NURSES AND NURSING PRACTICE: Incorporates advanced knowledge and skills to plan, coordinate and direct clinical activities in the specialty area assigned and independently solve problems related to nursing practice. Leads and mentors' staff in multidisciplinary team and family collaboration using the nursing perspective to formulate a plan of care to meet the clinical needs of the patient and family. Implements the principles of coaching, role-modeling, and advanced communication skills to lead and mentor staff to effectively negotiate and resolve conflict and facilitate the development of highly effective clinical teams. Establishes and evaluates nursing practice to ensure the delivery of highest quality nursing care in relation to safety, timeliness, effectiveness, efficiency, efficacy, and patient centeredness resulting in optimal patient outcomes. Fosters an interdisciplinary approach to quality improvement, evidence-based practice, research, and translation of research into practice. Implements and/or guides the implementation of evidence-based nursing practices and nursing research. Remains current regarding trends in nursing practice. Collects relevant data to support nursing research and continuous process improvement (CPI) activities within specialty area and in conjunction with nursing research leaders and clinical research departments, where available. Develops and evaluates staff orientation program. Mentors new staff and facilitates the successful orientation to meet the expectations and requirements of the orientation program. Identifies, authors/revises, and implements policies and protocols vital to the delivery of quality health care to patients and families. Plans and implements ongoing professional development and continuing education activities for staff. Evaluates clinical competency of nursing personnel assigned to the specialty area of practice. Provides input on clinical performance and staff competency for scheduling purposes, individual training plans, performance appraisal, and/or fitness reports. PATIENT CARE: Serves as a subject matter expert collaborating with a multi-disciplinary care team (where applicable) to clarify patients plan of care, evaluate patient response to treatment plan and progress, and ascertain the need for additional or modified services. Performs ongoing assessments and identifies subtle changes in patient conditions aligning with medical diagnosis and treatment. Discriminates between normal and abnormal clinical findings to recognize early stages of serious physical or emotional problems. Role-models and assists staff in collaboration with all disciplines and members of the healthcare team providing services/support to the patient and/or family. Collaborates in the delivery of comprehensive health care services of complex patients. Evaluates the appropriateness, effectiveness of treatment regimens and guidelines and patient response including procedures, medications, clinical documentation, progress notes, consults, providers orders, pharmacy requests, and/or blood bank requisitions. Applies, operates, and analyzes data from complex specialty patient care and physiological monitoring equipment. Ensures staff competency with the application, operation, and data analysis received from highly specialized equipment. Applies advanced computer skills in the provision of patient care, physiological monitoring and documentation. Ensures staff competency with procedures for data retrieval and standards of clinical documentation. Supervises/guides nursing staff closely, or personally performs clinical duties, in situations requiring a high degree of skill. Evaluates patient education. Promotes individualized health care teaching for patients and families throughout hospitalization. Facilitates achievable transfer or discharge objectives as needed. Participates in discharge planning across the care continuum to include inpatient, outpatient and community resources/services. SYSTEM AND ORGANIZATION: Develops, implements, and evaluates unit specific CPI projects. Utilizes diversified professional concepts, principles, evidence-based research, and best practices. Reports to chain of command and other executive level committees as dictated by the organization to relay nursing practice contributions and outcomes; identified challenges or issues, contributing factors, and interventions to address issues to include fiscal impact of interventions. Establishes collaborative relationships within and across departments that promote patient safety, culturally competent care, and clinical excellence. Considers fiscal and budgetary restraints and implications in decision-making regarding practice and system modifications. Ensure staff complies with regulatory requirements and standards. Performs other duties as assigned. Conditions of Employment - Appointment may be subject to a suitability or fitness determination, as determined by a completed background investigation. - A Personnel Security Investigation is required. - This position requires the incumbent be able to obtain and maintain a determination of eligibility for a Secret security clearance or access for the duration of employment. A background investigation and credit check are required. - This position has specific initial background investigation and periodic re-verification requirements since its duties require interaction with children and youth under the age of eighteen (18) years of age on a recurring basis. - Selectees will be required to sign a statement (Condition of Employment) consenting to seasonal influenza vaccinations or must provide a recognized exemption. - This position is a Testing Designated Position subject to pre-employment screening and random drug testing. Selectees will be required to consent to participation in random drug urinalysis testing. - A pre-placement medical examination is required. - Immunization screening is required. Hepatitis B immunization is required for all positions with direct patient contact. Applicants may be required to show proof of other immunizations depending on the type of position. - Must be able to obtain and maintain current Basic Life Support (BLS) certification through the American Red Cross. Advanced certification (e.g., ALS) does not supersede BLS. - Must be able to obtain and maintain certification in Pediatric Advanced Life Support (PALS). - Must be able to obtain and maintain certification in Advanced Cardiac Life Support (ACLS). - Must be able to obtain and maintain certification in Neonatal Resuscitation Program (NRP). - Applicants must be able to fulfill credentialing requirements and obtain and maintain appropriate/relevant clinical privileges. - This position may include shift work (evenings, weekends, holidays). - This position may require rotating shifts (i.e. work schedule that requires employees to continuously rotate from one shift to another at predetermined intervals). - This position may require the incumbent to work during irregular work hours which may include evenings, weekends, holidays, and/or varying work schedules. - This position may require the incumbent to work on call during irregular work hours which may include evenings, weekends, holidays, and/or varying work schedules. - This position may require the incumbent to work weekends and/or holidays. - Moderate to heavy lifting up to 50 pounds is required.