Where compassion meets innovation and technology and our employees are family.

General Purpose of Job:

The staff nurse is a professional care giver who assumes responsibility for a group of patients for a designated time frame and provides care to these patients via therapeutic use of self, nursing process, the environment/instrumentation and other health care team members.  May also function as charge nurse as necessary.  Is accountable to unit supervisor of assigned unit.  The Registered Nurse operates within the framework of Driscoll Children’s Hospital Mission Statement, Vision and Values.

Essential Duties and Responsibilities:

• Maintains utmost level of confidentiality at all times.
• Demonstrates business practices and personal actions that are ethical and adhere to corporate compliance and integrity guidelines. 
• Incorporates involvement in a process team; Process Improvement and Quality Assurance both hospitalwide and departmental. 
• Assesses and reassesses patient condition and progress.
• Participates in the nursing care plan effort.
• Evaluates patient status, protocols, standards, medication responses, comfort measures, and medical treatments.
• Performs technical skills.
• Participates in patient education.
• Documents following unit/generic guidelines.
• Adheres to generic structure with regard to legal issues, patient rights and patient valuables.
• Adheres to all unit/generic safety policies.
• Attends hospital and departmental meeting as required.
• Responsible for self-validation and education of self.
• Responds and appropriately documents unit/patient emergency situations.
• Maintains working knowledge of unit generic structure
• Maintains a sense of professionalism/ self-validation.
• Participates in teaching others/ staff development
• Participates in unit goal attainment.
• Participates and fulfills his/her role in quality improvement/standards/problem solving /decision making.
• Delegation coordination.
• Establishes working relationships.
• Demonstrates responsibility and awareness of staffing and schedule flexibility.
• Communicates effectively including giving and receiving verbal commands and clear explanations.
• Utilize NICU standards and protocols.
• Obtains numerous laboratory specimens safely, effectively, and according to OSHA standards utilizing universal precautions.
• Adheres to all DCH safety policies.
• Maintains working knowledge of unit specific structure and standards.
• Other nursing duties as assigned.
• Meets behavioral expectations.

Supervisory Responsibilities:

• Effectively administers performance management system including:

• developmental feedback
• goal setting
• assesses competency
• progressive discipline

• Strong knowledge of and effective in administering hospital policies and procedures.
• Responsible for sound management of human resources.
• Makes and implements decisions compatible with organizational goals.
• Maintains composure, effectiveness, and flexibility under pressure.
• Assists in the direction and coordination of the NICU department.
• Supervises the following job classes: Licensed and ancillary personnel

Behavioral Expectations

• Customer Service – Enthusiastically interacts with all customers.  Assumes personal responsibility for meeting customer needs.  Consistently demonstrates a commitment to customer satisfaction.
• Interpersonal Skills- is sensitive to the needs, ideas, and feelings of others.  Develops and maintains rapport with others.  Listens well.  Facilitates a group process.
• Adaptability/flexibility – Demonstrates the ability to change behaviors and plans to meet rapidly changing/ competing job demands (new or unusual situations).  Receives change as a challenge.  Revises plans to meet changing circumstances. 
• Communication – Clearly and effectively communicates ideas and requests to others.  Persuades or influences others through spoken or written communication.
• Initiative – Starts and completes tasks with minimum of prompting.  Willing to make recommendations and assume additional responsibilities.
• Team Player – Fully participates in maintaining a positive team environment that is conducive to customer satisfaction.  Builds trust among co-workers, focusing on accomplishing hospital and departmental mission and goals.
• Organized and efficient – Organizes works and uses time efficiently.  Takes the initiative to find additional work during slow or downtimes.  Recommends innovative ways of doing work more efficiently and effectively.
• Core Values –Practices DCH core values.

Education and/or Experience:

• Graduate of accredited school of professional nursing with current licensure in the State of Texas
• Pediatric experience preferred
• English Language Skills.
• Select the one level of language (ability to read, write, and speak) needed to successfully accomplish the essential duties of this job.  Delete those that do not apply.
• Ability to read, analyze, and interpret general business periodicals, professional journals, technical procedures, or governmental regulations.  Ability to write reports, business correspondence, and procedure manuals.  Ability to effectively present information and respond to questions from groups of managers, clients, customers, and the general public.