Job Category:

Allied Health

Work Shift/Schedule:

12 Hr Evening - Morning

Northeast Georgia Health System is rooted in a foundation of improving the health of our communities.

About the Role:

Job Summary

General Surgery is a 32-bed nursing unit with four equipped with negative pressure and 2 with bariatric ceiling lifts. Care is rendered to patients with a variety of specialties including, but not limited to:

• Bariatric Surgery including Gastric Bypass, Gastric Sleeve, Duodenal Switch, and Revisional cases

• Urology diagnosis and procedures • Oncology Gynecology surgery

• General Surgery including major bowel procedures

• Vascular surgery procedures

• Plastic Surgery including skin grafts, flaps and reconstructive surgery

• Podiatry

• Other medical and surgical patients in times of high census

Nurses provide care and monitoring for patients with IV patient-controlled analgesia. Nurses are competent in the care of patients with the following: nephrostomy tubes, continuous bladder irrigations, biliary drains, Jackson Pratt drains, Constavac drains, epidurals, chest tubes, tracheostomy tubes, and peritoneal dialysis. Nurses who have completed competencies may access and de-access Portacaths, and perform negative pressure wound dressing changes.

Minimum Job Qualifications

• Licensure or other certifications: CCHT certification (for dialysis unit only).

• Educational Requirements: High School Diploma, GED, or high school transcript showing completion of at least the sophomore level of high school.  

• Minimum Experience: No previous experience is required.  Candidates who have not successfully completed the Foundations of Nursing course (RN students only), have less than six months of PCT experience within the past two years, or do not hold a current and active CNA certification will be enrolled in the PCT Academy, NGHS’s in-house training program. 

• Other:

Preferred Job Qualifications

• Preferred Licensure or other certifications:

• Preferred Educational Requirements:

• Preferred Experience:

• Other:

Job Specific and Unique Knowledge, Skills and Abilities

• Good interpersonal skills

• Physical ability to push/pull patients

• Adaptable in changing situation and work assignments

• Able to accept direction from professional nursing staff, and perform basic technical skills and procedures

• Bi-lingual basic language skills preferred

Essential Tasks and Responsibilities

• Obtains and reports basic patient physiological data (such as vital signs, weight, skin condition, color, and character of urine and stool).

• Utilizes proper body mechanics, provides for positioning, mobility hygiene, ADL, and/or comfort needs according to procedure and direction.

• Monitors p.o. intake and urine output, recording amount on appropriate forms.

• Promptly identifies and reports physical and mental status changes to licensed staff assigned to the patient.

• Organizes patient care and sets appropriate priorities by implementing physician and nursing orders within prescribed time frames.

• Performs therapeutic procedures within the parameters of the job description; reporting patients response to supervising nurse.

• Makes frequent rounds to patients room in addition to responding without prompting to patient call lights, instituting appropriate actions.

• Orients patient/family/Significant other to unit & room. Greets patient & family in a positive pleasant manner with each encounter.

• Explains procedure or care to be provided to patient prior to start of procedure. 

• Accurately & timely records patient data and forwards to supervisory staff within established time frames.  

• Attains proficiency with all required IT systems to support the clinical staff  & accurate documentation of patient care.

• Answers the telephone in a polite and courteous manner. Screens and refers all calls appropriately to ensure accurate communication. Refers all calls to leave orders for patient care to licensed staff. Relays telephone, verbal, and written requests accurately to the appropriate individual (s).

• Places reports (ie:, x-ray, etc.) in patient’s chart or insures reports are sent to appropriate units