Staff Nurse - Inpatient

Purpose and Scope of the Job

The staff nurse provides direct and indirect age specific care for assigned patients in medical surgical nursing units per scheduled shifts. The 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 involving families. It includes but not limited to, managing adult and pediatric patients with medical and/or surgical cases, managing patients’ pre and post partum, pre and post surgeries. The staff nurse is accountable for clinical, educational, quality, and fiscal patient care outcomes, and in accordance with established institution's policies, procedures, guidelines, 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 the accreditation requirements and international standards. Supports the mission and vision of the 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 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.
    • Keep all equipment ready for use.
    • Follow Preventive Maintenance for unit equipments.
    • Accountable for the use of patients’ and hospital’s resources.
    • Accountable for the patient, the organization, the profession and self.
    • Perform clerical duties when needed.
• Assume responsibility for meeting accreditation required mandatory education, e.g., fire, safety, infection control and others.
• Ensures quality and patient safety practices are followed
• Provides or promotes patient and family- centered care.
• Promotes inclusive health by providing equitable and accessible care to patients and families with special needs. .
• To provide emotional support to relieve patient fear and anxiety.
• Facilitate continuity, secure transition and coordination of care between healthcare settings.
• Provide physical comfort, information and education and allow access to own care plan.

2

Perform major functions pertinent to a Med/Surgical/general staff nurse:

• Demonstrate required assessment and therapeutic skills.
• Abide by the Standards of care and practice.
• Provide basic life support when needed.
• Implement and monitor infection control measures.
• Administer medications, monitor desirable and undesirable effects and intervene appropriately.
• 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.
• Manage patients with infectious diseases when applicable.
• Manage pediatric patients with infectious diseases when applicable.
• Manage obstetric / GYN patients when applicable
• Perform special procedures pertinent to OB/GYN unit including: breast care, use of breast pump, perineal care, and application of ice packs to perineum or episiotomy, sitz bath, vaginal douche.
• Provide pre -natal and post-natal care
• Provide care for newborns/ pediatrics as needed
• Participate in quality initiatives and quality improvement activities for improving the unit standards of quality provided.
• Provide emotional support and measures to alleviate fear and anxiety.
• Report daily occurrences and unusual incidents to the head nurse/ team leader on timely manner without delay.

3

Provide patient and family education by:

• • • • Assessing patient and family readiness and identifying learning needs.
      • Leading/encouraging multidisciplinary approach for patient’s discharge.
      • Developing and implementing the teaching plan utilizing patient education manual.
      • Evaluating the teaching-learning process.
• Documenting patient and family education.