Registered Nurse-Clinical Specialty Coordinator

Dept: Operating Room

Schedule: 7:00 am-3:30pm

Position Summary:

Under general direction, plans, organizes and oversees tasks related to the care and treatment of patients undergoing a surgical intervention in assigned department.  Provides guidance and support to operating room staff in meeting individualized patient needs related to their surgical specialty.  Provides motivation and assistance in the continuing education of personnel to their surgical specialty after basic instruction

Essential Functions and Responsibilities:

1. Plans and prioritizes daily activities of personnel in the rotation of surgical specialty by demonstrating and applying clinical and operational knowledge of operating room nursing in this service to maintain departmental nursing standards.
2. During peak hours, will facilitate the flow of surgical patients through the surgical process by planning, implementing, coordinating and evaluating the surgical board to achieve maximum efficiency of the surgical suites.
3. Manages patient care, accountable for patient care outcomes.
4. Assesses the ability and knowledge of other staff in helping prioritize daily tasks.
5. Assumes charge responsibilities as assigned.
6. If assigned to Surgical Services, will assist in the OR a minimum of 8 hours twice a month.
7. Communicates freely with charge nurse and manager identifying and making recommendations for the resolutions of problems and reporting and documenting any unusual incidents.
8. Assigns breaks and lunches as needed.
9. Participates in the development of daily work assignments.  Utilizes available resources, materials and equipment.
10. Demonstrates the ability to revise priorities as work demands or schedules change.
11. Assesses needs on a continuing basis to reflect current changes in Department nursing especially in specialty area.  This means ongoing communication with physician staff and awareness of current literature.  Updating physician preference cards as needed.
12. Assists the management team and in-service instructor in the development of long range plans for specialty area with physician cooperation.
13. Responsible for overseeing that appropriate supplies and equipment are available.  Effectively utilizes resources, materials and equipment and participates in development of cost containment strategies.  Educates personnel in cost containment methodology.
14. Communicates pertinent patient information to other health team members, concisely, accurately and comprehensively in both written and verbal format.  Provides a thorough and concise intershift report.
15. Recognizes and follows lines of authority/communication within the work setting and works within those limits.  Knows when to defer decisions to others.
16. Participates in the in-service program of the Department, highlighting instrumentation and equipment of specialty area.  Leads discussion; gives productive input in meetings.   Participates and helps to conduct regular staff meetings according to institutional and departmental policy and submits minutes if so requested.
17. Presents a minimum of two in-services a year.
18. Gathers and interprets information so that problems can be clearly defined.  Utilizes available resources in gathering additional information.  Identifies and chooses alternative solutions to problems; considers their practicality.  Implements the selected plan with the approval of management.  Evaluates effectiveness of plans in solving problems and makes adjustments as necessary with the cooperation of peers and management.  Stays with a problem until it is resolved.
19. Acts as a role model and as resource person to facilitate attainment of unit standards and goals.
20. Demonstrates adequate knowledge of rules and regulations of appropriate regulatory and government agencies that are directed toward the specialty.  Assist in maintaining accreditation standard.
21. Encourages and provides opportunities for staff development (i.e., develops leadership potential, basic and advanced technical knowledge, interpersonal skills).
22. Seeks knowledge of current nursing practice through active participation in hospital nursing committees, professional organizations, continuing education, workshops and seminars. Confers with physicians on new product trials, equipment, and any changes affecting the specialty. Updates physician/
23. Identifies areas for personal and professional growth.
24. Assumes the responsibility for checking surgical boarding’s for cases that require special equipment/supplies and obtain necessary items.  Communicates all equipment/supply problems to appropriate personnel.
25. Assists in the orientation and on-the-job training of Department staff rotating through the specialty surgery rotation.  Precepts the patients care rendered by Department staff as well as perceived skill levels, providing informed assistance in the performance evaluation process. 
26. Maintains open communication with Central Service department as related to specialty needs and instrumentation.
27. Understand equipment, safety and mechanics of laser equipment.
28. Assists in forecasting budgeting needs for expense and capital expenditures specific to their surgical specialty.  This must be done with input from the physicians and presented in written format to the clinical manager.
29. Maintains high level of comprehension of assigned surgical specialty including, but not limited to, specific procedural process, medications, instrumentation, supplies, equipment and nursing process as demonstrated by the upkeep of the physician/procedure preference sheets and the on-going communication and education to staff.
30. Must be available for on-call duty as needed. 

            31.       Performs other related job duties as requested.