Critical Care Stepdown Nurse

Job Summary and Responsibilities

As a Registered Nurse (RN), you will be a pivotal healthcare professional, delivering compassionate, high-quality care that truly impacts our patients' well-being and recovery.

Every day, you will leverage your expertise to provide individualized, comprehensive care, making critical assessments, performing skilled procedures, and meticulously implementing patient care plans. You'll collaborate seamlessly within an interdisciplinary team, contributing to a dynamic environment focused on optimal patient outcomes.

To be successful in this role, you will possess keen assessment skills, acute critical thinking, and a patient-first mindset, driven by a profound enthusiasm to help others. Your sense of urgency and dedication to excellence in a fast-paced environment will not only support patient recovery but also fuel your own career advancement.

• ASSESSMENT

Performs complete patient assessment.

Recognizes significant changes in patient status and seeks appropriate resources.

Coordinates or collects physiologic monitoring data: vital signs, monitor results, lab and diagnostic test results.

Performs ongoing assessment according to unit policy.

Documents assessment in compliance with hospital policy.

• MAINTAINING PLAN OF CARE

Initiates the Patient Goal/Problem List or Clinical Path on admission.

Develops Plan of Care to support the patient goals and the medical plan of care.

Evaluates and documents the patient’s response to the plan of care and makes changes as appropriate.

Collaborates with a multidisciplinary team to coordinate and plan provision of patient care.

• MAINTAINING PATIENT TREATMENTS

Obtains and/or verifies all physician orders for procedures, medications, and therapies.

Assures the presence of consent and its documentation for procedures, therapies, and research protocols.

Assures the presence of appropriate supplies to perform the ordered procedure or therapy.

Performs or assists in procedures and therapies according to policy and procedures.

Assesses the patient’s needs for medication prior to administration.

Assesses patient allergies and medication incompatibilities.

Verifies, administers and documents medication according to hospital policy.

Evaluates and documents a patient's response to procedures, therapies and medications.

Monitors the patient care record for accuracy and completeness of data provided by care team members.

Coordinates and documents communication between patient, significant others and multidisciplinary team members in order to support the plan of care.

Ensures effective and wise use of resources, monitoring for cost containment.

Facilitates appropriate length of hospital stay.

• TEACHING

Assesses the patients and significant other’s knowledge base, ability and readiness to learn based on their developmental age.

Identifies and utilizes multidisciplinary team members to provide comprehensive education for patients, self and others.

Incorporates teaching principles and methods appropriate to knowledge base, ability and readiness to learn and based on developmental age.

Demonstrates knowledge in area of teaching and available resources for patient and staff education.

Documents patient education in the patient care record.

Evaluates the teaching process.

Documents staff education per policy.

• LEADERSHIP

Participates in peer review.

Provides learning opportunities and contributes to the orientation of team members, PRN personnel and students.

Identifies and implements educational opportunities for the staff.

Serves as a preceptor and role model for new employees and students.

Utilizes conflict resolution to promote a cohesive team.

Delegate’s assignments based on changes in census, staffing, patient, and unit needs.

Enforces hospital/department specific policies.

Maintains current knowledge of clinical and operational hospital policies and practice updates.

Engages in a therapeutic relationship with patients and develops healthy interpersonal relationships among colleagues.

Identifies the most important needs to be met each shift within the context of available resources.

Demonstrates accountability for their individual nursing practice.

Utilizes the mechanisms of the Professional Nursing Shared Governance (PNSG) organization to address nursing matters.

Demonstrates responsibility for being informed about the actions/activities of the PNSG.

Participates in activities of the PNSG organization.

• UNIT-SPECIFIC COMPETENCIES

Provides care to the patient population utilizing research findings and evidence based practice.

Unit required certifications must be obtained within six months of hire.

For any unit requiring CPI, it must be obtained within three months of hire.

Meets all unit-specific yearly skill requirements within an acceptable time frame.

Job Requirements Required

• Associate Of Nursing Graduate of an accredited school of nursing required., upon hire or
• Basic Life Support - CPR, within 30 Days and
• Advanced Cardiac Life Support, within 90 Days and
• Registered Nurse: AR, upon hire

Preferred

• Bachelors Of Nursing Graduate of an accredited school of nursing required., upon hire

Where You'll Work

CHI St. Vincent, a regional health network serving Arkansas, is part of CommonSpirit Health. We have served Arkansas since 1888 with a history of many firsts. Together with more than 4,500 coworkers, 1,000 medical staff, and 500 volunteers, we consistently receive praise for care advancements. With more than 280 licensed beds, CHI St. Vincent Hot Springs is a faith-based, not-for-profit organization serving the health care needs of Hot Springs, Ark., and surrounding communities. CHI St. Vincent Hot Springs and CHI St. Vincent Infirmary in Little Rock are two of just over 400 Magnet hospitals nationwide and two of just four in Arkansas. As a Magnet institution, CHI St. Vincent Hot Springs achieved Magnet status for the first time on October 14, 2020 and employs the highest standards of quality and ensures that patient care and safety are the top priority. Studies show that Magnet hospitals have better overall patient outcomes than non-Magnet hospitals.

CommonSpirit Health was formed by the alignment of Catholic Health Initiatives (CHI) and Dignity Health in 2019. With our combined resources, CommonSpirit is committed to building healthy communities, advocating for those who are poor and vulnerable, and innovating how and where healing can happen, both inside our hospitals and out in the community.

CHI St. Vincent provides you with the same level of care you provide to others. We care about our team member well-being and offer benefits that complement and support your work/life balance