REGISTERED NURSE (LTC)

SEARHC is a non-profit health consortium which serves the health interests of the residents of Southeast Alaska. We see our employees as our strongest assets. It is our priority to further their development and our organization by aiding in their professional advancement.

Working at SEARHC is more than a job, it’s a fulfilling career. We offer generous benefits, including retirement, paid time off, paid parental leave, health, dental, and vision benefits, life insurance and long and short-term disability, and more.

Coordinates a variety of nursing care procedures for residents of various ages which requires professional knowledge and consideration of specific resident conditions and treatment. Participates in patient and family teaching and provides leadership by working cooperatively with ancillary nursing and other members of the healthcare team to maintain standards for professional nursing practice in the long term care setting.  Guidelines include physician’s orders, standards of care, nursing policies and procedures, manuals, hospital and long-term care policies.

Clinical decisions are made initially independently during the scheduled shift; maintains complete accountability for all actions taken.  Consults with the appropriate manager/supervisor in difficult situations requiring additional input. Able to react in a calm manner and make sound nursing judgments in an emergency environment.  Accountable for proper delegation and supervision of CNA/Tech, LPN, and/or Ward Clerk on unit during shift.

Salary: $41.83-53.45 per hour/DOE

• Promotes the SEARHC Seven Standards of Excellence; Implements safe, therapeutic, and efficient care for patients and residents with needs due to multisystem disease and/or complications of treatment using appropriate infection control measures; sets priorities for care of patients and residents based on acuity and/or patients’ preference; anticipates potential problems; adapts to change on the area by setting priorities for emergencies, changes in status and unusual occurrences; initiates, manages, and documents the nursing procedures consistent with scientific principle and departmental policy; demonstrates knowledge of equipment use; accurately administers age-specific medications and therapeutics; carries out the medical and nursing care plan and coordinates resident care activities with physicians and other healthcare team members; initiates action to reduce, correct, or prevent immediate, ongoing, or potential risks to the resident; facilitates healing by providing nursing care that is individualized, goal oriented, based on scientific principles and the nursing process; seeks out resources when beyond the scope of skill, knowledge or experience; explains test, procedures, and disease process to resident/significant others; follows through on nursing care plans by teaching and demonstrating skills essential for understanding and coping with illness and promoting optimal health; communicates and interacts with resident/significant others in a positive and supportive way; provides counseling using emotional, intellectual and psychological supports and utilizes other healthcare professionals in dealing with psychosocial problems if needed; takes steps to decrease stress and/or increase effectiveness of coping mechanisms of resident/significant others; evaluates resident’s progress or lack of progress towards goals, directing new goal setting and implementing revised care plans as directed by reassessment; documents the resident’s response to care; closes out resident care plan by discharge or has in place an after care plan to meet the resident’s needs; Assures confidentiality of resident information.
• Accomplishes nursing assessment through interviewing, observation and nursing process; obtains, interprets and applies age-related patient information in terms of cognitive, physical, emotional and normal growth/development needs of the resident; completes thorough Nursing Admission Databases/initial resident assessment; documents assessment findings that are consistent with other providers and include review of body systems, laboratory results, diagnostic findings, chart reviews, and interdisciplinary input; identifies problems & nursing diagnosis by recognizing the impact of health problems on residents and families; distinguishes between normal and abnormal assessments in order to identify resident capabilities and limitations including psychosocial risks; utilizes resources to assess residents with conditions that are new, unfamiliar, or not commonly seen.
• Shall perform duties as assigned and insure quality resident care despite the situation encountered, be it routine or emergent.  
• Imparts educational knowledge to develop skills to enhance decision making and promote understanding by interacting with residents, family, staff, and community; engages in ongoing evaluation of the effectiveness of teaching in terms of residentunderstanding and behavioral outcomes; organizes and participates in care conferences as applicable; identifies staff, resident, and family needs and develops a plan for education and/or makes appropriate referrals; develops/implements educational programs and learning aides in the department (ie. Inservices, special projects, learning aides, resident care standards); documents education accurately and completely; provides discharge information; participate in in-services and educational programs in the department, hospital and/or community as assigned; completes all mandatory training and competency checks; utilizes opportunities for incidental teaching with staff members.
• Communicates with staff, residents, significant others and other members of the healthcare team in a way that is supportive, constructive, and positive; gives feedback to other staff and healthcare team members in regard to behavior that does not support achievement; assists in the orientation of new staff, travelers, and students by sharing knowledge, experience and verbal encouragement; guides others in choosing nursing intervention, developing skills and applying knowledge; follows and directs others to follow corporate, hospital, and departmental policies, procedures and resident care standards; supports the area and overall Nursing services mission by assigning staff to productive tasks and floating to other units as needed; provides input regarding the need for change in policies, procedures, and resident care standards; able to perform as Contact RN leading assigned RNs, LPNs, and CNAs and accomplishes all assigned resident care and area support activities during the shift.
• Develops and contributes to a plan of nursing action based on existing and potential resident problems and obtainable resident responses which are mutually acceptable to the healthcare team; transcribes and notes physician orders accurately; utilizes past experience to provide a range of options for nursing care; initiates care plans using resident care standards; addresses identified nursing diagnosis and coordinates the plan with the healthcare team by using methods that include interventions, goals, and timeframes; utilizes resources to formulate a written plan of care; documents reassessments which include laboratory results, diagnostic findings, interdisciplinary notes and documented resident observations; writes progress notes in EHR; gives shift report according to area guidelines.  
• Attends and participates in at least 50% of departmental staff meetings; applies information presented in staff meetings; participates in unit goal setting; complies with area and departmental scheduling guidelines; initiates discussion with nurse manager regarding area or department issues; completes annual competencies, evaluation material, maintains certifications and licensure; complies with dress code; refers unresolved problems with patients/visitors/co-workers to Nurse Manager or Administrative Manager for resolution; addresses employee concerns consistent with Human Resources Policy
• Familiar and competent in mandatory state reporting guidelines and the time requirements.
• Other duties as assigned. When DON not physically present, will be willing to take the role of “charge nurse” for the long term care unit.

Education

• Graduate of an accredited school of Nursing (Bachelor’s degree in nursing, Associate degree in nursing or Diploma in nursing).
• Commission Corp Officers meet billet description requirements for a 0-2 to 0-3.

Experience

• Minimum of one (1) to two (2) years of nursing experience preferred.

Certificates and License

• A valid, current, full and unrestricted RN license in the State of Alaska.
• Must have current BLS certification. 

Knowledge, Skills & Abilities:

Knowledge:

• Knowledge of nursing care principles, practices, diagnosis, and processes (including assessment, planning, implementation, and evaluation) to provide professional nursing care to residents.
• Competency to recognize adverse signs and symptoms and to act promptly in emergency situations.
• Knowledge of pharmaceuticals, their desired effects, side effects, and complications in their use.

Skills:

• Skills to apply scientific principles in operating and monitoring of basic and specialized medical equipment such as AED.
• Proficient in nursing procedures and basic nursing care.
• Oral and written communication skills, can enter and retrieve resident data accurately, can verbally communicate findings with healthcare team.

Ability:

• Ability to provide guidance, leadership, and work cooperatively with others by establishing and maintaining interpersonal relationships with residents, patients, visitors, and other healthcare team members.
• Ability to implement appropriate nursing therapeutic interventions based on the knowledge of a wide variety of nursing diagnosis, medical and psychosocial disorders and the normal course of disease and anticipated complications.
• Uses aggressive resident management techniques to defuse any resident/patient/visitor/peer volatile situations.