Job Description

Job Summary
11/2018
JOB SUMMARY
At Houston Methodist, the Charge Nurse position is a licensed professional Registered Nurse (RN), who, as an experienced clinician, functions at the Competent to Proficient stage of Benners model of clinical practice. This position creates an environment for the management and delivery of safe patient care. In addition to fulfilling the duties and responsibilities of a clinical nurse, the Charge Nurse position is a role model and coach to department personnel and assists in developing their skills and knowledge. This position provides nursing care to a diverse patient population. Besides conducting nursing assessments, assisting with exams and treatment and maintenance of medical records, this position assists in coaching and mentoring department staff in areas of clinical and professional practice. Role modeling compassionate communication with physicians and the interprofessional health care team, the Charge Nurse assumes leadership responsibilities with high level contributions at the bedside, unit, service line, and across the institution. Responsibilities for this position may include but are not limited to leading unit and shared governance activities, assessing unit needs related to practice and improvement opportunities, serving as a clinical resource for both unit and hospital staff and coordinating unit and hospital-wide education in partnership with management.

PATIENT AGE GROUP(S) AND POPULATION(S) SERVED
Refer to departmental Scope of Service and Provision of Care plans, as applicable, for description of primary age groups and populations served by this job for the respective HM entity.

HOUSTON METHODIST EXPERIENCE EXPECTATIONS
oProvide personalized care and service by consistently demonstrating our I CARE values:
-INTEGRITY: We are honest and ethical in all we say and do.
-COMPASSION: We embrace the whole person including emotional, ethical, physical, and spiritual needs.
-ACCOUNTABILITY: We hold ourselves accountable for all our actions.
-RESPECT: We treat every individual as a person of worth, dignity, and value.
-EXCELLENCE: We strive to be the best at what we do and a model for others to emulate.
oFocuses on patient/customer safety
oDelivers personalized service using HM Service Standards
oProvides for exceptional patient/customer experiences by following our Standards of Practice of always using Positive Language (AIDET, Managing Up, Key Words)
oIntentionally rounds with patients/customers to ensure their needs are being met
oInvolves patients (customers) in shift/handoff reports by enabling their participation in their plan of care as applicable to the given job

PRIMARY JOB RESPONSIBILITIES
Job responsibilities labeled EF capture those duties that are essential functions of the job.

PEOPLE - 20%
1.Fosters staff engagement by demonstrating active listening, requesting and acknowledging feedback, making equitable decisions, providing rationale when appropriate, and supporting organizational goals. Anticipates the needs of the staff members and proactively offers assistance. Role models interprofessional communication, which includes active listening and teaching, and assists with staff stress management as needed. Improves departmental scores for turnover/retention on unit-based scorecard. (EF)
2.Role models fair and consistent leadership skills for effective team dynamics and teambuilding strategies through problem solving, coaching, and developing staff. Coaches staff to use efficient and effective communication to establish and maintain a team environment, and to include the patient and family as a part of the team regarding their plan of care. Provides input into staff performance reviews, as appropriate. (EF)
3.Functions as a mentor and resource to unit staff, provides oversight for students/new employee/preceptorships. Identifies levels of organizational conflict and applies tools to effectively resolve concerns, complaints or conflict with patients, families, physicians and other interprofessional healthcare team members. (EF)

SERVICE - 20%
1.Leads the patient and family-centered care standards, as outlined in the Houston Methodist Professional Nursing Practice document. Mentors others regarding specialty populations; audits plan of care. Practices in a manner that is congruent with cultural diversity and inclusion principles. (EF)
2.Maintains ongoing interactions with patients, families, and staff on the improvement of patient care through leader rounding. Ensures effective collaboration with other departments regarding patient process issues. (EF)
3.Drives department service standards and activities to improve department score for patient satisfaction on unit-based scorecard, through role modeling and fostering accountability. (EF)

QUALITY/SAFETY - 20%
1.Models the standards of care related to the nursing process, as outlined in the Houston Methodist Professional Nursing Practice document, by actively participating in meeting and improving nurse sensitive quality indicators and patient safety goals. Participates in the creation of a continuous improvement environment by promoting situational awareness, assisting with audits as needed, and using teachable moments. (EF)
2.Coordinates nursing care throughout the shift considering patient acuity, staff skill level and safety to ensure that our duty to our patients can be met. Models the standards related to regulatory requirements and professional practice as outlined in the Houston Methodist Professional Nursing Practice document. (EF)
3.Facilitates seamless patient flow to/from/through the department, leading the delivery of quality family-centered care throughout the continuum of care. Ensures the patient plan of care is accurate and timely, coaching staff if documentation deficiencies are identified. Works closely with the OAs and bed management regarding timely patient placement. Proactively recognizes, determines a plan of action, and responds to situations, such as Rapid Response/CERTs, and emergency codes. (EF)
4.Participates in initiatives to improve quality and safety scores on the unit and hospital scorecards, through peer-to-peer accountability, reporting near misses and identifying solutions by collaborating with the interprofessional team. Role models situational awareness, using teachable moments to improve safety. Assists with audits as needed. (EF)

