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Statement of Purpose

The Education Advocate utilizes the nursing process to coordinate the patient's education from admission through discharge in order to achieve quality outcomes. Communicates need for guidance/supervision based on self-assessment of strengths and limitations. Promotes a positive image of nursing and promotes collegiality among healthcare team members. The Education Advocate should be able to perform the essential functions, duties, and responsibilities of a Registered Nurse on the Inpatient Unit.

Essential Functions, Duties and Requirements of Education Advocate

1. Educating the patient on disease process and medication management throughout the hospital stay utilizing teach-back method to assess patients understanding of disease process and discharge goals

A. Assess patient/caregiver understanding

B. Provide pertinent education materials.

2. Responsible for maintaining educational materials on Inpatient Unit to ensure up to date practice.

3. Participates in daily discharge planning meeting and provides update on patient progress with education plan.

4. Communicate with post-discharge community partners related to educational needs and progress. Works closely with case management to ensure transition of care to community

3. Reconciling discharge medications with the treatment team.

1. Review the reconciled medication list thoroughly with patient/caregiver for understanding.
2. Provide any written education materials as needed

Essential Functions, Duties and Responsibilities of Registered Nurse II

1. Completes patient assessments, taking into consideration the patient's developmental stage(s).

1. Completes assessments of patient's/s.o. response to illness, the use of coping mechanisms and emotional needs.

1. Incorporates family/s.o. into plan of care and reflects the plan of care is individualized for each patient.

1. Identifies and individualizes patient goals. Compares expected and achieved outcomes of nursing care utilizing the POC consistent with the patient's status.

1. Formulates, individualizes, and modifies patient plan of care.

1. Administers medications and treatments safely. Recognizes and reports errors and unusual occurrences. Analyzes and identifies precipitating factors

1. Recognizes and responds to crisis situations. Notifies appropriate individuals of actual or impending crisis.

1. Identifies and completes assessments of patient/s.o. educational needs. Develops and helps implement teaching plan. Provides education consistent with patient's level of understanding using existing resources for patient/s.o.

1. Incorporates patient's cultural and spiritual beliefs into care by making appropriate referrals to chaplain, social services, case manager, etc. Reflects these in plan of care with appropriate documentation of interventions.

1. Reports and documents patient's symptoms, responses, and progress. Interventions are appropriate to patient's symptoms, responses, and progress.

1. Maintains continuity of care through communication with other shifts and departments. Works collaboratively with interdisciplinary team.

1. Precepts novice nurses or new nursing personnel.

1. Supports the mission and vision of the North Country Hospital and demonstrates excellent customer service at all times.

1. Understands and is committed to helping the North Country Hospital achieve its goals.

1. Understands and enforces system, departmental and hospital policies and procedures as well as established rules and regulations.

1. The job responsibilities of this position may include cross training in other functions or positions to ensure satisfactory operation of the department/work unit or to permit flexible staffing assignments.

1. Must learn and comply with System and facility safety policies and rules; must use appropriate safety equipment and procedures at all times; must immediately report all unsafe conditions to supervisors and complete incident reports; must be familiar with all safety features of equipment, tools or materials encompassed by job duties; and must check with supervisors (prior to job performance) if there is a question as to the safe procedure to be used for any job function.

1. Must be able to work in a fast-paced and customer service-oriented environment and to perform duties and meet deadlines in a timely manner.

1. Must be able to complete assignments independently and to work as part of a team; to take instructions from supervisors; to exercise problem-solving skills; and to interact with co-workers, supervisors, patients, vendors and the public in a professional and pleasant manner.

1. Displays punctuality and meets attendance requirements of the department/organization.

1. Communicates appropriately to other employees and customers based on the situation and the age level of the person.

1. Must be able to perform all essential job functions while on duty, including adequate performance on duty while taking any legally prescribed medications, which may cause adverse reactions to the performance of your essential job skills.

1. Understands and complies with the North Country Standards of Behavior and models ethical behavior as expected by our patients, colleagues and the community.

1. Completes other duties as assigned.

1. Assists with promoting teamwork; assists with leading and facilitating department procedures and process improvements.

1. Establishes relationships with other professionals throughout the health system and mentoring opportunities. Also develops relationships with other departments within North Country Hospital and looks for opportunities for integration or interaction.

1. Assists in monitoring productivity and quality and identifies areas for improvement.

1. Demonstrates competence as appropriate to his/her job responsibilities, in caring for all age groups of assigned patients, including demonstration of ability to apply knowledge of growth and development over the life span in the application of the nursing process in patient care.

Required Knowledge, Skill, Abilities and Other Job-Related Characteristics:

1. Knowledge

Current working knowledge of nursing process. Ability to delegate appropriately to differing levels of skilled individuals. Can constantly reassess and reset priorities.

1. Customer Orientation

Continually seeks to understand and act upon customer needs, concerns, and priorities. Meets customer expectations and requirements, and gains customer trust and respect. Is responsive to the special needs of other Departments, facility personnel and other key customers.

1. Team Orientation

Performs effectively when one's success depends on the performance and success of others. Functions within a team and participates and contributes constructively in meetings to produce results in a cooperative effort. Places shared goals before one's own interests, and initiates and builds relationships with others on the team. Derives a sense of accomplishment from the efforts of the team.

1. Listening Ability

Practices attentive and active listening even in a group, has the patience to hear people out, asks probing questions to increase understanding, picks out important information in oral communications and conveys understanding and accurately restates the opinions of others even when one disagrees.

1. Flexibility

Adjusts positively to multiple demands, ambiguity, shifting priorities, and rapid change. Shows resilience in the face of constraints or adversity. Modifies one's approach to reach a goal. Maintains effectiveness in varying environments, on various tasks, with varying responsibilities or people.

1. Applies Policies and Procedures

Applies knowledge of system, hospital and departmental regulations, policies and procedures.

1. Problem Solving Ability

Gathers and analyzes necessary data to identify relevant issues and accurately defines the problem, then formulates and evaluates alternatives to recommend a solution or solve a problem. Asks good questions from a variety of sources.

1. Systems Orientation

Views work situations from a broad context, and understand the complementary, interdependent nature of work processes. Assesses the impact and implications of decisions on other components of the organization and determines the effects of one's individual work within this broad context.

Job Requirements

Minimum Education and Experience: RN II

Education: Graduate of a nursing program: diploma, associate degree, or baccalaureate program.

Experience: At least 2 years and must meet ALL requirements of RN II

License and Certificates Required:

Valid and Current Vermont Registered Nurse License

Basic Life Support (BLS): Required for hire

ACLS preferred

Reporting Relationships: Supervised By- Director of Patient Care Services

Equipment Utilized: Electronic Medical Record, PC, Common Office Equipment, Patient equipment appropriate to area/unit.