Using evidence-based practice, clinical decision making, compassion and skilled dialogue, the registered nurse leads efforts to create the safest patient environment and the best patient experience. The nurse delivers and coordinates patient-centered care across the continuum to support the successful transition of patients to other healthcare delivery systems or their home communities. The registered nurse is responsible for providing and coordinating comprehensive patient care through the appropriate utilization of assessment, diagnosis, planning, implementation, and evaluation, in accordance with established standards, policies and procedures.

Major Responsibilities:

Patient-Centered Wholistic Care – The registered nurse is culturally sensitive and engaged with the beliefs and values of diverse populations. Nurses engage with inter-professional colleagues to deliver exemplary care. Lifelong relationships with patients and families develop to support achievement of health goals.

• Initiates referrals and discharge planning and actively coordinates the plan utilizing the interdisciplinary approach.
• Uses the nursing process to assess the needs of the patient, plan and implement interventions and evaluate the effectiveness of the plan of care. Involves the patient and family in planning and implementing care. Involves the patient and family in planning and implementing care.
• Develops and maintains a therapeutic relationship throughout the healthcare continuum.
• Mobilizes appropriate resources in response to situations that have the potential to negatively impact patient and family outcomes.
• Analyzes challenging situations and intervenes as appropriate to optimize patient outcomes. Implements strategies to reduce patient risk and increase patient safety.
• Assesses patient and family readiness to learn, and individualizes the approach as necessary. Works collaboratively to develop strategies to meet the learning needs of the patient and family.

Clinical Excellence: The registered nurse contributes to inter-professional excellence which is represented by achieved clinical outcomes. Using evidence-based practice, clinical decision making, and skilled dialogue, nurses lead efforts to create the safest patient environment and the best patient experience.

• Consistently applies evidence-based practice in patient care. Incorporates nursing standards of care into practice.
• Utilizes knowledge and experience to anticipate and alter the plan of care as needed.
• Consistently makes sound clinical decisions, demonstrating the ability to care for patients with complex problems.
• Prioritizes and organizes patient care and ensures follow through with planned, interdisciplinary care.
• Facilitates the patient and family’s right to receive quality, cost effective care.
• Demonstrates a commitment to meeting the learning needs of patients and families. Utilizes appropriate resources to meet those needs and achieve positive patient outcomes.

Leadership –The registered nurse participates in leading healthcare transformation and the nursing profession with commitment, dedication, and expertise. Expressing vision, demonstrating accountability through shared governance, contributing to the profession, and coordinating inter-professional care are all characteristics of the registered nurse.

• Participates in Advocate Medical Group activities promoting accountability for patient care and initiatives to improve processes and patient outcomes.
• Demonstrates effective communication, feedback, and conflict resolution skills, promoting collaboration among healthcare team members.
• Seeks out opportunities to enhance the knowledge, skill, and competence of other department members.
• Proactively facilitates compliance with regulatory standards.
• Assumes a leadership role and delegates appropriately.
• Promotes the culture of safety through identifying threats to patient safety and intervening to prevent patient harm. Reports patient safety events and near misses in a timely manner. Seeks to identify potential safety issues and assists in the implementation of corrective actions.
• Utilizes organizational resources in a cost-effective manner.

Compassion – The Advocate Nurse demonstrates presence with patients and families, practices empathy, and supports spiritual needs and beliefs. The nurse demonstrates respect and dignity always, and their presence is essential during the most vulnerable times. Nurses promote relationship development with communities to create strong partnerships and to improve health outcomes of patients and communities served.

• Provides and role models adaptive communication styles and techniques based on individual patient needs.
• Provides and role models behaviors necessary to care for patients with altered physical and psychosocial needs.
• Applies ethical decision making.
• Demonstrates respect and understanding for peers and other clinical disciplines and participates as an effective member of the patient care team to formulate an integrated approach to care.
• Consistently utilizes an individualized, wholistic and non-judgmental approach to patient care.

Innovation – The registered nurse contributes to the future delivery of care to patients and to systems that support nursing. They embody the characteristics of inquiry, adaptability, change, and continual development, through performance improvement, evidence-based practice, and research initiatives.

• Participates in quality/process improvement initiatives to improve the functions of the department and the patient care experience.
• Creatively uses knowledge, resources, and technology to transform care for the diverse patient population.

Professional Growth – The registered nurse is committed to lifelong learning, building knowledge and skill sets to keep pace with new delivery models and a changing healthcare environment. This promotes practice to the full scope of their nursing license.

• Contributes to the growth of the nursing profession through professional association membership, mentoring nursing students, and other nursing and clinical colleagues, continued academic progression, and contributions to nursing science.
• Assists in creating an environment that promotes educational growth opportunities for nursing peers and colleagues.
• Critiques one’s own nursing practice and initiates professional practice goals to enhance individual, unit, department and organizational goals.
• Utilizes available resources to maintain current knowledge base relevant to practice.
• Attends required meetings/educational programs and completes annual unit competencies in a timely manner.

Licensure:

• Nurse, Registered (RN)

Education/Experience Required:

• Graduate from an accredited school of nursing
• ​See Education and Experience Addendum for site specific requirements

Knowledge, Skills & Abilities Required:

• Good communication skills
• Good computer skills
• Good time management and organizational skills
• Familiarity with patient care equipment
• Current Illinois RN license
• Current CPR
• Certifications/education required for the nursing specialty – See Certification Addendum

Physical Requirements and Working Conditions:

• Ability to work weekends, holidays, and different shifts in order to accommodate staffing
• Certain positions may need to take call Ability to transport objects, patients, and equipment
• Ability to respond quickly to patient needs and work at fast pace
• Work environment includes probability of exposure to adverse, hazardous, or unpleasant conditions while caring for the sick
• Ability to assist in evacuation of patients in the event of a fire or other disaster
• Routinely works with potentially infectious specimens and patients
• Ability to respond to patients in a timely manner and access all areas of the unit
• This requirement supersedes any previous lifting requirement effective 04/20/2014. Ability to lift up to 35 pounds without assistance. For patient lifts of over 35 pounds, or when patient is unable to assist with the lift, patient handling equipment is expected to be used, with at least one other associate, when available. Unique patient lifting/movement situations will be assessed on a case-by-case basis.

Education Addendum: ALL SITES

• Graduate of an accredited school of nursing
• BSN Preferred CERTIFICATION
• CPR-Healthcare Provider
• ACLS and/or PALS: – Immediate Care
• ACLS and PALS – Ambulatory Surgical Center: Within 1 year
• ACLS – Endoscopy: Within 1 year – Cardiology Stress Testing
• Oncology: Chemotherapy/Biotherapy: as required by the Site
• OCN preferred or obtained when OCN requirements met
• Registered Nurse: 2 years’ experience preferred
• Ambulatory Surgery Center: 1 year critical care or surgical experience
• Cardiology: 1 year experience in cardiology preferred
• Contact Center: 2 years' experience in acute or ambulatory care
• Endoscopy: 1 year experience telemetry or PACU preferred
• Immediate Care: 1 year experience in critical care or ED preferred
• Occupational Health: 1 to 2 years occupational health experience or new graduate with prior occupational health or related experience
• Oncology: 1 year experience in oncology preferred

This job description indicates the general nature and level of work expected of the incumbent. It is not designed to cover or contain a comprehensive listing of activities, duties or responsibilities required of the incumbent. Incumbent may be required to perform other related duties.