FINANCE - 25%
1.Implements department strategies to achieve financial target on unit-based scorecard and mentors others to do the same through timely documentation of care, decreasing length of stay, optimizing efficiency, minimizing incidental overtime, and other areas according to departmental specifications. (EF)
2.Attends daily care coordination rounds to facilitate patient progression. Ensures that follow-up has been implemented on any concerns or issues identified by the team. Manages productivity in accordance with staffing grid. (EF)
3.Provides input into unit resource utilization including unit capital and operational budget needs. Oversees shift by shift resource utilization through the allocation of staff, supplies and contributions to the patient throughput. (EF)

GROWTH/INNOVATION - 15%
1.Fosters identification and implementation of innovative solutions for practice changes to improve patient care or unit operations such as reduction of hospital readmissions or other department-specific measures by leading and/or participating in unit projects and shared governance activities. Investigates and incorporates evidence-based practices which are presented to shared governance and leadership. Supports change initiatives and adapts to unexpected changes. (EF)
2.Expands individual nursing knowledge and coaches staff to grow in knowledge, abilities, skills, and attitudes. Serves as clinical resource. Develops and disseminates, as appropriate, informational/educational resources and programs designed to improve quality and professional practice. (EF)

This job description is not intended to be all inclusive; the employee will also perform other reasonably related business/job duties as assigned. Houston Methodist reserves the right to revise job duties and responsibilities as the need arises.

EDUCATION REQUIREMENTS
oBachelor of Science degree or higher from an accredited School of Nursing

EXPERIENCE REQUIREMENTS
oTwenty four months of clinical nursing experience with demonstration of progressive leadership skills

CERTIFICATIONS, LICENSES AND REGISTRATIONS REQUIRED
oTexas RN license or temporary TX RN license, should obtain permanent license within 90 days. Compact license acceptable according to current Board of Nursing requirements
oAmerican Heart Association Basic Life Support (BLS)
oOther credentials and certifications as defined by unit/service line
oAmerican Nursing Credentialing Center (ANCC)-recognized certification preferred

KNOWLEDGE, SKILLS AND ABILITIES REQUIRED
oDemonstrates the skills and competencies necessary to safely perform the assigned job, determined through on-going skills, competency assessments, and performance evaluations.
oSufficient proficiency in speaking, reading, and writing the English language necessary to perform the essential functions of this job, especially with regard to activities impacting patient or employee safety or security.
oAbility to effectively communicate with patients, physicians, family members and co-workers in a manner consistent with a customer service focus and application of positive language principles.
oStrong assessment, organizational and problem solving skills as evidenced by capacity to prioritize multiple tasks and role components
oAbility to function independently and exercise judgment in interactions with physicians, interprofessional healthcare team and patients and their families.
oUses critical thinking skills and clinical judgment to work autonomously as defined by the Nurse Practice Act.
oDemonstrates proficient time management skills.
oDemonstrates highly developed assessment skills; contributes to policies, procedure and protocols.
oHas knowledge of Nursing Units Dashboard and Hospital Consumer Assessment of Healthcare Providers and Systems (HCAHPS) scores.
oDemonstrates expertise in operating the electronic medical record
oMaintains level of professional contributions as defined in Clinical Career Path program guide

SUPPLEMENTAL REQUIREMENTS

Work AttireYes/No
Uniform Yes
ScrubsYes
Business professionalNo
Other (dept. approved) No

On-Call* Yes, on a regular basis (for Non-Exempt or Exempt jobs)
*Note that employees may be required to be on-call during emergencies (i.e. Disaster, Severe Weather Event, etc.) regardless of selection above.

Travel**
May require travel within Yes
Houston Metropolitan area

May require travel outside No
of Houston Metropolitan area

**Travel specifications may vary by department.

Please note any other special considerations to this job: __________________________

Equal Employment Opportunity
Houston Methodist is an Equal Opportunity Employer.

Equal employment opportunity is a sound and just concept to which Houston Methodist is firmly bound. Houston Methodist will not engage in discrimination against or harassment of any person employed or seeking employment with Houston Methodist on the basis of race, color, religion, sex, sexual orientation, gender identity, national origin, age, disability, status as a protected veteran or other characteristics protected by law.

VEVRAA Federal Contractor priority referral Protected Veterans requested.

Company Profile
Houston Methodist The Woodlands opened on June 26, 2017 as the eighth hospital in the Houston Methodist system. This new 187-bed, 470,000-square-foot, full-service, acute care hospital offers many of the same services as our flagship hospital in the Texas Medical Center. Also on the $380 million hospital campus, located at the intersection of I-45 and TX 242, is a medical office building, which opened in March 2016. Medical Office Building 1 includes a breast care center, cancer center & infusion center, orthopedics & sports medicine, rehabilitation services, wellness services, and an outpatient laboratory in addition to multi-specialty physician practices. A second medical office building and 785-car parking garage opened in 2018.