Nurse Clinician IV, Outpatient Parenteral Antimicrobial Therapy (OPAT)

Minimum Qualifications: 

• Bachelor’s degree in Nursing.
• Four (4) years of clinical RN experience and approved specialty certification.

LICENSES, REGISTRATIONS OR CERTIFICATIONS

• Registered Nurse (RN). Must possess and maintain a current RN license or valid temporary permit to practice in Texas.
• Current BLS.

Job Summary:

Expert Clinician. Possesses knowledge and skill to meet standards for competent professional nursing practice as specified in the Texas Nurse Practice Act. Practice is characterized by a balance of interdependent/independent decision-making and a consistent holistic approach to patient care. Expertly functions with the interdisciplinary team; initiates team action to address patient care problems. Serves as a strong clinical leader on the unit. Directs others in responding to emergent or unusual situations.Takes the lead in developing, implementing and evaluating evidence-based standards of practice for specialty area. Provides patient care through nursing practices based upon the American Nurses Association Standards of Professional Practice and Professional Performance. Values specialty unit, nursing, and institutional strategic initiatives and health system goals.

Preferred Qualifications:

• Experience in managing Infusions and central line care.
   

Job Duties:

• Using specialized knowledge and skills, proficiently assesses patients and identifies actual and potential nursing diagnoses/patient care needs. 

• Expertly identifies patient care needs, formulates appropriate nursing diagnoses, develops, and individualizes care plan, and revises plan of care as needed. 

• Expertly plans and prioritizes culturally congruent and specialty appropriate care for identified patient group. 

• Executes healthcare provider orders for all assigned patients. Administers medications and treatments and delivers culturally congruent and specialty appropriate competent nursing care in accordance with UTMB's policies, procedures, and standards in a caring and compassionate manner. 

• Expertly performs routine and complex technical procedures/skills in assigned specialty area. 

• Provides complex patient/family instruction and healthcare teaching based on identified learning needs (patient values, beliefs, barriers, and readiness to learn). 

• Identifies potential impact of family dynamics on the teaching plan. 

• Utilizes evidence-based resources to provide patient/family education, adhering to patient/family education policy 09.03.04. 

• Proficiently uses Teach-Back or other strategies to determine effectiveness and modifies strategies as needed. 

• Analyzes, selects, and utilizes individualized educational support material for patients and families (i.e., Elsevier). 

• Proficiently and independently plans, coordinates, and prioritizes patient care activities according to skill level and work complexity. 

• Maintains safety and continuity of care using methods such as bedside shift report, hand-off tools/processes, inter-professional rounding, etc.; Role models and coaches others to utilize these methods. 

• Evaluates processes and outcomes of specialty area practices/methods. 

• Demonstrates flexibility in time management to manage changing patient priorities; coaches and supports others to plan, coordinate and prioritize. 

• Proactively initiates local efforts to improve planning, coordination, and prioritization of patient care. 

• Demonstrates proficient use of technology in the delivery of patient care and serves as a resource and provides trouble shooting support to others; participates in education of others in implementation of new technology/processes as applicable. 

• Delegates appropriately; may seek guidance or clarification of non-routinely delegated tasks; Coaches others to optimize safe & effective delegation.

Salary Range:  Actual salary commensurate with experience.

Work Schedule:

Full-time; Monday through Friday, 8am to 5pm.