Registered Nurse Medical Surgical Intensive Care Unit (MSICU-West)

Job description / Role

Description
PATIENT CARE UNIT/AREA Medical Surgical Intensive Care Unit (MSICU West)
- Number of Beds: 18
- Nurse Patient Ratio: 1:1-2

This unit provides acute, intensive care for medical patients aged 14 years and above. Medical conditions requiring intensive care include patients who respond to cardio-respiratory arrest resuscitation, patients with one or more system failure who need observation and/or active management such as patients with circulatory failure requiring massive volume expansion and/or vasoactive medications and in vasive monitoring, patients with respiratory failure who require supportive measures such as endotracheal intubation with mechanical ventilation. Patients with CNS instability such as status epilepticus/in creased ICP who require active management.

Surgical patients requiring intensive care for management and observation following major surgery include craniotomy, major abdominal surgery, aorto-femoral bypass, thoracic, renal, liver, lung pancreatic transplantations, and any patient post-operatively that has an underlying medical condition that require close monitoring.Cardiology patients are admitted if bedsare unavailable in CCU.

Frequent Procedures/Services/Functions

The following diagnostic and therapeutic moda lities are utilized to facilitate patient care:
- Nursing process (ongoing multi-system physical and psychosocial assessment, planning, intervention, education, and evaluation)
- Invasive hemodynamic monitoring
- Mechanical Ventilation
- Cardiac Monitoring
- Hemodialysis
- Continuous Renal Replacement Therapy
- IV Therapy
- Fluid and electrolyte balance and replacement
- Blood and blood component administration
- Airway management
- Skin and respiratory care
- Pain Management, Patient Controlle d Analgesia, Epidural Analgesia
- Administration of Inotropes and Vasoactive Agents
- Emergency resuscitation procedures
- Management of post operative drains and wound care
- Safety management
- Infection Control
- Chemotherapy
- Hypothermia Protocol
- MAAS Scoring
- BIS Monitoring
- Sedation Vacation
- Psychosocial care
- Intra Abdominal Monitoring
- Plasmapheresis
- Tracheostomy care
- Nutritional care - TPN / Enteral Feeds
- Bedside bronchoscopy/endoscopy
- Bedside Percutaneous Tracheostomy
- Spiritual care
- ICP / EVD monitoring
- Patient / significant other education
- Rapid Response Team
- 100K Lives Campaign
- CERNER/ICIS system
- PACS system
- PYXIS Medication Administration System
- ICG Monitoring System
- Vigileo Monitoring
- Coolguard Hypothermia System

Hours of Operation
24 hours per day

CRITERIA FOR ADMISSION TO SERVICE
Eligibility criteria that reflect the need for active intensive treatment are used for admission.

STAFFING PLAN

Number and Mix of Staff
Unit staffing is assessed on a shift-by-shift basis. Staff is assigned by the RN charge nurse according to patient acuity and staff competency based on the following criteria:

- Complexity of patient's condition/needs and corresponding required nursing care.
- Dynamics of patients status, including t he frequency with which the need for specific nursing care activities change
- Complexity of assessment required by the patients condition
- Technology required to provide patient care
- Degree of supervision required by each nursing staff member based on his/her previously assessed level of competence
- Availability of supervision appropriate to the assessed and current competence of nursing staff member
- Relevant infection control and safety issues
- Age of patient/experience and competence of nursing staff
- Continuity of care

Method of Adjusting to Staffing Variances

When scheduled staffs are more than what is needed for adequate coverage on the unit, personnel may be temporarily reassigned to other areas they are qualified to work within Critical Care.

When more staff are needed than what was scheduled the head nurse/charge nurse collaborates with the supervisor and if no one is available in-house to temporarily reassign into the unit, the head nurse/charge nurse calls off duty nurses to determine if they are available to work overtime.

HOW ARE IN SERVICES/CONTINUING EDUCATION PROGRAMS PROVIDED TOMAINTAIN STAFF COMPETENCY?

Mechanisms in place to provide in services/ continuing education are as follows:
- FYI ( News Letter)
- Staff Meetings
- Educational Boards
- Unit In services by Clinician and other Disciplines
- Classes/ Workshops offered by NE&R ( nursing Education and Research)
- Articles posted
- Daily Physician Rounds
- Physician / Nurse Communication about specific patients
- Nurse to Nurse informal sessions at the bedside
- Daily Physicians /Nurse patient care plan meetings from 4 -5 pm Sat-Tues
- Outreach Program
- Nursing Grand Rounds

Methods to determine needs for education and training include, but are not limited to identification of opportunity to improve through Performance monitoring, patient care events, staff requests,physician input,patient outcome monitoring, new equipment introduced to the unit, and unusual diagnosis admitted.

METHOD OF COMMUNICATION WITH OTHER DEPARTMENTS/PROGRAMS
- Internal and External Methods of Communication
- Internal department communication generally occurs through one of the following methods:
- Face to face conversations
- Staff Meetings
- Collaborative Practice Meetings
- Bulletin Boards
- FYI
- Meeting Minutes
- Shift Reports
- Telephone and telephone voice mail
- E- Mail /Fax
- Mailings
- Inter Committee Communication

Departmental Managers and staff communicate directly with other departments through the following methods:
- Face to face conversations
- Telephone and telephone voice mail
- E -Mail / Fax
- Requisitions
- Interdisciplinary committees
- Memos
- Collaborative Meetings

Describe Collaborative Relationships with Other Departments

The registered nurse co-ordinates patient care with all disciplines. Collaborative team meetings are held with other disciplines on a regular basis. Communication of orders gene rally occurs through the medical records, but also Fax machines and telephone system are used on occasion for specific needs. Person-to-person communication is frequently used for interdepartmental problem solving. Daily Ward rounds are attended by all disciplines involved in direct patient care such as the Pharmacist and Respiratory Therapist,Neuro Surgery, Acute Pain Service,Dietician,and Physiotherapy. X ray rounds are done daily.

Weekly Rounds are done by Infectious Diseases, Social Worker, Physiotherapy and Dietician. Patient/Family Conferences held as necessary.

GOALS OF THE DEPARTMENT
- Deliver high quality culturally sensitive care in a cost-effective manner
- Increase staff participation in educational programs
- Maintain and improve collaborative approach to patient care
- Continue to develop quality improvement programs within the unit
- Develop Clinical Pathways to reduce variation in the processes and outcomes of care
- Improve quality of care by reviewing and implementing research, evidence-based practice and best practice approaches.

Benefits
The Hospitals generous benefits package is beyond comparison to packages you can receive in your home country. Take a moment to consider the attractive, potentially tax-free salary, generous leave time, free Hospital housing, free medical & dental care, in addition to airline tickets, recreational facilities, relocation allowance, severance bonus, and remarkable service bonuses.

Our client hospital allows you to gain experience with some of the world's foremost Medical professionals.

- Education and Development
- Career Planning and development.
- Continuing professional development.
- Personal and professional opportunities
- Opportunities for attendance at professional association meetings, conferences and seminars.

Requirements

- Registered Nurse with current nursing license from country of origin
- Two years recent acute care nursing experience

About the Company

Professional Connections International Healthcare Recruitment Agency

Professional Connections, often referred to as Profco, is an international healthcare recruitment specialist. Profco is working to help placing credentialed nurses, doctors and allied health professionals in exciting opportunities with leading hospitals around the world. International assignments are a great way for nurses and other healthcare professionals to broaden their experience and to see how healthcare is delivered in other countries, while at the same time enhancing their career prospects as they gain experience in different parts of the world.