Supervisory Nurse (Clinical/Critical Care) - Defense Health Agency Civilian Corps, Falls Church, VA

Supervisory Nurse (Clinical/Critical Care) Joint Base San Antonio

Time to invest in some new footwear because if you’re San Antonio-bound, you’d better show up in boots! The Alamo City is one of the military’s most envied postings and is often referred to as “Military City USA”. Lo w cost of living, affordable homes, and the lack of state tax on retirement income are a few financial perks to living and retiring in this Texas city. A robust job market that seems partial to government and defense/security contracting ensures employment opportunities for spouses or transitioning service members. San Antonio is the country’s seventh fastest growing city yet has somehow managed to retain a “small town feel.” Quality schools and friendly locals (most with military ties) are additional  perks to living in San Antonio.

Some things you should know before you get here: trucks are the norm (the bigger, the better), love for The Spurs (NBA) runs deep, the H-E-B obsession is real (it’s a grocery store), rodeos are life, and don’t call it “San Antone”—that’s just wrong. The community boasts a vibrant Hispanic population, and enhances everything from the food, to the music, to community events. You don’t necessarily need to speak Spanish to get around, but you’d better know how to say barbacoa, tamales, and cascarones.

Name brand shopping (IKEA is the latest arrival of note), restaurants, and all variety of entertainment all add to San Antonio’s quality of life. SeaWorld, the San Antonio Zoo, Six Flags Fiesta Texas, and downtown museums are all fun outings for kids and families. Tube or kayak down a river, play or fish in the lakes, or relax by San Antonio’s famous downtown River Walk. Museums, art galleries, and historical landmarks—remember The Alamo?—round out San Antonio’s cultural offerings. Tex-mex cuisine arguably originated here, and some up and coming culinary trendsetters are making a name for themselves in the Pearl District downtown, alongside several notable breweries.

San Antonio has over 300 days of sunshine with some hot summers, mild winters and pleasant spring and fall seasons. San Antonio is in Bexar County (it’s pronounced “BEAR”) in south central Texas, and is just south of the gorgeous Hill Country. It’s only about two hours from Austin, the beach, or the desert.

Working for the Department of Defense comes with an abundance of benefits and perks to include competitive compensation packages, paid-time off, medical benefits, student loan repayments, and retirement package with Thrift Savings Plan to include matching employer contributions.

SUPERVISORY CONTROLS:

Receives general supervision from the Clinical Nurse Officer In Charge (CNOIC) of the Intermediate Care Unit, who provides broad guidelines and instruction with regard to operational concepts, nursing standards and objectives to be achieved. Incumbent plans and exercises independent action and authority with wide latitude in the application of initiative and professional judgment in assigned areas of responsibility. Incumbent is expected to carry out all nursing responsibilities independently exercising expert professional knowledge of the highly specialized procedures related to the Intermediate Care Unit. Incumbent consults with CNOIC on problems of unusual complexity or critical controversial policy matter. Work is evaluated on the basis of demonstrated professional ability, supervisory skills, observation of technical, administrative and research work, teaching performance, staff discussion and review of records and reports. Work is reviewed primarily for overall effectiveness in compliance with established policies and procedures.

MAJOR DUTIES:

Serves as the Assistant Clinical Nurse Officer in Charge on the Intermediate Care Unit (Stepdown) within Critical Care Nursing Service. Utilizing the Patient Caring Touch System (PCTS), incumbent performs a variety of supervisory, administrative, and direct patient care duties as an extension and in support of the Clinical Nurse Officer in Charge (CNOIC). Incumbent works nontraditional work schedule and rotating shifts.

