Charge Nurse - FT - Night Shift

HOURLY RANGE:  $44.10 - $59.58

DISTINGUISHING FEATURES OF THE CLASS: The work involves directing, coordinating and supervising professional and non-

professional nursing staff and participating in the nursing and daily activity needs of patients/residents on a unit, for an assigned shift.  This is a professional/supervisory nursing position requiring a high degree of competence and tact.  Work is performed under the direct supervision of higher ranking professional nursing staff.  Supervision is exercised over lower level professional and non-professional nursing staff.  Does related work as required.

TYPICAL WORK ACTIVITIES:

CLINICAL

Monitors and ensures that established standards of care and the nursing process are utilized in the delivery of patient/resident care including but not limited to assessment, care planning, intervention, evaluation, discharge planning and health teaching;

Participates and ensures the maintenance of safety standards for staff, patients/residents and visitors;

Plans and conducts needed patient/resident centered conferences;

Intervenes in identified patient/resident problems and seeks resolution;

Communicates to physicians, higher ranking nurses and other staff the needs of  patients/residents;

Assures the processing and implementation of physician orders in a timely manner;

Establishes patient/resident care priorities;

Serves as a clinical resource person to other staff;

Serves as liaison between patients/residents, family, physician and the health care team;

Provides nursing care as needed;

Assures documentation of patient/resident condition as required.

NON-CLINICAL

Assesses overall unit activity and patient/resident care needs for assigned shift;

Makes patient/resident care assignments according to departmental standards;

Communicates all clinical and operational activities from shift to shift;

Communicates immediate concerns related to staff performance issues, physician or patient/resident concerns or other unit management issues to the unit manager/higher ranking nurse;

Reinforces cost effective utilization of personnel and supplies;

Supports and participates in the quality improvement process;

Participates in the evaluation of staff performance and the orientation of new staff;

Ensures assigned staff attends in-service as scheduled;

Maintains knowledge of new and current skills and trends in nursing;

Provides input into scheduling;

Contributes to formulation of unit/facility goals and objectives.

CHARGE NURSE                                                                                                      Page 2

FULL PERFORMANCE KNOWLEDGES, SKILLS, ABILITIES AND PERSONAL CHARACTERISTICS:

Good knowledge of the principles, procedures, techniques, and terminology of professional nursing;

Good knowledge of the biological, physical, social and medical science as they relate to nursing care;

Ability to develop management skills;

Ability to work effectively with others;

Ability to work well in crisis situations;

Ability to assist in administration of nursing and non-nursing ancillary activities;

Ability to perform more difficult professional nursing duties;

Ability to maintain records and prepare reports;

Good communication skills, both oral and written;

Sound professional judgment;

Initiative;

Resourcefulness;

Industry;

Dependability;

Tact;

Good health;

Physically capable of performing the essential functions of the position with or without

            reasonable accommodation.

MINIMUM QUALIFICATIONS:

Graduation from an accredited school of professional nursing and possession of a license to practice as a registered professional nurse in New York State and either:

1. A) Graduation from a regionally accredited or New York State registered college or university with a Bachelor's degree in nursing and six (6) months of professional nursing experience in the specialty area to which assignment is requested; or

1. B) One (1) year of professional nursing experience in the specialty area to which assignment is requested;

1. C) An equivalent combination of training and experience as defined by the limits of (A) and

            (B).

Specialty areas shall include *critical care,* emergency nursing, medical/surgical, operating room, hemodialysis, ambulatory care and behavioral health.

*Please note that critical care experience will meet the minimum requirements for positions in the post anesthesia recovery room and the cardiac catheterization laboratory.*

NOTE: Verifiable part-time and/or volunteer experience will be pro-rated toward meeting full-time experience requirements