General Summary

The Clinical Nurse II is responsible for providing direct and indirect patient and family care in inpatient and approved surgical and ambulatory care areas. The nurse is expected to competently perform the patient care responsibilities of the registered nurse within the assigned work setting. The nurse delegates and supervises care in accordance with the Nurse Practice Act and the professional nursing role. Care is provided in collaboration with other members of the clinical team, and with the use of critical pathways or multidisciplinary plans of care.

II. Principal Responsibilities and Tasks

The Clinical Nurse II systematically collects and assesses data in collaboration with the multidisciplinary team to provide therapeutic care for the patient and family. The nurse follows the prescribed plan of care and documents the progress towards achieving defined outcomes. Continuity in patient care is achieved through concise communication with the Charge Nurse or Unit manager. The following are not to be construed as an exhaustive list of all job duties performed by personnel so classified.

Clinical Practice:

1. Demonstrates the ability to provide nursing care relative to the patient's age specific needs.

A. Elicits patient and family participation in care in keeping with physiological and psychological readiness.
B. Evaluates and documents patient response to prescribed interventions.

2. Collaborates by establishing acceptable interpersonal relationships with co-workers and colleagues, patients and families.

3. Provides concise communication regarding the patient's progress to the Charge Nurse, other nursing staff members, and other health care practitioners.

4. Skillfully uses the range of equipment, medicines, and other modalities, such as CPR, as well as the procedural and educational resources pertinent to assigned work areas. Demonstrates knowledge of purpose and expected outcomes.

Service/Quality:

1. Acts to facilitate cost control in use of material resources by regularly consulting with Charge Nurse regarding the predominant patient problem, or co-existing problem so that a course of action can be more astutely planned to achieve continuity of care.

2. Demonstrates commitment to patient/family cultural beliefs and practices by carrying out interventions as noted on critical pathways or multidisciplinary plan of care.

3. Demonstrates trust, respect, honesty, and caring attitudes with patient/families and other members of the health care team.

4. Participates and contributes to Performance Improvement, or Evidence Based Practice, or research at the unit level.

5. Complies with standards and participates with unit level activities for regulatory compliance.

Unit Operations:

1. Supports charge nurse decisions; performs charge role for assigned shifts as needed.
2. Observes hospital policies and procedures that ensure the security and safety of patients.
3. Follows and supports the AACN guidelines for Healthy Work Environment (communication, collaboration, effective decision making, recognition, leadership, staffing); participates as team member focusing on elements within the Healthy Work Environment.

Professional Development:

1. Serves as preceptor, coach, mentor to new nurses and students. Contributes to ancillary personnel skills and development, attends educational offerings and in-services independently.
2. Completes all educational annual requirements.
3. Responsible for maintaining competencies for the patient care setting.