Description
Job Objective: The RN Break Nurse is responsible for the nursing care of patients as established by the Nursing Practice Act of the Board of Registered Nursing of the State of California and guided by policies and procedures of the Medical Center.
Duties and Responsibilities:
• Arrive at the assigned unit prepared to work for scheduled shift.
• Obtain a copy of the completed Lunch Breaks Schedule from the Charge Nurse (CN) or a designee.
• Break Nurse will introduce him/herself and inform the Primary Care Nurses (PCN) of their role as the Break Nurse (BN).
• Receive a brief 3-5min report, accept the PCN's phone and assume care of the patients on his/her assignment.
• Break Nurse will assume full responsibility of the patients during the PCN's break and provide the care necessary, including but not limited to, providing ADLs, assisting in procedures, transferring/receiving of the patient to/from another department, and speaking with physicians, family members and other members of healthcare team.
• The Break Nurse must review all orders in the electronic medical record and complete any tasks which are due.
• Document break relief in the staff management system.
• If there is no nurse to break, inform the Charge Nurse and House Supervisor. Break Nurse may stay in the initially assigned department as a Resource Nurse, unless redirected by the unit Manager or HS to provide breaks in different departments.
• A Break Nurse may only perform as such, during the times PCNs need meal break relief, unless redirected and approved by the unit Manager or HS (Charge Nurses are not authorized to change the Break Nurse's role/assignment). Whenever a decision is made to change the BN's role, the Staffing Office must be informed, so the role change can be documented in the staff management system.
• Notify the Charge Nurse immediately if problems are encountered with providing breaks at the assigned times.
• If a PCN doesn't return on time for his/her break, Break Nurse must notify the Charge Nurse or a designee. A Break Nurse may give the phone and a handoff report to the Charge Nurse and then proceed to relieve the next nurse. Not doing so will disrupt the remaining nurses' breaks.
Non-Essential Duties:
• Other duties assigned within compliance with Title 22, The Joint Commission, and CMS.
Knowledge, Skills and Abilities:
Knowledge
• Supports and adheres to the values and mission statement established by the AVMC Board of Directors.
• Conforms to required accreditation standards.
• Conforms with and supports Medical Center quality management and performance improvement guidelines.
Skills
• Skill and ability to follow telephone etiquette/standards.
• Displays a willingness to work as a team player.
• Safely and effectively uses all the equipment necessary to carry out duties.
Abilities
• Ability to adhere to all established AVMC policies and procedures and to interpret and function under these.
• Ability to organize work and establish priorities.
• Ability to expand on own initiative in performance of duties.
• Ability to function effectively under pressure and meet time parameters.
• Ability to relieve clerical staff at desk, or to adopt any function commonly assigned to unlicensed assistive personnel, or as allowed within scope of nursing practice, as needed.
• Ability to give and support the highest level of patient/customer satisfaction at all times
• Ability to be flexible in meeting staffing requirements of the facility
• Ability to meet basic health requirements and physical job standards
Education and Experience:
Education
• National certifications are desirable.
Experience
• Minimum of one year of experience in an acute care setting.
Required Licensure and/or Certifications:
• Registered Nurse
• BCLS required. ACLS, NRP and PALS certification may be required, dependent upon practice area.
Physical Requirements and Working Conditions:
• May be required to take call shifts per department policy
• Mandatory weekend and holiday rotation
A detailed description of the physical requirements of this job is maintained in the Employee Health Department.
NOTE: THE ABOVE STATEMENTS ARE INTENDED TO DESCRIBE THE GENERAL NATURE AND LEVEL OF WORK PERFORMED BY PEOPLE ASSIGNED TO THIS JOB. THIS DOCUMENT IS NOT INTENDED TO BE AN EXHAUSTIVE LIST OF ALL RESPONSIBILITIES, SKILLS, AND WORKING CONDITIONS FOR THE PERSONNEL SO CLASSIFIED.
Requirements
Education and Experience:
Education
• National certifications are desirable.
Experience
• Minimum of one year of experience in an acute care setting.
Required Licensure and/or Certifications:
• Registered Nurse
• BCLS required. ACLS, NRP and PALS certification may be required, dependent upon practice area.
