Description

The Registered Nurse is a clinically competent practitioner of pediatric and family centered nursing care. The nurse provides safe nursing care to the pediatric primary care and/or specialty care patients with minimal guidance and bases practice on identified principles and standards of care. The RN is responsible for daily patient care, assessment and treatment in collaboration with the clinical medical provider and interdisciplinary team. The RN must be competent in caring for patients with moderate to complex heath issues. Assists nurse manager or administrative manager with administrative issues that affect the clinical practices within the office as well as comply with the administrative policies and clinical protocols.

Ambulatory areas:

Primary Care: Ambulatory nurses in primary care work with all children ranging from newborns to 21 years of age, partnering and collaborating with other health care professionals to address patients' wellness, acute illness and other needs, as well as providing assessment, treatment, childhood immunizations, medications, education for patient and family, and triage telephone advice.

Specialty Care: Ambulatory nurses in specialty care work with and care for a variety of different specialty patients from newborn to 21 years of age, partnering and collaborating with specialty teams including but not limited to allergy, adolescent medicine, gastroenterology, endocrinology, orthopedics, rehab medicine, pulmonology, rheumatology, otolaryngology, urology, etc. Ambulatory nurses that work with the specialty teams may provide daily care, assessments, injections, medications, assist with procedures, education for family and patient, as well as telephone triage advice.

Primary Functions:

1.Clinical Judgment :

• Independently develops, implements, evaluates, and modifies clinical practice to meet individual patient and family needs
• Collects and interprets complex patient data. Focuses on key elements of situation while sorting out extraneous detail and exercises clinical judgment based on an immediate grasp of the whole picture for the patient population of the assigned clinical area
• Serves as a coach to new graduates and clinical students
• Cares for patients in the office as well as through telephone triage utilizing pediatric protocols and clinical advice from the clinical provider.
• Safely administers medications as prescribed by the provider

2. Clinical Inquiry:

• Identifies clinical questions. Seeks advice, resources or information to improve patient care.
• Utilizes and contributes to evidence-based practice.
• Participates in unit based shared governance and/or committees to improve clinical practice.

3. Caring Practices:

• Determines and prioritizes the patients nursing care needs and maintains responsibility for directing aspects of care which are delegated to patient care team members.
• Initiates, implements and evaluates standards of care based on identified patient needs.
• Consistently shows empathy, sensitivity and insight and is able to intervene in stressful situations.
• Individualizes both emotional and physical pain management and comfort measures specific to patient and family.
• Further develops therapeutic relationships with patients and families and maintains appropriate boundaries.
• Contributes to a nurturing environment that is supportive of colleagues in less than optimal situations.
• Anticipates and integrates cultural differences into patient and family care.

4. Response to Diversity:

• Fosters a non-discriminatory climate, recognizing, supporting and including cultural diversity in organizational and nursing policy development.
• Recognizes unique differences of patients and families. Incorporates these into patient plan of care.
• Provides for alternative means of communication as required to meet patient and family needs.
• Tailors nursing care to meet the age specific and developmentally appropriate needs of patient and family.
• Preserves and protects the confidentiality, autonomy, dignity and rights of patient and families.

5. Advocacy/ Moral Agency:

• Advocates on behalf of patients/ families and personnel, promoting adherence to the ANA Code of Ethics for Nurses.
• Acts as resource for patients and families working towards resolution of ethical issues. Initiate's ethics consult when appropriate.
• Effectively communicates and negotiates needed changes in a patient's plan of care. Seeks opportunities to learn and be mentored.

6. Collaboration:

• Works as a team member to ensure optimal patient outcomes. Supports colleagues by maintaining an attitude of respect and interdependency.
• Develops problem-solving strategies based upon the unique needs and strengths of the patient and family.

7.Systems Thinking:

• Participates in departmental and hospital programs for Quality Assessment and Improvement, identifying opportunities to improve services, making recommendations and implementing actions as appropriate and consistent with the goals of the Nemours Foundation.
• Demonstrates leadership ability in responding to situations and efficiently uses existing resources.
• Provides care that meets professional standards of practice and meets regulatory requirements.
• Contributes toward the budget process. Engaged in unit-based fiscal accountability.
• Individualizes patient and family teaching. Utilize available electronic resource.

8.Facilitation of Learning:

• Identifies areas of educational needs of others.
• Reviews patient teaching plans to ensure they are evidence based. Contributes to revision of standards of care policies.
• Helps evaluate effectiveness of patient and family education.
• Seeks out a mentor to facilitate individual growth.
• Participates in unit/departmental/ hospital educational programs.

Job Requirements:

• Associate (2 years of training beyond high school; e.g., Diploma, Associate's degree) (BSN within 3 (ADN) or 4 (Diploma) years of date of hire). If not already obtained, a Bachelor of Science in Nursing (BSN) must be achieved within 3 (ADN) or 4 (Diploma) years of date of hire.
• Valid Nursing License in state of primary practice site. Additional state licensure may be required based on need of position
• Current BLS from American Heart Association required.
• 1-3 years of job related experience required.

About Us

Nemours Children's Health is an internationally recognized children's health system. With more than 1.7 million patient encounters annually, we provide medical care in five states through two freestanding state-of-the-art children's hospitals - Nemours Children's Hospital, Delaware and Nemours Children's Hospital, Florida. Our pediatric network includes 80 primary-urgent-and specialty care practices and more than 40 hospitalists serving 19 affiliated hospitals. We generate annual revenues of more than $1.7 billion derived from patient services, contributions from the Alfred I. DuPont Trust, as well as other income.

As one of the nation's premier pediatric health systems, we're on a journey to discover better ways of approaching children's health. Putting as much focus on prevention as cures and working hand in hand with the community to make every child's world a place to thrive. It's a journey that extends beyond our nationally recognized clinical treatment to an entire integrated spectrum of research, advocacy, education, and prevention, leading to the healthiest generations of children ever.

Inclusion and belonging guide our growth and strategy. We are looking for individuals who are passionate about, and committed to, leading efforts to provide culturally relevant care, reducing health disparities, and helping build an inclusive and supportive environment. All of our associates are expected to ensure that these philosophies are embedded in their day-to-day work with colleagues, patients and families.

To learn more about Nemours Children's and how we go well beyond medicine, visit us at www.nemours.org .