RN, Clinical Manager

Overview

The Clinical Manager is responsible and accountable for the quality of staff and functions during their shift. Directly supervises and communicates with all staff along with the Department Director.  Assists the Department Director in the daily operation of the unit, directing, supervising and evaluating personnel, ensuring the proper use of time, equipment and staff.  Ensure the efficient functions of the department.  Performs direct patient care, only as needed, within the scope of practice. Continually assess care and direct staff to make immediate changes in the plan of care.

Responsibilities

Coordination of Unit Functioning

• Assists the Unit Director in identifying equipment and supply needs for the unit.
• Assists the Unit Director of identifying problems with equipment utilization.
• Identifies nursing problems for investigation.
• Coordinates staff schedule.
• Reviews/revises policies and procedures.
• Serves as a resource to other nursing staff for problem-solving.
• Helps others to use hospital resources.
• Reviews hours worked payroll reports (Ultipro).
• Communicates with other departments as needed to provide efficient and appropriate patient care.
• Supports management decisions.
• Demonstrates knowledge of resource consumption, to include utilization of resources, procedures and lengths of stay; actively intervenes as needed.

Leadership

• Supports the mission, vision and philosophy at WHMC.
• Pro-actively identifies problems and participates in solutions; follows up as appropriate.
• Observes and evaluates unit staff's ability to perform assigned duties and provides feedback to director as needed.
• Assists individual staff members in identifying their own learning needs.
• Assists in completing performance appraisals for selected staff as delegated by Unit Director.
• Participates in interviews of potential employees.
• Under the direction of the Unit Director, may hire, counsel, suspend and/or terminate staff.
• Maintains nursing hours according to set standards.
• Participates in assigned committees/task forces.
• Takes lead on projects and completes in a timely manner.

Patient Care - Assessment

• Rounds on all patients daily.
• Serves as a role model in assessment skills.
• Assesses the care being delivered to patients on assigned unit in accordance with policies, procedures and standards of care of WHMC.

Patient Care - Planning

• Serves as a role model in planning skills.
• Recommends discharge planning needs/issues to appropriate case management staff.
• Contributes to the development of more complex patient care plans.
• Serves as a resource to staff for complex patients.

Patient Care - Implementation

• Serves as role model in patient care and patient/family/significant other teaching.
• Assigns staff RNs patient care assignments.
• Supervises, supports and coaches others in utilizing the nursing process with all patients on the unit.
• Assists others in utilizing available care planning resources; assigns RNs to attend and participate in multidisciplinary case management meetings.
• Demonstrates nursing process consistently with all patients.
• Utilizes other health team members as resources.

Patient Care - Evaluation

• Reviews nursing process documentation done by unit personnel, as delegated by the Unit Director.
• Assists the Unit Director in identifying unit educational needs in relation to the nursing process.
• Assists the Unit Director and staff to evaluate outcomes of patient care conferences in terms of productivity and interaction of group members.
• Monitors and evaluates the quality of care being delivered to patients on assigned unit.
• Monitors the quality of and outcomes of patient/family teaching done on assigned unit.

Customer Service

• Consistently strives to understand, anticipate and meet the needs, expectations and satisfaction levels of patients, physicians and other customers.
• As observed, all interactions are conducted in a professional manner; is supportive and consistently demonstrates the Target 100 standards.
• Promptly addresses all negative patient complaints with the appropriate staff person or department to ensure satisfactory resolution.
• Verbal and written feedback from patients, family members/significant others, medical staff, visitors and co-workers indicates behavior conducive to positive guest relations.
• Consistently exhibits appropriate phone protocol (e.g., answers phone promptly, is courteous and helpful).
• Consistently contributes to the team effort (e.g., assists co-workers when need is observed or upon requires; offers constructive suggestions rather than complaints).
• Consistently displays cheerful and positive attitude.
• Unit customer service scores consistently meet or exceed hospital/unit benchmark.

Performance Improvement

• Serves as a role model in implementing the PDCA (Plan, Do, Check, Act) methodology.
• Errors, inefficiencies and inaccuracies are brought to management's attention, with suggestions for improvement.
• Measures and collects data and reports progress against quality goals.
• Assists Unit Director with regulatory preparations and compliance.
• Assures that all PI studies and audits are completed each shift or as a required by the particular PI initiative.

Professional Conduct

• Employee has the willingness and ability to perform additional duties and responsibilities in different areas of the unit on an as-needed basis or as determined by management.
• Follows established hospital and department policies.
• Participates in group projects and staff meetings with suggestions that enhance the work environment and increase productivity.
• Communicates well with supervisor, reporting problems with equipment, supplies or procedures.
• Maintains confidentiality as related to job responsibilities.
• Exhibits willingness to resolve problems as they arise.
• Consistently projects positive professional image through appearance and behavior.

Professional Growth and Development

• Sets goals for self; meets with Unit Director to evaluate progress on own plans and goals for self-development for professional growth.
• Evaluates own clinical leadership skills in terms of patient/staff outcomes observed.
• Completes Annual Updates and Ethics Training within established time frames.
• Completes general and departmental orientation within established time frames.
• Attends 80% of unit staff meetings and in-service programs.
• Maintains licensure/certification as appropriate.

Age-Specific Competencies

 

Assessment

• Adolescent
• Assesses medication dosages for appropriateness based on patient size & weight. Informs MD as necessary.
• Assesses for signs or symptoms of abuse or neglect.
• Geriatric
• Evaluates for age appropriate behavior, motor skills and physiological norms.
• Assesses for signs/symptoms of abuse or neglect.
• Assesses need for additional safety measures, e.g., side rails, posey vest, etc.
• Assesses medication dosages for appropriateness based on patient size & weight. Informs MD as necessary.
• Assesses skin integrity; develops plan of care as needed. Provides care according to plan/direction.
• Adolescent, Middle Adult & Geriatric:
• Recognizes signs and symptoms of infection.
• Demonstrates knowledge of medication dosage including indication, side effects and patient education.
• Demonstrates understanding of insulin activity, diet and exercise.
• Recognizes appropriate mobility limitations, e.g., use of abductor pillow, log rolling and traction.

Knowledge of Growth and Development - Adolescent, Middle Adult & Geriatric

• Recognizes the need to provide reassurance and help in accepting body changes; is non-judgmental and accepting of behavior.
• Recognizes the patient's need to have control over his/her environmental, knowledge and understanding of medical conditions including plan of care, prognosis and discharge plan.
• Demonstrates knowledge of physiological deficits in association with the aging process, e.g., sensory communicative, cognitive, behavioral.

Range of Treatment - Adolescent, Middle Adult & Geriatric

• Demonstrates knowledge of emergent patient presentations in all age ranges from neonatal to geriatric. Strongly recommended is the pursuit of Certified Emergency Nurse designation.

Unit-Specific Competencies

• Chest tubes
• Central IV lines
• Restraints
• Alaris IV Pump
• Arrhythmia Recognition
• Pediatric emergencies
• Ventilator (Selected Nurses)
• Chemotherapy (Selected Nurses)

Qualifications

• Minimum Education:  BSN preferred.
• Minimum Experience: One year ED or Critical Care RN experience; ER Charge/Supervisory experience preferred.
• Required Certification/Registration: Current R.N. license, BLS required;  ACLS and PALS.