Staff Nurse - Critical Care

Purpose and Scope of the Job

The Critical Care Staff Nurse provides direct and indirect age-specific care for assigned patients in critical care setting per scheduled shifts. The Critical Care Staff Nurse is primarily responsible for professional performance and safe patient care. The role encompasses nursing assessment, diagnosis, planning, intervention, evaluation, and coordination of care for patients across the health care continuum involving families. It includes, but is not limited to, hemodynamic and cardiac monitoring, management of patients with cardiac manifestations, on vasoactive medications and mechanical ventilation and management of patients with complex medical and surgical conditions. The Critical Care Staff Nurse is accountable for clinical, educational, quality, and fiscal patient care outcomes in accordance with established institution's policies, procedures, guidelines, Professional Practice and standards of practice. Participates in PI projects, and collaborates with other professional disciplines to ensure effective and efficient patient care delivery and the achievement of desired outcomes. Utilizes knowledge of human development stages, and cultural diversity into the provision of patient care. Abides by accreditation requirements and international standards. Supports the mission and vision of Dar Al Shifa Hospital (DASH) and the Nursing Department.

Main Duties and Responsibilities/Performance Standards

1

Provide age-specific patient-centered care utilizing the nursing process:

• • • Perform patient assessment using appropriate, problem focused, and age-specific assessment techniques.
    • Involve the patient, significant others, and health care providers in the plan of care when appropriate.
    • Collaborate with other disciplines through multidisciplinary meetings and care conferences to facilitate patient care and operations.
    • Analyze the assessment data, derive nursing interventions, set priorities according to patients needs, formulate a plan of care, implement and evaluate the outcome.
    • Ensures patient privacy.
    • Maintain confidentiality of patient information.
    • Initiate appropriate discharge or transfer plan.
    • Recognize subtle cues to anticipate potential problems.
    • Document all relevant data in the medical record according to hospital/departmental standards.
    • Ensure availability and maintenance of supplies and equipment needed for the unit and patient care. Accountable for the use of patients’ and hospital’s resources.
    • Follow Preventive Maintenance for unit equipment’s.
    • Accountable for the patient, the organization, the profession and self.
    • Ensure quality and patient safety practices are followed
    • Provide or promotes patient and family- centered care.
    • Promotes inclusive health by providing equitable and accessible care to patients and families with special needs.
    • Perform clerical duties when needed.
    • Assume responsibility for meeting accreditation required mandatory education, e.g., fire, safety, infection control and others.
    • Ensure quality and patient safety practices are followed
    • Provide or promotes patient and family- centered care.
    Promotes inclusive health by providing equitable and accessible care to patients and families with special needs.
    

2

Perform major functions pertinent to a Critical Care - Staff Nurse:

• Demonstrate required assessment and therapeutic skills.
  • • Abide by standards of care and practice.
    • Demonstrate competence in ACLS and BLS.
    • Provide holistic care to patients with cardiac disorders including intubated patients

with different Oxygen therapy modalities.

• • • Implement and monitor infection control measures.
    • Administer thrombolytic and vasoactive medications as well as regular

medications.

• • • Ensure that patients are provided with appropriate nutrition.
    • Deliver pre-operative and post-operative patient care.
    • Apply safety measures related to patient care.
    • Operate all unit required equipment safely including pacemaker batteries, central and patient rooms monitor and telemetry.
    Assist physicians with special procedures, including but not limited to, insertion of central , venous catheter, Dialysis catheter, PA catheter, pacemaker, cardio version, trans-esophageal echo, Dobutamine stress echo, chest tube insertion, thoracentesis, peri-cardiocentesis and Intra- Aortic Balloon Pump (IABP).
    

3

Perform nursing activities pertinent to Cardiac Care & Intensive Care Unit, including but is not limited to: management of patient on mechanical ventilator and non-invasive ventilation, hemodynamic monitoring (CO, CVP, PCWP, PAP), defibrillation, central line and PA catheter care, care of patient pre and post cardiac catheterization and Angioplasty, Care and monitoring of patient on hemodialysis, IABP monitoring and care, care of patient with temporary and permanent pacemaker, monitoring of abdominal pressure, surgical and non-surgical wound management, and accompany patients to diagnostic procedures and stay with them except in procedures where anesthesia team is present.

• • • Monitor cardiac rhythm, detect arrhythmias, and manage accordingly.
    • Withdraw of blood from arterial line as ordered.
    • Communicate with multidisciplinary team members and family for end-of-life.
    • Respond to hospital codes after 1-year experience in critical care areas.
    • Participate and show responsibility for improving the unit standards of quality provided.
    • Show responsibility for participating in department level PI activities and disseminate to unit colleague.
    • Share in the identification of areas for improvement in the unit.
    • Provide emotional support and measures to alleviate fear and anxiety.
    
    

4

Provide patient and family education by:

• • • Assessing patient and family readiness and ability to learn.
    • Identifying learning needs and objectives.
    • Developing and implementing the teaching plan utilizing patient education manual.
    • Evaluating the teaching-learning process.
• Documenting patient and family education.