Registered Nurse (Surgical Care Unit) - Plainsboro, NJ - Per Diem (Day Shift)

Description

Penn Medicine is dedicated to our tripartite mission of providing the highest level of care to patients, conducting innovative research, and educating future leaders in the field of medicine. Working for this leading academic medical center means collaboration with top clinical, technical and business professionals across all disciplines.

Today at Penn Medicine, someone will make a breakthrough. Someone will heal a heart, deliver hopeful news, and give comfort and reassurance. Our employees shape our future each day. Are you living your life's work?

The SCU (Surgical Care Unit) is a 36 bed medical-surgical unit with a specialized focus on patients receiving inpatient surgical interventions. A portion of the unit, the Jim Craigie Center for Joint Replacement, is a dedicated use area for total hip and knee replacement patients. Nurses on SCU will provide pre and post-operative care for patients recovering from a variety of surgical procedures (hip fractures, spinal surgery, other orthopedic surgeries, bariatrics, various abdominal surgeries, breast surgeries, urological interventions, etc.) Nursing care on SCU includes an emphasis on patient and family education to ensure clear expectations and optimal outcomes during surgical recovery, both in the hospital and at home. Some of the clinical skills performed on a daily basis consist of: safe patient ambulation, pain management, drain care, nasogastric tube care, foley catheter care, chest tubes, central lines, wound vac and wound care, complex medication administration, blood administration and constant communication with the interdisciplinary team. Surgical Care Unit is certified as a Bariatric Center of Excellence and Joint Commission Advanced Hip and Knee Replacement Center.

Position Description:

Penn Medicine Princeton Health is seeking a RN to join the Surgical Care Unit!

Summary:

• The Clinical Nurse 2 Colleague possesses the knowledge, skills and the attitude to effectively meet standards for competent professional nursing practice as specified in the Clinical Nurse 2 position description.
• The Clinical Nurse 2 Colleague exhibits PMPH organizational behavioral competencies which reflect its mission and are embedded in the professional practice competency domains.
• The Clinical Nurse 2 Colleague independently provides patient care through the application of the nursing process and accepts accountability for the nursing care of assigned patients. Assigned patients may range in age from infancy to the elderly.
• The Clinical Nurse 2 Colleague demonstrates within the competency domains of Continuous Quality Improvement, Evidence Based Practice and Research, Leadership, Person and Family Centered Care, Professionalism, Safety, Technology/Informatics, and Teamwork (Definitions listed below).
• The Clinical Nurse 2 Colleague works closely with the interprofessional health care team to facilitate the coordination of care across the continuum. The nurse focuses on expanding the knowledge and skills necessary to provide individualized care based on physical, psychosocial, cultural, educational, safety, and age appropriate considerations of assigned patients.
• The Clinical Nurse 2 Colleague seeks feedback in assuming leadership roles and provides feedback for improved clinical practice. The nurse demonstrates how nursing practice impacts the organizational vision, mission, and goals and the care delivery system. The nurse complies with all regulations and standards of regulatory and accrediting bodies.

Tier 3 Scheduling Requirements 

•  Work a minimum of 56 hours per four-week schedule
• 24 of these hours must be fulfilled on a weekend shift
• Work 2 holiday per calendar year. Per Diem RNs will be paid at 1.5 times the rate for all hours worked on these holidays.
• Based on your hired shift, work at least two ‘difficult to staff’ days per calendar year (Easter, Mother’s Day, Halloween, ‘Black Friday’, Good Friday, Christmas Eve, Valentine’s Day or New Year’s Eve)
• Follow departmental call-out policy
• Make-up absences within the same schedule period. Failure to comply with this on two occasions in a year will result in withdrawal of the employee from Per Diem status.
• Scheduled as per the needs of your individual unit

Responsibilities:

• Continuous Quality Improvement (CQI): The nurse utilizes data and QI methods to identify potential and actual problems and opportunities to provide care that is safe, timely, efficient, effective, and equitable.
• Demonstrates competency in all Knowledge, Skills and Attitudes for a Clinical Nurse 1 in addition to:
• Identifies QI tools, methods and mindsets and participates in the design, review and evaluation of QI data and initiatives at the unit level
• Integrates QI initiatives into individual plan of care
• Links initiatives or projects to Penn Medicine Quality Blueprint Imperatives and focuses efforts to improve the quality of health care
• Evidence Based Practice and Research: The nurse evaluates and integrates best current evidence with clinical expertise and patient and family preferences and values for the delivery of optimal health care and system effectiveness.
• Demonstrates competency in all Knowledge, Skills and Attitudes for a Clinical Nurse 1 in addition to:
• Utilizes the EBP process: generates clinical questions, searches and evaluates the quality of evidence, considers expert clinical knowledge and patient preferences and values, and applies it to practice
• Questions current practice and develops a sense of clinical inquiry
• Locates current evidence and resources related to clinical practice
• Leadership: The nurse effectively collaborates and applies innovative, systems thinking to engage in systematic, evidence- based problem solving and decision making to promote effective changes within a complex care delivery system supporting the vision of Penn Medicine
• Demonstrates competency in all Knowledge, Skills and Attitudes for a Clinical Nurse 1 in addition to:
• Communicates confidently with team members, adapting one’s own style of communicating to meet the needs of the team and situation, identifies diverse viewpoints and manages conflict.
• Identifies and embraces the need for change and new approaches to care when supported by evidence
• Demonstrated appropriate use and allocation of resources
• Establishes oneself as a credible healthcare provider and resource

Credentials:

• Basic Cardiac Life Support (Required)
• Basic Life Support Certification (required prior to first day of hire) required.
• Registered Nurse - NJ (Required)
• Active New Jersey Registered Nurse License (required prior to first day of hire) required. National Nursing Certification preferred

Education or Equivalent Experience:

• Bachelor of Science Nursing (Required)
• Bachelor’s Degree in Nursing (BSN) from an accredited school of nursing or in pursuit of a BSN. Related Work Experience: Greater than 15 months professional nursing experience. A registered nurse with an Associate’s Degree with greater than 5 years of clinical experience in a clinical specialty may be considered.

We believe that the best care for our patients starts with the best care for our employees. Our employee benefits programs help our employees get healthy and stay healthy. We offer a comprehensive compensation and benefits program that includes one of the finest prepaid tuition assistance programs in the region. Penn Medicine employees are actively engaged and committed to our mission. Together we will continue to make medical advances that help people live longer, healthier lives.

Live Your Life's Work

We are an Equal Opportunity and Affirmative Action employer. Candidates are considered for employment without regard to race, ethnicity, color, sex, sexual orientation, gender identity, religion, national origin, ancestry, age, disability, marital status, familial status, genetic information, domestic or sexual violence victim status, citizenship status, military status, status as a protected veteran or any other status protected by applicable law.