1. Supervisory Duties: Plans work to be accomplished by subordinates, sets and adjusts short term priorities and prepares schedules for completion of work. Assigns work to subordinates based on scope of practice, and matches the complexity of work with the nursing experience of the employee. Evaluates work of subordinates and participates in formal and informal counseling and coaching of subordinates. Participates in interviews of new personnel and makes recommendations for appointment, promotion or reassignment. Resolves employee complaints and refers serious and complex issues to higher level supervisor. Actively participates in the development of performance standards for employees. Identify developmental training needs of employees and provide or arranges for training and coaching of needed skills. Provides formal and informal instruction for nursing staff. Reviews and updates nursing policies and procedures, internal standing operating procedures, and patient education criteria in accordance with nursing practice standards and accreditation standards. Oversees scheduling of staff as deemed appropriate by unit CNOIC. Serves as an active member of assigned hospital and Nursing Service committees. He/She ensures fiscal responsibility by providing guidance and oversight to the monitoring go supplies and materials. Utilizing the Team Concept, incumbent is responsible for nursing care assignments to various skill levels of professional and nonprofessional personnel. Assigns nursing staff to patient care duties based on patient condition and expertise of individual staff member. Monitors, evaluates and oversees staff performance to assure work is accomplished in a timely manner. Ensures staff makes legible, accurate and complete nursing entries in the patient chart. Ensures appropriate patient education occurs during the shift and that the appropriate responses to patient emergencies are made. Reviews physician's orders written during the shift and assists on clarification of orders if necessary. Reviews and assists with the revision of nursing care plans as needed. Ensures physicians are advised of significant changes in a patient's condition in a timely manner. Collaborates with physicians and other health care team members to assure optimal level of care is provided to all seriously ill patients on the unit. Initiates and plans care conferences for individual patient as needed. Coordinates and assures timely arrival of patients to scheduled procedures during hospitalization. Approves short-term emergency or sick leave requested during the shift. Initiates call back of off-duty nurses and other personnel as required by unexpected emergencies. Ensures completion of documentation for quality assurance problems, unusual occurrences, on-the-job injuries, or staff performance issues. Assists with visits by distinguished visitors from all levels of the military and educational community. Provides comprehensive nursing care to patients in the intensive care unit. 

2. Patient Care Duties: As a Nurse Specialist on an Intermediate Care Unit (Stepdown), he/she provides an advanced level of specialized nursing care to high acuity level, complex patients having numerous complicating conditions requiring an intermediate level of technological interventions. Provides continuous patient observation, monitoring and reporting to prevent complications and restore the patient to health. Observation and monitoring includes interpretation of vital signs, and symptoms of deterioration in condition, and interpretation of normal and abnormal cardiac rhythms. Takes emergent corrective action with scope of practice and promptly notifies physician. In the absence of a physician, independently makes decisions and implements proper emergency measures after identifying and interpreting life-threaten conditions initiate's life-saving measures. Assists with endotracheal intubation, insertion of arterial and venous catheters and chest tubes, in addition to other procedures. Inserts intravenous catheters, performs phlebotomy and arterial blood draws. Monitors intake and output of fluids and notifies physician when caloric and fluid replacements have changed. Assesses patient vital signs, level of consciousness and other neurological and circulatory responses. Administers and monitors the use of therapeutic agents (medications) in accordance with Nursing Service's policies and procedures, published resources and unit operating instructions and Clinical Practice Guidelines (CPG). Uses specialized patient equipment such as respiratory equipment, intravenous infusion pumps, various suction apparatus, pleurovacs, cardiovascular monitors, defibrillators, transcutaneous and external pacing devices, peritoneal dialysis machines, and other equipment as required by the patient's condition. 

Performs other duties as assigned.

Basic Requirements:

US Citizenship required

Employee must have a current, active, unrestricted, valid Registered Nurse license in at least one US state or province/territory of the United States.

Employee must have a current Basic Life Support (BLS) certification.

Advanced Cardiac Life Support (ACLS) is highly desirable.

Position is Designated Testing Position (DTP) for drugs.

Position requires the incumbent to have passed a Child Background Check (works with Adolescent patient).

Position may require incumbent to work alternate shifts.

* This position is subject to drug testing if the incumbent:

Has direct patient contact or performs diagnostic or therapeutic functions

Extracts or works with patients' body fluids or tissues; prepares patient specimens for examination, performs specialized or non-routine tests on body fluids or tissue samples, or confirms patients' test results

Maintains, stores, safeguards, inputs, fills or distributes drugs and medicines

This position has a mandatory seasonal influenza vaccination requirement and is therefore subject to annual seasonal influenza vaccinations. Applicants tentatively selected for appointment to this position will be required to sign a statement (Condition of Employment) consenting to seasonal influenza vaccinations.