The University of Iowa Health Care Department of Nursing is seeking a PRN Staff Nurse in the Day of Surgery Admissions to assess patients' nursing care needs, evaluate effectiveness of care provided, and integrate nursing theory and research into clinical practice.  Provide leadership to members of the nursing team in order to maintain patient care standards.

Characteristic Duties of our Staff Nurses include but are not limited to:

• Incorporates scientific, behavioral, and humanistic principles for application to clinical practice.
• Utilizes, adheres, and supports departmental standards and practice guidelines.
• Applies nursing theory to the assessment, diagnosis, treatment, and evaluation of patient responses to health and illness. 
• Assesses patient health care preferences and expectations.
• Collaboratively coordinates the continuum of care across settings.
• Develops patient care plan based on patient condition, age, and psychological, educational, and socioeconomic conditions that prescribes interventions to attain expected outcomes.
• Implements patient care plan according to patient priorities, which includes interventions identified through nursing diagnoses.  Documents/reports interventions and patient/family response.
• Collaborates and integrates contributions of patients and families into multidisciplinary patient care plan.
• Develops, coordinates, and implements transfer/discharge planning throughout episode of care.
• Implements nursing interventions according to department, division, and/or unit policies, procedures, and protocols to maintain safe environment for patients, visitors, and staff.  Follows universal precautions.
• Implements emergency care procedures in potential or actual emergencies according to departmental policies, procedures, and protocols.
• Maintains skills/competency related to special equipment, medications, and procedures common to the patient population of the unit/division.
• Evaluates patient's response to multidisciplinary care.
• Uses evaluation data to revise and implement change.
• Assumes accountability for the provision of care for patients. 
• Assumes responsibility for care provided by self and other staff members under the nurse's direction.
• Evaluates the quality of nursing care provided by other staff members.
• Participates as a member of the health care team utilizing effective communication skills.
• Participates in the development of unit, division, department and hospital policies, procedures, and protocols.
• Contributes to the solutions of staffing issues.
• Contributes to cost containment strategies in unit.
• Participates in projects/committees for enhanced functioning of the unit and supports unit level decision-making.
• Responsible for the development, implementation, and monitoring of an interdisciplinary plan of care.
• Participates in ongoing strategic planning process.
• Participates in the development and implementation of computer applications.
• Performs other projects or tasks as assigned.
• Develops and implements patient/family teaching plan based on identified health education needs and the condition and age of the patient.
• Evaluates and documents effectiveness of patient/family teaching.  Revises plan of care.
• Participates in the orientation of new nursing staff and the ongoing education of nursing personnel, as directed by the Nurse Manager or designee.
• Participates in formal and informal teaching with health care students.
• Serves as clinical teaching assistant for senior level nursing students as directed by the Nurse Manager or designee.
• Participates in research utilization activities. 
• Integrates research findings into practice.
• Applies quality improvement principals to improve patient outcomes.
• Participates in quality improvement activities.
• Responsible for identification of improvement opportunities.
• Functions as a patient advocate.
• Incorporates the principles of Service Leadership to ensure positive patient/customer relations.
• Maintains confidentiality.
• Practices within legal boundaries of the Nurse Practice Act.
• Complies with personnel policies.
• Evaluates and validates performance with Nurse Manager or designee and sets goals for work performance.
• Commits to ongoing learning to maintain and expand own knowledge.
• Participates in professional development activities.
• Demonstrates effective interpersonal and communication skills.
• Remains calm and constructive in conflict situations.
• Provides recognition and support for colleagues.
• Incorporates the principles of Service Leadership to ensure positive patient/customer relations
• Adheres to UIHC policies regarding personal conduct, including follows established leadership, remaining responsive to instruction and coaching from supervisors and meeting the standards of personal appearance, attendance and punctuality.

University of Iowa Health Care—recognized as one of the best hospitals in the United States—is Iowa's only comprehensive academic medical center and a regional referral center. Each day more than 12,000 employees, students, and volunteers work together to provide safe, quality health care and excellent service for our patients. Simply stated, our mission is: Changing Medicine. Changing Lives.®