Emergency Nurse at The Bank Hospital

TEAMWORK

• Inform the doctor of any problems or patient needs and response to treatment, consult with a doctor if any problems or queries occur regarding any prescribed treatment e.g., medication or wound care.
• Ensure all doctor’s telephonic orders are signed within 24 hours.
• Assist doctor in all medical and/or interventional procedures as needed.
• Communicate all doctor’s orders or changes to fellow personnel and ensure all orders are followed and carried out as soon as possible.
• Educates patients about oral health-related conditions and the general promotion of oral health-related disease prevention

NURSING CARE:

• Assess the health status of assigned patient(s) in the unit as indicated by the patient’s medical diagnosis and health needs within the best practice nursing standards.
• Assess the delivery of nursing care in the unit, identify risk factors, and apply measures for improvement.
• Assess the number and level of personnel needed to provide quality patient care in the unit and collaborate with the Unit Manager in adjusting staffing and assignments per shift/day.
• Able to complete a comprehensive assessment of each patient, including family members and/or significant others to assist in delivering nursing care by available healthcare workers.
• Collect the necessary data of each patient by interview, observation, inspection, auscultation, palpation, reports, and records.
• Organize assessment data to be accurate, complete, accessible, and remain confidential.
• Communicate the assessment data in an orderly fashion by recording, updating, and communicating the data amongst the health team and revising if needed when appropriate.
• Carry out the nursing care plan as planned by team members.
• Complete a written care plan for assigned patients in the unit. Plan the care of patients as well as direct and supervise others in the planning of patient care.
• Serve on appropriate hospital committees, if required, and help to review and revise policies and procedures as directed by management.
• Plan and develop self-objectives.
• Plan ways to identify risks, solve problems, and contribute to improvements in the unit in collaboration with supervisory personnel.
• Participate in implementing planned changes and activities to improve nursing care and services.
• Be self-accountable for the delivery of quality nursing care.
• Promote harmonious relationships and favorable attitudes among the healthcare team.
• Support and adhere to administrative and nursing service policies and procedures.
• Act rapidly and effectively, manage self, patients, and other employees, during an emergency.
• Implement patient care that is:
• Specific to the patient’s problems and the desired outcomes.
• Based on scientific, current knowledge which is flexible and individualized for each patient. 
• Based on principles of keeping patient knowledgeable of health status, desired and total health care.
• Based on principles of psychosocial interactions.
• Based on environmental factors influencing the patient’s health including human, material, and community resources.
• Comply with appropriate infection control standards.
• Evaluate self-objectives, revise, and formulate new objectives.
• Evaluate the effectiveness of problem-solving techniques and the activities implemented to improve problem-solving.
• Contribute to the performance evaluation of nursing service personnel in the unit.
• Participate in the evaluation of registered nurse orientation, policies, and procedures and recommend revisions to the unit manager.
• Participate in the evaluation of in-service education programs.
• Evaluate achievement or lack of achievement of desired outcomes.

RECORD KEEPING

• Ensure all ward records are kept within acceptable standards, i.e., accurate and legible.
• Assist in the planning of duty roster and staff allocation.
• Compile statistics as required.
• Complete the required number of document audits per month.

ADMINISTRATION

• Requisition, care, and control or schedule substances, pharmaceuticals, equipment, and emergency equipment and medicines as per policy and department protocol.
• Supervision of enrolled nurses and auxiliary nurses to ensure duties delegated to them are carried out.
• Reinforce the scope of practice to all categories of personnel.
• Assist inward stock control and ensure the charging of all stock used by nursing staff.
• Keep patient records updated, and legible.
• Participates in the orientation of associates.
• Refer all complaints from patients and doctors to the sister-in-charge of the unit.

