UI Health - Staff Nurse II - Operating Room Outpatient Surgery Center (SCB)

Position Summary

The Staff Nurse II is accountable for the delivery of patient care utilizing the Nursing Process and Relationship-Based Care model as the framework. The Staff Nurse II provides direct patient care and takes initiative to improve patient outcomes by integrating Shared Leadership, Evidence Based Practice, Relationship Based Care and standards of nursing excellence into clinical practice. Through therapeutic relationships with patients, families, self and colleagues, the Staff Nurse II functions as an interdisciplinary team member who provides quality patient care and fulfills unit and organizational goals. Staff Nurse II facilitates educational development of staff, leads unit-based quality improvement initiatives, and acts as a professional and clinical role model and educational resource for staff. Staff Nurse II is actively engaged in Shared Leadership through membership on a governing council.

Duties & Responsibilities

• Develops, implements, and updates the patient’s plan of care based on on-going assessment of the patient and input from the patient’s family.

• Advocates for patients, families, and their significant others, the community, and the nursing profession.

• Integrates theoretical knowledge, evidence-based research, current standards of practice and clinical experience to provide “quality” patient care as measured by established nursing quality standards and other governing/accrediting health care bodies.

• Takes responsibility for continued professional growth/development by identification of learning needs and initiates strategies to meet such needs.

• Identifies recurring clinical practice and/or related unit problems and participates in problem solving and resolution.

• In collaboration with Patient Care Manager/Director/CNCII assists with unit-based quality/research initiatives and provides feedback and education to staff.

• Maintains overall knowledge of all patients’ status in order to assist nursing and medical team members and directs workflow to facilitate timely patient admission and discharge.

• Assumes role of Charge Nurse as assigned, utilizing appropriate resources and tools. Acts as a resource for unit personnel and aids in resolving questions related to policy, standards and procedures.

• Demonstrates critical thinking skills, conflict management and customer service skills in serving as a role model and problem solver for the organization and unit.

• Recognizes and responds to patient care issues providing direction, feedback and follow-up to staff, manager and other healthcare team members.

• Procures necessary clinical supplies and equipment. Follows up on repairs/maintenance of equipment as needed.

• Contributes feedback to performance evaluation of unit personnel.

• Assist with reps in scheduling in-services for staff and doctors on new supplies and procedures.

• First case on time starts (FCOTS) - Lead daily operations within the assigned service line, coordinating with team members to improve OR efficacy: including but not limited to FCOTS and turnover times.

• Collaborate with the Sterile Processing Department (SPD) to manage specialty service trays and instrumentation, ensuring readiness and availability.

• Identifies gaps in preference cards and proposes edits • Participates in Performance Improvement initiatives (i.e. decreasing turnover time, etc.) within the unit. Demonstrates competency in use of computer, and hospital base systems.

• Reviews preference cards and cart cases prior to opening procedure to ensure correct supplies and equipment are available

• Coordinates functions and activities of all surgical specialties including maintaining appropriate supplies, instruments, vendor needs and physician preferences.

• Maintains clinical expertise and assists in training staff and orienting new hires in all aspects of the specialty’s procedures, equipment, advances in technology and advances in clinical practice.

•Participate in strategic planning and related implementation activities.

•Within the assigned service line, participates in the selection, training, education, development, and evaluation of surgical staff, validating competencies and providing structured feedback.

•Monitors and ensure staff compliance with policies

•Coordinates the needs of the patient care team by initiating service complaint follow-up when necessary and promoting communication among patients, families, hospital departments and medical staff to optimize the interdependence of team members.

•Acts as a resource to employees, which includes training/orienting, providing day-to-day work direction, and giving input on performance. Assigns, monitors, and reviews progress and accuracy of work, directs efforts and provides guidance on more complex issues in collaboration with the unit leadership.

•Assists with human resource responsibilities, which may include: interviewing and selection of new employees, resolution of employee concerns, and employee moral or other duties as assigned in collaboration with unit leadership.

•Monitors employee assignments; maintains staff scheduling, evaluates staffing levels and makes adjustments as necessary to maintain productivity level established for assigned area(s).

•Monitors the quality of care provided. Assists in ensuring policies and procedures are followed in compliance with the medical center, the Nursing department, and regulatory and peer review agencies.

•Provides input to budget and ensures adequate supplies and equipment and inventory are available for both the delivery of safe patient care and a safe work environment.

•Works with management in developing new and existing programs and services.

•Works with vendors for requested products and coordinates in-services for equipment. Participates in product trials, and submits recommendations to management in collaboration with the unit Educator or CNS.

•Provides work direction to the clinical and support staff with responsibility for the coordination of resources to efficiently support procedures, day-to-day operations and the smooth flow of patients through the department.

•Other duties as assigned.