizations. Maintains State of Texas Licensure as a Registered Nurse, plus any additional required licensures/certifications. Integrates knowledge gained into current work practices. Prepares and conducts an in-service educational program for Oncology Services, at least once per year
13. Will maintain current Commission on Cancer specific certification in the nurse¿s specialty by an accredited certification program or will continue ongoing education by earning 12 cancer-related continuing education nursing contract hours per year or 36 cancer-related continuing education nursing contract hours each accreditation cycle (3 years).
14. Performs other work as requested that is reasonably related to the employee¿s position, qualifications, and competencies.

Parkland Health and Hospital System prohibits discrimination based on age (40 or over), race, color, religion, sex (including pregnancy), sexual orientation, gender identity, gender expression, genetic information, disability, national origin, marital status, political belief, or veteran status. As part of our commitment to our patients and employees’ wellness, Parkland Health is a tobacco and smoke-free campus.