STAFF SUPERVISION AND TRAINING

• Work with and supervise Registered Nurses, Enrolled nurses, Hospitality Assistants, and health care workers to ensure best practice nursing standards are followed.
• Refer all complaints from patients and doctors to the unit head.
• Train staff in common procedures and basic life support.
• Team leader when it comes to resuscitation in the absence of the doctor

EQUIPMENT AND SUPPLIES

• Record any surgical stock items used on the billing sheets of patients.
• Prevent waste and assist in preventing theft.
• Know the correct use of equipment.
• Care for and clean equipment according to prescribed procedures.
• Report equipment needing repair or replacement to the sister-in-charge.

EMERGENCY AND DISASTER PLAN

• Attend training and practice to keep up to date with the hospital evacuation and disaster plan.

MEDICO-LEGAL AND SAFETY

• Always practice within your scope, skills, and level of training for caregivers.
• Prevent risks as far as possible.
• Maintain a safe working environment by the Occupational and Safety Policy Guidelines for Healthcare Workers.
• Report unsafe conditions.

CONTINUOUS QUALITY IMPROVEMENT

• Be constantly aware of work process problems or bottlenecks that prevent the achievement of goals, objectives, and targets.
• Take appropriate action through discussions with the Unit Manager in improving any process that will allow the improvement to workflow, reduction of cost, and/or improvement to quality, service, and productivity.
• Attend regular ward meetings and be part of a multi-disciplinary team.
• Actively participate in performance improvement and continuous quality improvement activities.

SKILLS AND COMPETENCY REQUIREMENTS

• At least six months post-completion of basic training.
• Practical experience as applicable to the nursing discipline.
• Ability to influence, motivate, develop, and lead a team to ensure quality and productive clinical and professional nursing care.
• Good verbal communication skills in English with colleagues, doctors, patients, and relatives and understanding instructions. Articulate, and a good listener.
• Able to maintain good liaison relationships with all other departments in the hospital.
• Able to act fairly, and be reasonable and just in performing duties.
• Cost conscious – prevent waste (of time, equipment, and consumables)
• Participates in teaching and educating associates and domestic staff.
• Maintain a safe and healthy environment for patients, co-workers, and other customers.
• Participate in stock control, by accurately charging all stock used on different patients during procedures, and control of linen.
• Adhere to infection control policy and control and comply with standard precautions.
• Effectively meet customer needs, build productive customer relationships, and take responsibility for customer satisfaction and loyalty.  Maintain and monitor customer service. Be polite and act empathically to the patient’s needs.
• Management of time and resources and ensure the work is completed efficiently and effectively.
• Accomplish tasks by considering all areas involved, no matter how small, show concern for all aspects of the job, and accurately check processes and tasks within the time frame.
• Set best practice standards for performance for self and others, assume responsibility and accountability for the successful completion of assignments or tasks, and self-impose standards of excellence rather than having standards imposed.
• Able to apply critical nursing skills and judgment across a range of variable situations and able to anticipate problems and/or complications.
• Must demonstrate an advanced understanding of clinical governance and best practice processes and policies in the specialty.
• Must demonstrate an ability to contribute to and utilize research.
• Must demonstrate willingness to teach and actively participate in teaching and sharing knowledge and skills with colleagues.
• Knows medical terminology necessary to perform duties effectively.
• Able to exercise sound judgment and show initiative.
• Able to concentrate well, and perform repetitive tasks, yet maintain the set standards.
• Observant and pays attention to detail.
• Able to adapt easily, and remain calm in stressful situations.
• Honest and reliable
• Maintain good physical and mental health sufficient to meet the demands of the position.
• Able to perform all the necessary strenuous and physical duties.
• Be punctual.
• Maintain professional confidentiality.
• Assume responsibility responsible for own and delegated actions.
• Learning attitude. Attend training and development opportunities to ensure own career development.
• Flexibility to meet the requirements of the workplace.
• Assertive and innovative.

EDUCATIONAL AND PROFESSIONAL QUALIFICATION

• Diploma/Degree
• A post-basic qualification around a specialty, or evidence of competent experience in that field, together with contemporary skills and knowledge of the specific specialty.
• Registration with the Nursing and Midwife Council of Ghana.