RN

Since inception, CHI St. Alexius Health Turtle Lake has been dedicated to serving the residents of Turtle Lake, ND and the surrounding rural communities. CHI St. Alexius Health includes the Turtle Lake Hospital, Turtle Lake and Washburn Family Clinics. CHI St. Alexius Health Turtle Lake includes services of a 26-bed facility, a rural health clinic, and an emergency department that is available 24 hours a day. We offer many outpatient services, including physical therapy, radiology services, laboratory services, cardiac rehabilitation, and IV treatments.

STATEMENT OF PURPOSE:   Works under the supervision of the Director of Nursing.  The Registered Nurse plans, oversees and evaluates patient care utilizing the Nursing Process (assessment, planning, implementation and evaluation) while maintaining the standards of State Nurse Practice Act, and facility policy and procedure, and the Mission and Philosophy of Community Memorial Hospital.  

ESSENTIAL DUTIES AND RESPONSIBILITIES:

• Admissions: Notifies Business Office of an admission as soon as possible; Medical Providers orders completed accurately within 1.5 hours of admission; Informs Med. Nurse and Pharmacy of admission and medication requirements; Patient assessment completed within 1 hour of admission; Kardex completed and chart assembled accurately within 2 hours of admission; Notify appropriate department for needed treatment within 1 hour, (physical therapy, lab, x-ray).
• Care Plans: Develop care plans on admission; Changes in patient conditions and care are updated on care plans; Level of care updated on care plans; Gives report to oncoming staff to assure continuation of care. 
• Assessments: Assessments performed on admission on all levels of care; Assessments performed every shift for acute patient; Assessments performed on swing bed patient per protocol; Assessments performed when notified of a change in patient condition by any member of the nursing staff; Notifies provider of changes in patient’s condition; Informs family members or POA of any changes in patient’s condition.
• Medication Dispense: Pharmacy notified of new admits and changes in med orders; Dispenses oral, IV, SQ and IM medications according to orders and charted accordingly; Inhalation Therapy given according to orders and charted accordingly; Medication errors avoided but reported immediately when discovered; Assists Med. Nurses as needed; Narcotics Log accurately completed according to protocol. 
• Discharges or change in level of care: Changes in patient level of care status is reported to Business Office and Social Services via voice mail as soon as possible or end of business day; Patient notified 48 hours prior when change in level of care planned and appropriate paperwork completed; Pharmacy notified of change in patient care level or discharge; Upon discharge, orders explained to patient or appropriate caregiver and follow-up appointments and prescriptions arrangements made if necessary.
• Treatment/Emergency Room Care: Follows protocols when caring for outpatient; Performs primary assessment on all patients and notifies on-call provider with 20 minutes; Repeats assessments after treatment or every 20 min; Gathers updated admission information regarding insurance and biographical information; Calls in additional help when needed especially relating to code blue or trauma codes; Completes appropriate charting and completes transfer paperwork, when necessary.
• Skills: Establishes Intravenous sites utilizing aseptic technique with a success rate of 80%; Places urinary catheter utilizing sterile technique with 90% success rate; Places nasogastric tube as ordered and performs airway suction with success; Maintains Gastric tube feeding sites according to protocol; Dressing changes performed according to medical provider orders.
• Paperwork: Document on acute patient per shift and as needed; Document on swing bed patients per protocol or any changes in patient condition; Updates patient Kardex as necessary; Performs outdates checks and equipment checks according to schedule and documents.
• Infection Control: Records in infection control log any incidents of infectious condition on any patients; Notifies nursing staff of isolation needs and assures appropriate personal protection equipment made available.
• Education and staff relationship: Gathers a minimum of 12 hours of continuing education; Brings to nursing staff information received from outside workshops; Encouraged to participate in additional education opportunities including PALS, TNCC etc; Supports nursing committees such as ER committee, trauma committee, fall committee, care conference, infection control, etc; Communicates with other members of shift nursing staff as well as other departments.

Education:  Nursing degree from an approved school of nursing.

Licensure:  License to practice professional nursing in the state of North Dakota.  (Licensed to practice registered nursing in the state of ND or in a compact state.  Graduate Nurse (G.N.) must practice under the supervision of a registered nurse while the work authorization to practice is valid.)