Registered Nurse
Registered Nurse

REGISTERED NURSE

To provide nursing care, in accordance with the patient's plan of care to include comprehensive health and psychosocial evaluation, monitoring of the patient’s condition, health promotion and prevention coordination of services, teaching and training activities, and direct nursing care
RESPONSIBILITIES
Coordinate total patient care by conducting comprehensive health and psychosocial evaluation, monitoring the patient's condition, promoting sound preventive practices, coordinating services, and teaching and training activities
Evaluate the effectiveness of nursing service to the patient and family, on an ongoing basis
Perform admission, transfer, re-certification, resumption of care, and discharge paperwork for the home care patient.
Prepare and present patient’s record to the Clinical Record Review Committee, as indicated
Consult with the attending physician concerning alterations of Patient Care Plans, check with the appropriate supervisor and make changes, as appropriate
Coordinate patient services
Submit clinical notes, no less often than weekly, and progress notes, and other clinical record forms, outlining the services rendered, as indicated
Submit a tally of patient care visits made each day
Participate in case conferences, discuss, with the supervisor, problems concerning the patients and how they may best be handled
Discuss, with the appropriate supervisor, the need for the involvement of other members of the health team such as the Home Health Aide, the Physical Therapist, the Speech Therapist, the Occupational Therapist, The Medical Social Worker, etc.
Obtain orders for paraprofessional service and submit a referral to the appropriate personnel
Participate in the patient’s discharge planning process
Cooperate with other agencies providing nursing or related services to provide continuity of care and to implement a comprehensive care plan
Participate in staff development meeting
Continually strive to improve his/her nursing care skills by attending in-service education, through formal education, attendance at workshops, conferences, active participation in professional and related organizations, and individual research and reading
Participate in the development, and periodic revision, of the physician's Plan of Treatment and process change orders, as needed
Maintain an on-going knowledge of current drug therapy
Adhere to federal, state, and accreditation requirements
May be requested, by Director of Nursing, to fill in for the other nurses
COORDINATES THE ADMISSION OF A PATIENT TO THE AGENCY
Conduct an initial, and ongoing, comprehensive assessment of the patient’s needs, at appropriate time frames
Obtain a medical history from the patient, and/or a family member, particularly as it relates to the present condition
Conduct a physical examination of the patient, including vital signs, physical assessment, mental status, appetite and type of diet, etc.
Evaluate the patient, family member(s), and home situation to determine what health teaching will be required
Evaluate the patient's environment to determine what assistance will be available from family members, in caring for the patient
Evaluate the patient's condition, and home situation, to determine if the services of a Home Health Aide will be required and the frequency of this service
Explain nursing, and other Agency, services to patients and families, as a part of planning for care
Develop, and implement, the nursing care plan
PROVIDES SKILLED NURSING CARE AS OUTLINED IN THE NURSING CARE PLAN
Nursing services, treatments, and preventative procedures requiring substantial specialized skill and ordered, by the physician
The initiation of preventative and rehabilitative nursing procedures, as appropriate for the patient's care and safety
Observing signs and symptoms and reporting, to the physician, reactions to treatments, including drugs, as well as changes in the patient's physical or emotional condition
Teaching, supervising, and counseling the patient, and caregivers, regarding the nursing care needs and other related problems of the patient at home
Provide guidance, and supervision, to the LPN and supervises the LPN, per Agency policy
Participate in the educational experiences for student nurses
Participate in the planning, operation, and evaluation of the nursing service
Consults with the attending physician concerning alteration of the plan of treatment in consultation with the supervisor.
Discusses with the supervisor the need for involvement of other members of the health team such as the home health aide, physical therapist, speech therapist, occupational therapist, social worker, etc.
Cooperates with other agencies providing nursing or related services to provide continuity of care and to implement a comprehensive care plan.
ASSUMES RESPONSIBILITY FOR THE CARE GIVEN BY THE HOME HEALTH AIDE
Prepare the care plan for the Home Health Aide
Supervise, and evaluate, the care given by the Home Health Aide, as needed, as per Agency policy
Submit, to the appropriate department/individual, a written evaluation of the Home Health Aides who are providing service to the patients, in his/her geographical area
Participate in periodic conferences, with the Home Health Aide supervisor, concerning the Aide's performance
Chart those services rendered to the patient, by the staff nurse, and changes that have been noted in the patient's condition and/or family and home situation, make revisions in the nursing care plan, as needed, record supervisory visits conducted with the Home Health Aide, evaluate patient care and progress, and close charts of discharged patients
Obtains orders for paraprofessional service and submits referral to appropriate personnel
ENVIRONMENT AND PHYSICAL REQUIREMENTS
Contact with clients under a wide variety of circumstances
Care is provided in client’s living environment with varying situations, including private homes, independent or assisted living or in an institution such as a hospital or long-term care facility.
May be required to respond to emergency situations.
Travel required.
Position includes tasks that have the potential for exposure to blood/body fluids/tissues and other potentially infectious material such as body fluids/tissues.
JOB CONDITIONS
Must have a driver’s license and be willing and able to drive to patient’s residences.
The ability to access patients’ homes which may not be routinely wheelchair accessible is required. Hearing, eyesight and physical dexterity must be sufficient to perform a physical assessment of the patient's condition and to perform and demonstrate patient care.
Physical activities will include, walking, sitting, stooping, and standing and minimal to maximum lifting of patients and the turning of patients.
The ability to communicate both verbally and in writing is required as frequent communication by telephone and in writing is involved.
EQUIPMENT OPERATION
Thermometer, B/P cuff, glucometer, penlight, hand washing materials
COMPANY INFORMATION
Has access to all patient medical records, personnel records and patient financial accounts which may be discussed with the Director of Nursing.
QUALIFICATIONS
1. Must be a graduate from an accredited School of Nursing
2. Must be licensed, in Ohio, as a Registered Nurse
3. One, or more, years of experience, in community/home health agency setting, is preferred.
4. Must have a working knowledge of home healthcare and the principles and techniques of professional nursing and required documentation that pertains to it
5. Should be skillful in organization and in the principles of time management and have knowledge of management processes
6. Must be able to contribute to the quality of care being rendered through constructive communication with nursing managers and staff
7. Must have a criminal background check
8. Must have a current CPR certification
9. The ability to communicate well, both, verbally, and in writing, in English, is required.