Job Description

Role Responsibilities

Clinical Practice/Quality and Patient Safety:

• Frequently takes patient assignment. When caring for patients, demonstrates clinical expertise and uses the nursing process to provide safe, appropriate patient care to a defined patient population according to Connecticut Children’s and unit policies and standards.
• Exemplifies leadership skills and is recognized as an expert by peers and others.
• Applies expertise in helping peers with complex patient issues, and develops strategies to support staff in caring for a new patient type,
• Demonstrates commitment to continuous quality improvement. Leads change processes by coordinating quality improvement activities in the NICU.
• Identifies clinical issues and promotes quality improvement activities.
• Demonstrates effective communication and collaboration skills with all members of the health care team
• Holds self and team accountable for quality outcomes and continuous quality improvement,
• Understands and takes into consideration both departmental and organizational staffing resource needs, and appropriately allocates/assigns staffing resources based upon those needs.

Customer Satisfaction:

• Demonstrates commitment to customer service. Works with Nurse Manager and Patient Advocates with patient/family issues requiring service recovery
• Mentors staff to handle conflicts and resolve issues independently.
• Supports the organizational efforts toward patient/family education
• Demonstrates knowledge of the differences and needs of patients in appropriate, specific populations from neonate to young adult and applies them to practice.
• Demonstrates cultural sensitivity in all interactions with patients/families.

Supervisory Duties (if applicable)

• Functions as role model, demonstrating core behaviors with all interactions and provides feedback to clinical staff.
• Facilitates teamwork and cooperation among staff.
• Participates in hiring and onboarding of new staff.
• In conjunction with the Nurse Manager, provides input in all phases of the performance management process (check ins, on-going feedback/coaching, appraisals and orientation) for assigned staff.
• Ensures necessary information is effectively communicated to all members of the team.
• Effectively follows up and resolves routine employee relations issues, seeking support from Nurse Manager and Human Resources for more complex issues.
• Promotes development of innovative approaches to improve patient care.

Minimum Education and Experience Required

Bachelor of Science in Nursing
Minimum of two years of neonatal experience
NICU Experience required

License and/or Certification

Required:

• Current State of Connecticut Registered Licensure is required and maintained thereafter
• Current Basic life support (BLS)/CPR in adult, child and infant required upon hire
• NRP (Neonatal Resuscitation Program) Certification required and maintained thereafter

Preferred Resource Nurse Experience

Knowledge, Skills, and Abilities

KNOWLEDGE OF:

• Nursing and Institutional Strategic Plan.
• Day to day needs of patients in NICU
• Accreditation and certification requirements and standards.
• Medical equipment as it relates to patient care on the units.

SKILLS:

Communication and Influence:

• Advocate on behalf of CT Children’s.
• Actively listen to ideas of others.
• Present complex information in a clear and compelling way (verbally and written).
• Ensure staff are provided with appropriate information about issue that may impact them.
• Effectively gain commitment from others

ABILITY TO:

• Work assigned off-shifts, including weekends, evenings, nights, and holidays as needed
• Provide expert nursing care and consultation to patient/families; to demonstrate clinical competencies with specialty areas; and assess the competencies of others.
• Demonstrate all CT Children’s Leadership Competencies.
• Supervise and train employees, foster employee development and performance management.
• Act in a professional capacity and serve as a professional role model
• Lead change, including encouraging innovation, and employing strategies to overcome resistance to change.
• Build a high performing team by coaching team members and holding others accountable.
• Foster teamwork and collaboration. Partners with colleagues to accomplish common goals, constructively raise concerns, use problem solving approaches to identify solutions.
• Demonstrate personal Leadership by treating others with respect, admitting mistakes, taking responsibilities for actions and decisions, and modeling integrity in an ethical manner.

Work Environment:

Amount of Time

(Choose which ones do apply)

< 25% day

Occasional

25-50% day

Frequent

50-75% day

Constant

> 75% day

Stand ☐ ☐ ☒ ☐ Walk ☐ ☐ ☒ ☐ Sit ☐ ☒ ☒ ☐ Manual Dexterity/Repetitive use of hands, wrists, arms, elbows ☐ ☒ ☒ ☐ Forward reach w/hands and/or arms ☒ ☐ ☐ ☐ Climb or balance ☒ ☐ ☐ ☐ Stoop, kneel, crouch ☒ ☐ ☐ ☐ Overhead/above shoulder reaching ☒ ☐ ☐ ☐ Choose Applicable Lifting Demands LIFT Floor-Waist Waist-Shoulder Above Shoulder < 15 lbs. Occasionally Occasionally Occasionally 15 - 25 lbs. Occasionally Occasionally Occasionally 25 - 40 lbs. Occasionally Occasionally Occasionally 50 lbs. Occasionally Occasionally Occasionally PUSH/PULL
< 50 lbs. Occasionally

50 - 100 lbs.

(push/pull only)

Occasionally

More than 100 lbs.*

(push/pull on wheels only)

*indicate weight range

Occasionally

20 lbs

Other Comment(s)*

*Specify any other physical requirements required to perform an essential job function, not listed above: Significant bending over equipment. Significant walking, ability to transport equipment, lifting, sitting. Must possess sight/hearing senses or use prosthetics that will enable these senses to function adequately so the requirements of the position can be fully met.

Connecticut Children’s is the only health system in Connecticut that is 100% dedicated to children. Established on a legacy that spans more than 100 years, Connecticut Children’s offers personalized medical care in more than 30 pediatric specialties across Connecticut and in two other states. Our transformational growth establishes us as a destination for specialized medicine and enables us to reach more children in locations that are closer to home. Our breakthrough research, superior education and training, innovative community partnerships, and commitment to diversity, equity and inclusion provide a welcoming and inspiring environment for our patients, families and team members.

At Connecticut Children’s, treating children isn’t just our job – it’s our passion. As a leading children’s health system experiencing steady growth, we’re excited to expand our team with exceptional team members who share our vision of transforming children’s health and well-being as one team.