Job Purpose
The incumbent will be responsible for using the Nursing process to plan patient care for patients in the area assigned for the twenty-four-hour period. He/She collaborates with the Deputy Director, Nursing Services to ensure adequate coverage of qualified nursing personnel; applies knowledge of developmental needs and cultural diversity in ensuring individualized nursing care.
Qualifications and Experience:
- Certificate/Diploma/B.Sc. in General Nursing and Certificate in Midwifery from accredited schools of Nursing and Midwifery
- Registration with Nursing Council of Jamaica as a Registered Nurse and Registered Midwife
- Approved certification in Nursing Administration (course duration should not be less than 4 months
- Approved certification in Operating Theatre or Emergency Nursing
- Four (4) – five (5) years of clinical practice to proficiency level as Registered Nurse and Registered Midwife incorporating acting responsibility in unit administration
Specific Knowledge and Skills Required:
- Thorough knowledge of current legislation affecting the practice of Nursing in Jamaica:
- Nursing & Midwifery Act
- Nursing Manual, MOH
- Heads of Agreement – Nursing Personnel
- Professional Nursing Theories, Principles and Practices
- Principles of Hospital Administration Techniques of modern management
- Nursing, health and related legislation
- National Health and organizational Policy
- Fundamentals of Nursing
- Knowledge of the Staff Orders for the Public Service, RHAs HR Policies Manual, Disciplinary Policy for Public Bodies, Budget/Financial Management, Data Protection Act
- Knowledge of Life, Behavioural, Natural, Medical Sciences, Nutrition, Pharmacology, Therapeutics Research Methodology
- Ability to understand verbal and written instructions, and to work under guidance
- Conforms to rules and regulations
- Good verbal communication skills
- Possess good customer service skills
- Excellent interpersonal relationship skills
- Good supervisory skills
Key Responsibilities Include:
Management
- Supervising the clinical management of patients/clients within the unit.
- Establishing the patient classification system.
- Confirming the acuity levels of patients/clients.
- Approving the nursing care plan for individual patients/clients.
- Working closely with staff to develop and implement nursing care programmes and practices to meet the needs of patients/clients and families.
- Rostering diagnostic tests and therapeutic treatments for total patient care.
- Acting as the primary clinical nursing resource for staff.
- Discussing with and recommends to medical staff any modification adjustment in care of patients/clients.
- Acting promptly and decisively in emergency situations; carries out quality assurance audits; gives direct care to seriously ill patients.
- Leading nursing and medical/surgical ward rounds and provides nursing consultation on clinal status of individual patients.
Administration
- Interpreting mission and vision statement and policies of the institution and nursing administration to professional, auxiliary and support staff.
- Conducting departmental meetings with ward staff, sharing relevant and critical information.
- Making written and oral assignment of nursing personnel based on patient acuity and competence of staff.
- Developing and instituting philosophy, aims, objectives and programmes for unit consistent with the organizational framework.
- Supervising, planning, organizing, reviewing and assessing the work of professional students, auxiliary and support staff.
- Assisting in the cost-effective usage of supplies and equipment.
- Assisting in identification and requisition of equipment, supplies, and pharmaceutical agents including dangerous drugs.
- Monitoring and maintaining adequate inventory and safe custody of drugs, equipment and supplies for the unit.
- Preparing and submitting unit budget for inclusion in total budget of facility.
- Being present on doctors’ rounds communicates and implements changes in a timely manner.
- Evaluating staff performance and makes recommendation for further education/and or upward mobility.
- Resolving conflict issues and/or refers them to immediate supervisor for intervention.
- Rostering nursing personnel for adequate unit coverage.
- Conferring with Director of Nursing Services and other senior nursing managers on specific nursing problems and interpretation of policies.
- Supervising and installing systems and structures to ensure ward management – delegation of responsibility, nursing process, patient quality assurance, infection control, discharge plan, staff appraisal and orientation.
- Supervising and developing the maintenance of an environment conducive to safe physical and social psychological care.
- Participating in the organization of staff deployment, allocation of duties and the establishment and maintenance of good staff morale.
- Interviewing, counselling and demonstrating ethical and legal dimension of nursing practice.
- Rostering nursing personnel for twenty-four-hour unit coverage.
- Conducting and participating in In-service Education and Communication System with Ward Staff, Nursing Administration, Primary Care, and Medical and Paramedical staff.
- Assuming extra administrative duties whenever necessary.
- Forecasting, ordering and monitoring supplies, equipment and storage.
- Preparing a disaster plan for the unit and activates when indicated.
- Ensuring that relevant data are documented in the medical record according to hospital’s standards.
- Providing orientation for nursing and non-nursing staff including medical staff.
- Preparing daily and monthly reports.
- Acting in a higher-level management position as assigned.
Clinical
- Ensuring that patient health data is collected.
- Participating in quality improvement activities as appropriate.
NB. ONLY SHORTLISTED APPLICANTS WILL BE ACKNOWLEDGED.
