Critical Care Registered Nurse (ICU RN)

Ansible Government Solutions - Houston, TX

Full-time - Mid Level

Houston, TX

Administrative and Support Services

About the position

Ansible Government Solutions is seeking multiple Critical Care Registered Nurses (ICU RNs) to provide critical care nursing services at the Michael E. DeBakey Department of Veterans Affairs Medical Center in Houston, TX. The role involves delivering high-quality nursing care to ICU patients, managing complex medical situations, and collaborating with healthcare teams to ensure optimal patient outcomes. Nurses may also be required to work at Community Based Outpatient Centers (CBOC) and must be adaptable to changing schedules as directed by Ansible or its customers.

Responsibilities

• Provides critical care nursing to Intensive Care Unit (ICU) patients
• Obtains patient history and pertinent family history
• Assesses patient and plans appropriate nursing care
• Documents plan of care and care given in patient's medical record
• Verifies transcription of Physician orders; no verbal orders are to be accepted
• Carries out prescribed Physician orders and documents inpatient medical record
• Communicates pertinent patient data to the Charge Nurse and/or Physician as appropriate
• Re-assesses patient's condition and revises plans-of-care based on problems that are identified
• Administers medications and Intravenous (IV) therapies
• Possesses knowledge of actions and usual dosages of the most commonly used emergency drugs and their location on the crash cart
• Assesses and documents patient responses to medications that have been administered
• Can interpret cardiac rhythms and their implications
• Reorganizes and initiates the appropriate measures in emergencies/therapies and surgical/diagnostic procedures that must be accomplished
• Instructs patients and their families regarding prescribed medications/therapies and surgical/diagnostic procedures that must be accomplished
• Assesses patient/family knowledge level, implements plan of instructions, and records the patient's family's demonstrated level of understanding
• Operates defibrillator, electrocardiogram (EKG) machines and cardiac monitors, and other emergency technical equipment
• Cares for patients with Swan-Gans catheters, arterial lines and mechanical ventilators
• Participates in discharge planning
• Can initiate life saving measures in the absence of Physicians
• Assures the content and correctness of a prepared report and signs the document to validate its content
• Maintains a neat personal appearance and maintains professional decorum
• Consistently applies the VA's customer service standards, always demonstrating helpful, courteous, and respectful conduct
• Respects patient rights, including but not limited to visual and auditory privacy
• May accept a verbal order in compliance with the facility policy
• Intake and output of fluids assessed every shift, and more frequently if indicated by specific standard nursing drug care
• Reviews all laboratory data and electronic medical records
• Can titrate medications
• Can be responsible for feeding tubes which are aspirated for gastric residue prior to every intermittent feed, and every four hours for continuous tube feedings
• Performs urinary catheter care by using soap and water cleaning technique every 12 hours, or as required
• Ensures that medication orders from the previous shift have been noted and either carried out or transcribed onto the medical records.

Requirements

• Completion of an accredited Registered Nurse academic program (BSN or ADN)
• Current Registered Nurse licensure in at least one state, territory, or commonwealth of the United States or the District of Columbia
• American Heart Association (AHA) Basic Life Support (BLS) certification
• American Health Association (AHA) Advanced Cardiovascular Life Support (ACLS) certification
• Three (3) years of recent Critical Care RN work experience is required