Registered Professional Nurse Duties
SUMMARY
This is advanced professional nursing work in the care and
treatment of the physically and mentally ill.
Work involves assignment throughout the various medical,
surgical, clinic, and psychiatric service in the institute.
Employees in this class may serve as unit charge nurses; as
members of the nursing team; or as scrub or circulating nurse in
surgery. Work may require supervision of semi-professional and
non-professionally trained personnel in clinic or surgical work.
The Registered Professional Nurse is responsible for supervision
and evaluation of team members, assisting the status of
patients, and instructing patients and family members. Routine
patient care duties are performed in accordance with established
rules, regulations, and the standard practices of the profession
and is reviewed through conferences, analysis of reports, and
regular rounds by registered nurses of a higher level and
physicians.
DUTIES AND RESPONSIBILITIES
Provides general nursing service in complex patient care
situations on an assigned hospital unit; gives all types of
oral, intramuscular, and other medications, and records their
administration; discusses patients' progress with doctors and
nursing superiors and discusses and reviews judgements of
patients' conditions.
Prepares operating room for a variety of operations; uses
operative aseptic techniques; scrubs sterile and operative packs
using sterile techniques; counts sponges received from
circulating nurse and readies sutures for operation; gowns and
gloves surgical team and assists in draping patient; positions
suction tube on operative field; positions instrument table near
working area and arranges basin for discarded instruments;
passes instruments, sponges, and sutures to surgeons as
required; gives surgeons sponge count before wound is closed;
remains next to surgeons and patient during operation.
Collects sterile supplies as needed and readies them for
individual operations; checks with surgeons regarding any
special equipment requirements for specific operations; prepares
preoperatively by shaving operative field and assisting in
positioning and draping; checks cautery and suction apparatus
for proper function; maintains a constant flow of sterile
instruments and supplies between storage areas and scrub nurse's
table;; assures that the surgeons and scrub nurse are not
required to leave operative field.
Provides limited supervision of assigned clinic; assists other
professional and non-professional personnel to set up outpatient
clinics; admits and prepares patients for medical examination,
and assists doctor in examining and treating patients;
supplements physician's instructions by demonstrating and
explaining to patients the therapies, medications, and treatment
prescribed.
Keeps patients comfortable and encourages healthy mental
attitudes.
Serves as charge nurse on rotating or assigned shift assuming
responsibility for the nursing unit at that time.
Provides professional nursing care on intensive care units;
monitors patients; conditions on electronic monitor; provides
total nursing care to patients.
Performs related work as required.
EDUCATION AND EXPERIENCE
Graduation from an accredited two (2), three (3), or four (4)
year school of nursing. In addition, employees must have a
minimum of twelve (12) months experience in professional nursing
work if a B.S. nursing graduate or a minimum of eighteen (18)
months experience in professional nursing work is an A.A.
nursing graduate or diploma nursing graduate; or a Master's
degree in nursing and no experience; or any equivalent
combination of training and experience.
Employees in this classification must be registered as a
Professional Nurse in the state of Georgia.
KNOWLEDGE, SKILLS AND ABILITIES
Considerable knowledge of professional nursing theory and
practice, including specialty area where assigned.
Some knowledge of the rules, regulations, and policies of the
institution.
Ability to adapt nursing techniques to complex patient care
situations and to direct the work of semi-professional and
non-professional personnel in the performance of the tasks
involved in the administration of an assigned clinic, hall, or
unit of the hospital.
Ability to understand and follow complex oral and written
instruction in detail.
Ability to use previous training and experience in making rapid
and sound decisions with respect to patients in the absence of
medical and nursing superiors.
Ability to maintain adequate records of nursing and related
services.
Ability to establish and maintain effective working
relationships with patients, physicians, associates,
subordinates, and the public and relatives of the patient.
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