Registered Nurse-Emergency Services - LMC-Per Diem en Health Care District of Palm Beach County

• Provides nursing care to meet the needs of patients across the lifespan (neonatal, infant, child, adolescent, adult, and geriatric).

• Delivers age-appropriate care within hospital and emergency standards for assessment, planning, intervention, and reassessment; delegates care appropriately to team members and support staff.

• Performs duties in alignment with The Joint Commission National Patient Safety Goals; follows hospital policies for compliance.

• Demonstrates commitment to the hospital’s mission, philosophy, standards, policies, and procedures.

• Provides courteous and respectful service to staff, physicians, visitors, and patients.

• Participates in orientation and mentoring of new staff, fostering a supportive environment.

• Maintains competencies and attends required training, in-services, and continuing education related to emergency nursing.

• Delegates and supervises CNAs, Paramedics, and Unit Clerks, providing follow-up and feedback to ensure quality care.

• Assists manager and team in validating skills and competence of new staff members before delegation.

• Responds to hospital emergency preparedness plans and provides patient care as needed.

• Collaborates with ancillary departments to ensure safe, coordinated patient care.

• Participates in identifying opportunities for process improvement in patient care.

• Promotes cost-saving practices and efficient use of supplies while adhering to infection control and charging procedures.

• Ensures patient identification bands are placed upon arrival in the Emergency Department.

• Follows Universal Protocol to prevent wrong-site, wrong-procedure, and wrong-patient errors.

• Obtains informed consent for procedures per policies and regulatory guidelines.

• Utilizes patient care equipment safely; reports malfunctions and maintains equipment cleanliness.

• Serves as a change leader, promoting new systems and improvements positively.

• Represents the hospital positively through community activities.

• Documents and reports patient, physician, or visitor complaints per policy.

• Checks code cart and defibrillator each shift; verifies medication discrepancies are resolved before shift end.

• Adheres to EMTALA guidelines for patient transfers.

• Screens patients for acuity and priority in a timely manner.

• Assesses for potential abuse, neglect, suicide risk, or exploitation; reports concerns to appropriate authorities.

• Evaluates emotional needs and provides appropriate referrals.

• Explains procedures and care plans to patients and families; ensures education for health maintenance.

• Performs home medication reconciliation and documents appropriately.

• Orders labs and x-rays per protocols or physician orders; ensures patient preparation.

• Obtains and transcribes physician orders accurately and promptly.

• Completes patient assessments, vital signs, documentation, and reports abnormal findings to physicians.

• Develops individualized plans of care with patient/family involvement.

• Verifies allergies prior to medication administration.

• Communicates effectively with care teams for safety and efficiency, including surgery prep and fall risk communication.

• Utilizes patient restraints appropriately per hospital policy.

• Assesses pulmonary status through auscultation; observes cardiac rhythm and follows ACLS protocols as needed.

• Assesses and documents patient pain using approved scales; reassesses post-treatment and at discharge.

• Reviews and reports critical lab values with physicians; documents plan of care.

• Maintains complete and accurate patient records, ensuring confidentiality per HIPAA.

• Administers medications safely, following protocols for high-risk drugs, identification, telephone orders, and critical values.

• Documents all medication administrations, including dosage, route, site, and patient response.

• Coordinates pre-op patient interviews with surgeons/anesthesiologists and answers questions.

• Performs time-out procedures for all invasive bedside procedures.

• Completes effective handoff communication (SBAR) for admissions, transfers, or discharges.

• Provides thorough shift reports with accurate, timely patient information.

• Manages patient discharges, including instructions on follow-up, food, and drug interactions.

• Applies and monitors splints, bandages, and wound dressings; assesses circulation, mobility, and neurological status.

• Performs waived testing, bedside glucose monitoring, NG tube insertions, gastric suction, port flushes, IV therapy, injections, transfusions, and specimen collection per policy.

• Starts IVs, runs/calculates drips, and documents tubing initiation times.

• Follows aseptic technique and uses needle-less systems as appropriate.

• Documents equipment checks (e.g., Accu-Chek daily control tests).

• Practices appropriate PPE use and pathogen transmission precautions.

• Reports and documents care or medication variances for quality improvement.

• Participates in utilization management and discharge planning with case managers.

• Adheres to infection control standards in all patient care practices.

• Participates in performance improvement activities and department QI initiatives.

• Ensures availability of age-appropriate supplies and equipment.

• Completes pre-op checklists and witnesses surgical/anesthesia consents.

• Transports patients safely to care locations, monitoring when indicated.

• Floats to other units as required.

• May be required for emergency duty, including staffing special needs or Red Cross shelters and responding to man-made or natural disasters.

Education: 

• Nursing degree from an accredited nursing school required.

Experience: 

• One (1) year of acute care nursing experience as an RN required. 

Certification: 

• Current CPR certification required, ACLS and PALS required upon hire. 
• Advanced certification such as CEN preferred Cardiac Proficiency Certification preferred.

Licensure: 

• State of Florida, Registered Nurse license required.

The Health Care District of Palm Beach County is an independent special taxing district that has served as a healthcare safety net for more than 36 years to fill in gaps in access to healthcare services. This unique healthcare system covers the entire county and provides a wide range of services such as nine community health centers (Federally Qualified Health Centers) which serve everyone regardless of ability to pay; school health teams in 172 public schools; a lifesaving Trauma Hawk aeromedical helicopter program; a rural, public teaching hospital, Lakeside Medical Center; an award-winning skilled nursing center; a ground ambulance program for Health Care District patients needing a higher level of care and the county’s Trauma Agency, which ensures quality outcomes within the county’s trauma system and leads initiatives to prevent traumatic injury.  

We are committed to a policy of Equal Employment Opportunity and will not discriminate against an applicant or employee on the basis of race, color, religion, creed, national origin or ancestry, sex, age, physical or mental disability, veteran or military status, genetic information, sexual orientation, marital status, or any other legally recognized protected basis under federal, state or local laws, regulations or ordinances. The information collected by this application is solely to determine suitability for employment, verify identity and maintain employment statistics on applicants.