Registered Nurse General Internal Medicine

The Registered Nurse works within a changing environment and in inter-professional teams to advocate for and promote wellness while ensuring the delivery of safe, effective and ethical nursing care. The RN shares their knowledge and expertise with others and contributes to the advancement of nursing practice excellence. The RN continually enhances their practice and competencies through ongoing learning, education, experience and reflective practice.

This opportunity may be of interest to Registered Nurses with specialized General Internal Medicine (GIM) education and experience who would like to support care for medically complex, frail elderly, marginalized, addictions, stroke and homeless populations. The RN will work collaboratively with the GIM staff-physicians, residents, health disciplines, CCAC, clerical, clinical assistants and RN's-and reporting directly to the CLM for General Internal Medicine, the GIM RN will be responsible for:

RESPONSIBILITIES:

The primary role of the RN is to provide holistic, evidence-based, culturally appropriate, patient-centred quality care in accordance with the College of Nurses of Ontario standards and SMH's mission, vision, values and policies. The RN optimizes the patient's experience and care outcomes by:

• Being accountable for one's decisions and professional practice;
• Establishing a therapeutic relationship with the patient;
• Collaborating with other members of the patient's care team; and,
• Coordinating and communicating patient care activities.

The RN has 4 key areas of responsibility:

Patient Care

• Provides patient/family centered care
• Acquires information to assess patient care and learning needs
• Develops a plan of care and integrates nursing activities with other inter-professional activities
• Engages in critical inquiry and reflection to select evidence-based interventions
• Organizes nursing care and assigns or changes nursing care activities where appropriate
• Evaluates the effectiveness of the plan of care and adjusts the plan as needed
• Anticipates, recognizes and addresses rapidly changing situations
• Provides health education to patients and their families using effective teaching strategies
• Documents observations, assessments and care provision
• Contributes to discharge and transition planning
• Refers patient to other agencies or services as needed
• provides care for patients with multiple medical diagnoses including frail elderly, stroke, congestive heart failure, and patients on the Acute Care of the Elderly (ACE) unit

Collaboration & Coordination

• Serves as the primary resource for organizing and coordinating patient care activities
• Establishes and maintains respectful, collaborative, therapeutic and inter-professional relationships
• Coordinates and communicates patient care activities for a safe and seamless transition and appropriate transfer of accountability
• Participates in local unit level and hospital committees
• able to work collaboratively with inter-professional care team

Leadership

• Aligns behavior with SMH¿s vision, mission and values and Code of Conduct
• Supports the advancement of professional practice
• Utilizes effective judgment in assigning patient care activities
• Engages in self-reflection, performance review and ongoing learning
• Participates in mentoring, teaching and /or coaching students, co-workers and other regulated and unregulated health professionals
• Embraces change that leads to improved nursing practice and better patient outcomes
• Advocates for a safe and healthy work environment

Research

• Participates in or supports research projects
• Supports and participates in evidence based practice implementation and quality improvement initiatives

QUALIFICATIONS:

• Must have Current General Class (Practising) Registration with the College of Nurses of Ontario
• Must have current CPR or BLS certification
• Demonstrated previous experience working with marginal and vulnerable populations, including Elder care and stroke management care, in an area with many disease specialties
• Minimum two years previous medicine experience in an acute care hospital
• Telemetry and venous access/IV care preferred
• Ability to work collaboratively with other professions / disciplines in a team environment
• Excellent communication, time management, organizational and prioritization skills as relates to patient care
• Proven experience in development of collaborative care plans for complex patients
• Excellent clinical reasoning, critical thinking skills and ability to advocate for patient care needs
• Demonstrates effective conflict resolution and de-escalation skills
• Must have an excellent attendance record