Job Description

of Essential Functions

• The Nurse Extern plans and delivers selected aspects of nursing care under the direct supervision of a Registered Nurse Preceptor/Clinical Instructor. The Extern may perform any technical skill which has been taught in their nursing program, after the skill has been accurately demonstrated to the RN Preceptor or Clinical Educator.

Educational Requirements

• Must be enrolled and in good standing with an accredited RN program. Must be within 12 months of anticipated graduation.

Licenses and Certifications

• CPR Certifications.

Knowledge/Skills/Abilities

• Apply understandings to carry out written and oral instructions.
• Recognize problems and take reporting action based upon sound judgment.
• Reading and writing, speaking, and basic addition, subtraction skills required.

Physical Requirements

• Full range of body motion including handling and lifting patients, manual and finger dexterity and eye-hand coordination.
• Standing, walking for extensive periods of time.
• Lifting and carrying items weighing up to 50 pounds, pushing and pulling of heavy objects.
• Corrected vision and hearing to normal range.
• Working under stressful conditions and working irregular hours.
• Some exposure to communicable disease or bodily fluids.

Duties and Responsibilities

• Provides personal or hygiene care (i.e. assisting with elimination), assisting with activity, and transporting patients.
• Ensure that proper equipment and supplies are used for tasks to be performed and that no wasting of supplies takes place. Reports broken equipment or unsafe conditions in assigned area, assists with stocking and cleaning supply areas and nutrition stations.
• Performs all procedures and conducts self-according to hospital and safety policies and procedures. Answers patient call-lights quickly, assists in admission, transfer, and discharge of patients, observes patient condition and reports immediately, any untoward signs symptoms, on unusual occurrences, assists other team members with completion of duties and seeks assistance when needed, assists with collection and transport of lab specimens and retrieves blood/blood products from lab and supplies/equipment from CS.
• May perform technical skills for which competence may be verified through educational “checkoffs” or United Regional’s precepted orientation programs, including but not limited to: EKG: 12 Lead & remote monitors, insertion of Foley catheter – care & specimens, surgical preps, and NG Tube insertion/removal.
• Assist with unit specific routine patient care protocols, BBG monitoring, peripheral venipuncture, IV starts, discontinuation of peripheral IVs, actively shadow and learn organizational and medicolegal aspects of accepting patients, transferring patients, managing death, etc.
• Externs may insert the IV catheter or needle, but MAY NOT irrigate or connect the catheter to the IV fluids. The Nurse Extern also WILL NOT: 1) receive verbal orders; 2) acknowledge physician’s orders without the direct supervision of the RN Preceptor; 3) initiate IV therapy or blood products; and 4) administer medications.
• Performs all other tasks/responsibilities as necessary.