RN Team Leader

RN Team Leader

Requirements

• Must have prior dialysis experience
• Graduate of an accredited school of Nursing (R.N.)
• Current appropriate state licensure
• 9 months of nursing experience and an additional 3 months of clinical experience in dialysis
• RN Team Leaders must have one-year clinical experience and six months ESRD experience
• Good communication skills – verbal and written
• Must meet appropriate state requirements (if any)

Responsibilities

• Directs Patient Care Technician’s provision of safe and effective delivery of chronic hemodialysis therapy to patients
• Delegates tasks to all direct patient care staff including but not limited to LVN/LPNs Patient Care Technicians and Dialysis Assistants
• Ensures adequate staffing through daily management of staff scheduling when appropriate
• Assesses daily patient care needs and develops appropriate patient care assignments
• Routinely monitors patient care staff for appropriate techniques and adherence to facility policy and procedures
• Assists Clinical Manager with staff performance evaluations
• Participates in staff training and orientation of new staff as assigned
• Participates in all required staff meetings as scheduled
• Functions as Team Leader
• Enforces all company approved policies and procedures as well as regulations set forth by state and federal agencies and departments
• Maintains overall shift operation in a safe efficient and effective manner
• Act as a resource for other staff members
• Routinely meets with the Clinical Manager to discuss personnel and patient care status issues and information
• Collaborate and communicate with physicians and other members of the healthcare team to interpret adjust and coordinate care provided to the patient
• Provides assistance as needed to patients regarding prescription refills according to FMCNA Policies
• Ensures all physician orders are transcribed and entered into the Medical Information system in a timely manner
• Oversees all documentation of patient information
• Maintains facility drug list for all required stock medications
• Maintains competency with all emergency operational procedures and initiates CPR and emergency measures in the event of a cardiac and/or respiratory arrest
• Ensures verification and availability of adequate emergency equipment
• Ensures provision of appropriate vaccinations immunizations and annual Tuberculosis (TB) testing
• Administers medications as prescribed or in accordance with approved algorithm(s) and documents appropriate medical justification if indicated
• Administers PRN medications as prescribed and completes appropriate documentation of assessment of effectiveness
• Maintains appropriate recording of controlled substances as required by law
• Assists with the coordination of patient transportation if necessary
• Ensures educational needs of patients and family are met regarding End Stage Renal Disease (ESRD)
• Provides ongoing education to patients regarding their renal disease vascular access and dialysis therapy and other related health conditions
• Discusses with patient and records education related to diet/fluid and medication compliance
• Provides patient specific detailed education regarding adequacy measures where applicable – Online Clearance Monitoring (OLC) Adequacy Monitoring Program (AMP) Urea Kinetic Modeling (UKM)
• Ensures transplant awareness modality awareness and drive catheter reduction
• Educates patients regarding laboratory values and the relationship to adequate dialysis therapy compliance with treatment schedule medications and fluid
• Provides safe and effective delivery of care to patients with ESRD
• Accurately implements treatment prescriptions including Sodium (Na) modeling prescription and Ultrafiltration modeling (where appropriate) to ensure stable treatment therapy as indicated
• Assesses patients’ responses to hemodialysis treatment therapy making appropriate adjustments and modifications to the treatment plan as indicated by the prescribing physician
• Identifies and communicates patient related issues to the Clinical Manager or physician
• Initiates Initial and Annual Nursing Assessment and ongoing evaluation and documentation of patient care needs according to FMC Policies and Procedures
• Actively participates in the pre-evaluation initiation monitoring termination access homeostasis and post evaluation of patients receiving hemodialysis treatment therapy according to established FMC procedures
• Takes appropriate intervention for changes in patient adequacy status and troubleshooting access flow issues as identified by OLC/AMP yellow lights
• Provides supervises (if applicable) and monitors hemodialysis access care according to established procedures
• Implements administers monitors and documents patient’s response to prescribed interdialytic transfusions including appropriate notification of adverse reactions to physician and appropriate blood supplier
• Ensures accurate and complete documentation by Patient Care Technician on the Hemodialysis Treatment Sheet
• Reviews transcribes and enters physician lab orders accurately into the Medical Information System
• Ensures appropriate preparation of lab requisitions for Spectra or alternate lab
• Ensures correct labs tubes are utilized for prescribed lab specimens and that lab draw and processing procedures are performed appropriately for all lab samples
• Identifies and ensures appropriate follow-through regarding missed labs and specimens reported to be insufficient according to company policies and procedures
• Ensures all specimens are appropriately packaged according to Department of Transportation (DOT) policies and procedures relating to shipment of blood or body fluid specimens and potentially hazardous material
• Ensures that all labs are directed and delivered to appropriate labs
• Reports alert/panic and abnormal labs results to appropriate physician
• Ensures lab results are forwarded to physicians as requested
• Ensures a clean safe and sanitary environment in the dialysis facility treatment area
• Ensures competency in the operation of all dialysis-related equipment safely and effectively
• Ensures all patient stations including machines and chairs are clean and free of blood and placed appropriately
• Ensures that all blood spills are immediately addressed according to FMCNA Bloodborne Pathogen Control Policies
• Ensures all relevant data including physician orders lab results vital signs and treatment parameters and patient status are documented appropriately and entered into Medical Information System
• Ensures all appropriate patient related treatment data is entered into the Medical Information System
• Ensures all FMCNA policies regarding patient admission transfer and discharge are appropriately implemented
• Ensures and verify accuracy of Patient Care Technician documentation
• Reviews and ensures appropriate daily completion of Hemodialysis Treatment Sheets by all patient care staff
• Ensures that all appropriate procedures are followed regarding opening and closing procedures inclusive of monitoring that all staff and patients have safely left the premises
• Initiates documents and completes ongoing Continuous Quality Improvement (CQI) activities including monthly reports
• Completes monthly nurses’ progress note
• Ensures patient medical records are complete with appropriate information documentation and identification on each page (Addressograph label is on all chart forms)
• Reviews transplant status and follows established procedure regarding appropriate action to be taken
• Completes patient care plans for new patients within the initial 30 days or any patients deemed unstable requiring monthly patient care plans
• Completes any long-term programs that are due
• Completes initial and annual Nursing History and Assessment physical
• Ensures completion of Annual Standing Order Review with each physician as required

Preferred Qualifications

• Supervisory or management experience preferred
• Successfully complete a training course in the theory and practice of hemodialysis