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Job Summary
STAFF NURSE- VAD/ MCS/ 32 HOURS/ Variable, Rotating Shift
CENTER FOR ADVANCED HEART DISEASE/ BOSTON MAIN CAMPUS
The Registered Nurse Coordinator in the Center for Advanced Heart Disease (CAHD: Heart Failure, VAD, and Heart Transplant) is a professional registered nurse licensed in the state of Massachusetts with heart failure experience who is responsible for all aspects of ambulatory care of the advanced heart disease patient.
This position will work closely with all members of the CAHD team, inpatient staff, and others as necessary to ensure efficacious care in the ambulatory and hospital settings. Advanced Heart Disease patients are an extremely complex group and as such the coordinator must possess a strong clinical background.
The Mechanical Circulatory Support (MCS) Staff Nurse will assist in the medical and surgical management of patients with end-stage heart disease that are being evaluated for, undergoing, or have undergone implantation of mechanical circulatory support.
Primary responsibilities will include:
1) supporting and extending the clinical activities of MCS physicians and nurse practitioners;
2) collecting and entering quality and performance measure data into MCS databases, as required by the hospital, and by local, regional, and national agencies;
3) assisting in MCS research activities.
Principal Duties and Responsibilities:
• Coordinates evaluation of advanced heart failure patients being considered for mechanical circulatory support, including left and/or right ventricular assist device. Responsibilities will include organization of cardiac and non-cardiac testing; collecting and reporting results; entering clinical information into electronic databases; and sharing information with internal and external providers as needed.
• Collaborates with unit staff, MCS nurse practitioners, and physicians to facilitate a comprehensive plan of care and coordinate resources.
• Coordinates with a multitude of multidisciplinary MCS patient teams that can include but are not limited to physicians, nurses, social workers, pharmacists, physical and occupational therapists, and care coordinators to ensure that a patient is an appropriate MCS candidate
• Maintains continuous communication with and training of community agencies such as, but not limited to, local EMS or community hospitals regarding ongoing care and support.
• Supports efforts in maintaining MCS-related information for management of the MCS program.
• Communicates anticipated patient needs to appropriate physicians, nurses, and admitting departments.
• Maintains telephone contact with patients to assess clinical status, monitor response to and possible complications of MCS therapy, adjust medications in consultation with clinical providers and organize outpatient or inpatient follow-up as needed.
• Assists in urgent or non-emergent MCS patient triage, including emergency room visits and transfer from outside institutions and facilitation of scheduled clinical visits, and documents care provided.
• Collaborates with inpatient nursing care specific to patient travel to tests or operating room as well as discharge education and planning.
• Provides education to MCS patients and family members as well as inpatient staff nurses and house staff regarding important aspects of care, including but not limited to device function and maintenance, activity level, diet, medication adherence and healthcare follow-up.
• Maintains up-to-date and relevant patient education materials.
• Works collaboratively with biomedical engineering, nursing and quality leadership to maintain up-to-date and safe equipment for MCS patients, including, but not limited to, pumps, power modules, batteries, cables and other peripherals as well as ensuring that adequate supply is on hand for planned and emergency needs.
• Sets up consults with specialty providers, follows up consult recommendations and communicates results to MCS patient and other providers.
• Assists with communication and correspondence to/from patients, employers, pharmacies and insurance providers with regards to medication prescriptions, cardiac rehabilitation, disability, family medical leave, and payment coverage. May also communicate and correspond with other providers (e.g., utility company, telephone company) as dictated by patient needs.
• Collaborates with nursing and quality leadership with the creation and maintenance of clinical practice guidelines and policy and procedures as relevant to the care of the MCS patient and family.
• Maintains patient data within EMR.
• Provides support to other areas within the Center for Advanced Heart Disease including but not limited to: Heart Failure program,, ACTIVE center, and Heart Transplant. Other duties as assigned.
Regulatory:
• Collaborates with MCS NPs, physicians and nursing leadership, as well as hospital quality and compliance personnel to ensure MCS regulatory compliance as defined by Joint Commission standards.
• Assists nursing and quality leadership in maintaining a state of continuous regulatory readiness.
• Collaborates with the creation and maintenance of clinical practice guidelines and policy and procedures as relevant to the care of the MCS patient.
• Participates in quality assurance/process improvement initiatives.
• Maintains patient data within EMR
• Attends device specific education classes, VAD QAPI meetings, and assist in arranging education for the multi-disciplinary VAD team members.
Professional Development:
• Evaluates own practice and program effectiveness.
• Identifies pertinent nursing and health delivery problems for investigation.
• Evaluates current evidence-based practice for clinical specialty and determines applicability to practice.
• Responsible for professional growth and maintenance of required credentials.
• Maintains and documents the standards and educational requirements specific to the position and licensure.
• Identifies own learning needs and goals.
• Maintains and updates clinical knowledge and skills based on current health care practice/research.
• Pursues clinical certification
Data and Research Activities:
• Collects demographic and clinical data from hospital computer system, administrative sources, charts and weekly conferences and enters information into EMR
• Supports research efforts to advance knowledge to promote research-based practice.
• Works with research teams (PI’s, RA’s, and nurses) to collect data on subjects enrolled in MCS clinical research studies, and enters information into web-based databases and registries
• Assists research staff with IRB-related correspondence as it pertains to ongoing or planned research studies.
• May be asked to prepare written summaries for administrative or clinical purposes as requested by the Executive Director of the Center for Advanced Heart Disease or by the Medical, Surgical, or Nurse Director of the Mechanical Circulatory Support Program.
• Supports STS Intermacs registry as directed by program leadership
Professional Attributes:
1. Establishes effective, respectful, and professional relationships with other members of the healthcare team.
2. Serves as a role model and resource for other staff, providing assistance with the care coordination process, clinical skills, and patient teaching.
3. Maintains professional relationships with appropriate professional organizations.
4. Regularly incorporates new scientific findings in a specific area of expertise into clinical practice. Maintains awareness of new developments in the specialized area and participates in research activities.
5. Highly motivated collaborator who functions well under pressure, in many different settings in the hospital and clinic, and in a fast-paced environment.
6. Self-motivated to see new, efficient, and safe ways to deliver care.
Participatory Management:
1. Utilizes time and materials effectively.
2. Participates in the orientation of new staff members, students, and others as appropriate. Provides input into the evaluation of other staff as appropriate.
3. Adheres to hospital and departmental policies. Recommends changes in policies and procedures through appropriate channels.
4. Participates in determining and implementing goals and objectives for the transplant program, and in the periodic review of the program.
Works in a variety of patient care environments where there may be exposure to communicable diseases and hazardous materials such as chemotherapeutic agents, radioisotopes, and radiation. Work entails walking and lifting.
QUALIFICATIONS
1. Graduate of an approved school of nursing with current registration in Massachusetts. BSN required.
2. Prior experience (3+ years minimum within last 6 years) with mechanical circulatory support/ ventricular assist device -focused pa