SUMMARY:

Registered Nurses serve a key role in Open Door Community Health Centers. The Registered Nurse work as integrated members of the patient centered medical home care team to coordinate patient services and educate patients. The RN often serves as the team leader. This role requires attention to detail, organizational skills, and focuses on distinct areas of responsibility: patient observation, preparation and assistance, treatment and response, and patient education. Registered Nurses work at the highest level of their scope, expertise, and ability to provide care using standardized protocols, including responding to emergency situations. Registered Nurses help fulfill Open Door’s mission to educate staff, patients and the community about disease prevention, health maintenance, self-care and treatment adherence. Registered Nurses provide information, advice, and emotional support to patients and their family members. Open Door’s registered nurses work as a team to maintain access to high quality, consistent, and accurate care at all times.

California RN license required; prior experience in clinic setting preferred.

ESSENTIAL DUTIES AND RESPONSIBILITIES:

• Explains procedures and treatments to patient to gain cooperation, understanding, and allay apprehension.
• Maintains awareness of comfort and safety needs of patient.
• Recommends and/or administers treatment or medications as approved by Physician.
• Prepares equipment and aids Physician during treatment and examination of patient.
• Observes patient, records significant conditions and reactions, and notifies supervisor or Physician of patient's condition and reaction to drugs, treatments, and significant incidents.
• Takes temperature, pulse, blood pressure, and other vital signs to detect deviations from normal and assesses condition of patient.
• Responds to life-saving situations based upon nursing standards, policies, procedures, and protocol.
• Prepares and maintains a wide variety of records and reports.
• Accurately records patient history, exam notes, medication history, on-going care and referrals in medical record, according to established format.
• Teaches patients, families, and staff care, prevention, and treatment enhancement techniques.
• Prepares rooms, sterile instruments, equipment, and supplies for surgery.
• Assists in surgery by handing items to medical practitioner.

• Attend and participates in meetings and Quality Assurance activities as required.
• Identifies problems related to patient services and makes recommendations for improvement.
• Participates in evaluation of peers and support staff.
• Adherence to ODCHC’s attendance policy.
• Other duties and responsibilities as designated by supervisor.

QUALIFICATIONS:

• Ability to work as a member of a team in order to communicate and/or solicit pertinent information to and from other team members and support team decisions.
• Ability to communicate effectively and exercise sound and responsible judgment.
• Excellent interpersonal skills, written and verbal. Ability to establish constructive working relationships with all levels of management and employees in a staff of varied and diverse backgrounds.
• Ability to handle difficult or confrontational situations in a calm, consistent, and equitable manner.
• Ability to read, analyze, and interpret general business periodicals, professional journals, technical procedures, or governmental regulations.
• Ability to effectively represent ODCHC’s interests in the community and maintain effective working relationships among co-workers, public, private, and professional groups.

EDUCATION and/or EXPERIENCE:

• Degree in nursing leading to license as Registered Nurse State of California.

CERTIFICATES, LICENSES, REGISTRATIONS:

• Current RN license for State of California.

SUPERVISORY RESPONSIBILITIES:

NONE

PHYSICAL DEMANDS:

• Speaking and hearing sufficient to communicate effectively by phone or in person, at normal volumes.
• Vision adequate to read correspondence, computer screen, forms, etc.