Nursing Practice Specialist - ICU

Excellent opportunity for a Nursing Practice Specialist in the Blake 12 Multidisciplinary ICU!

General Overview

Blake 12 is an 18-bed multidisciplinary intensive care unit responsible for the care of adult patients with a variety of surgical and medical conditions as well as Transplant and Trauma patients. This unit is the main assignment for critically ill patients who benefit from multidisciplinary care. It handles a variety of surgical and medical conditions, including post-operative complex abdominal, orthopedic, vascular, and thoracic surgical illnesses with hemodynamic instability, sepsis, ARDS, multiple traumas, intracranial hypertension, and multi-system organ dysfunction or failure. Blake 12 is also a transplant ICU: helping to care for post-operative abdominal and lung transplant patients. Technologies and therapies used to support patients are multiparameter physiologic monitoring including continuous renal replacement therapy (CRRT), mechanical ventilation, nitric oxide therapy, ICP monitoring, etc. The patient care delivery model is a Relationship Based Care model, supported by patient-focused care that is high quality, comprehensive, accessible, supportive and personalized

The Nursing Practice Specialist (NPS) is a master's prepared nurse with an area of expertise who promotes competent, compassionate and professional nursing care for patients/families across the continuum. The role is a leadership and clinical practice role encompassing patient care, teaching, consultation and research. In collaboration with the Nursing Director and the nursing staff, the NPS influences outcomes and ensures quality patient care.

Applicants for this position should be energetic leaders that are able to motivate others towards change. Someone who is skilled at managing conflict and initiating and maintaining collaborative relationships with peers, staff, administration and interdisciplinary health team members to enhance delivery of health care is a must.

Job Description

1. Clinical Practice - Provides expert-level consultation and advises clinical staff on the formulation of diagnoses and treatment plans for patients and families. Demonstrates excellence in providing direct and indirect nursing care to patients and their families.

A. Expert-level consultation

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  • Supports independent nursing practice of professional nurses through collaborative, consultative, and role modeling activities.
  • Analyzes clinical and non-clinical variables to influence, supervise, manage or oversee patient care needs and predict and manage responses.
  • Provides expert consultation within their specialty area at the unit, program, service, administrative, and community level(s).
  • Identifies current trends in health care and their implication for nursing practice.
  • Promotes the attainment of the goals of the patient/family plan of care.
  • Applies new technology, nursing theories, research findings and experiential knowledge to improve patient/family health care outcomes and to assist in the development of nursing practice as applicable.
  • Responds to change in clinical practice by planning, designing, implementing and evaluating guidelines protocols and standards in collaboration with clinicians and other members of the health care team.
  • Identifies and recommends interventions regarding ethical issues in patient/family care and guides staff and other providers in application of ethical concepts to address patient care issues.
  • Applies innovative approaches to solving complex problems.
  • Acts as a content resource to colleagues, patient/families, and others as identified.
  • Analyzes and evaluates the effectiveness of the consultative process.
  
  
  
  

B. Provide direct patient care as applicable

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  • Initiates, facilitates, coordinates, and manages interdisciplinary collaboration for the purposes providing direct care of the patient and family.
  • Supports staff at the bedside in an expanded role to provide 1:1 real-time teaching and education.
  • Participates in the attainment of the goals of the patient and family.
  
  
  
  

2. Education - Plans and delivers relevant staff and patient education to nurses and other members of the health care team on matters regarding plan of care of the patient and family.

A. Identifies learning needs and develops and implements programs for patient education within the area of specialization.

B. Supports, participates, and contributes to educational programs for clinical and support staff both locally and across the larger organization.

C. Facilitates the acquisition of advanced clinical skills in staff nurses and students through role modeling, practice and consultation in the clinical setting.

D. Implementing and evaluating educational programs and practice changes based upon assessed learning needs of patients, families, and staff.

3. Research and Evidence-Based Practice - Actively participates in research and evidence-based practice activities that will positively affect patient care and patient care outcomes.

A. Uses nursing theories, research findings and evidence-based practice to plan, design, evaluate nursing practice and to generate researchable clinical problems.

B. Promotes staff and student utilization of the research process.

C. Participates in and supports research.

D. Utilizes scientific method in collecting data on clinical practice issues.

E. Initiates, participates in and continually evaluates quality assurance and performance improvement activities for evaluation of structure, process and outcome criteria as it relates to clinical practice. Identifies improvement opportunities, designs and plans programs for improvement and implements programs in the clinical environment.

4. Professional Development - Demonstrates accountability for ongoing personal/professional development.

A. Maintains and updates clinical knowledge and skills based on current nursing and health care practices.

B. Identifies own learning needs and goals; designs a plan to meet them.

C. Takes responsibilities for leadership and participation on committees and task forces of the Department of Nursing,

MGH at large, and across MGB.

D. Participates in activities that foster peer support and networking.

E. Fulfills professional role through involvement in professional organization activities, presentations, and publications.

Position Qualifications:

• Master's degree in nursing required.
• Current Massachusetts RN License required.
• Knowledge of surgical, medical and critical care nursing required.
  
  
  
  • Minimum of 5 years' experience as a critical care nurse
  • Experience with the management of critically ill transplant patients desired
  • Some experience in a leadership role desired
  
  
  
  

Nursing Practice Specialist Requirements

• Master's degree in nursing or related field.
• Relevant professional experience in clinical nursing specialty.
• Certification in critical care nursing desired.

Massachusetts General Hospital is an Affirmative Action Employer. By embracing diverse skills, perspectives and ideas, we choose to lead. All qualified applicants will receive consideration for employment without regard to race, color, religious creed, national origin, sex, age, gender identity, disability, sexual orientation, military service, genetic information, and/or other status protected under law. We will ensure that all individuals with a disability are provided a reasonable accommodation to participate in the job application or interview process, to perform essential job functions, and to receive other benefits and privileges of employment.