Registered Nurse - Transplant Clinic

Overview

Fred Hutchinson Cancer Center is an independent, nonprofit organization providing adult cancer treatment and groundbreaking research focused on cancer and infectious diseases. Based in Seattle, Fred Hutch is the only National Cancer Institute-designated cancer center in Washington.

 

With a track record of global leadership in bone marrow transplantation, HIV/AIDS prevention, immunotherapy and COVID-19 vaccines, Fred Hutch has earned a reputation as one of the world’s leading cancer, infectious disease and biomedical research centers. Fred Hutch operates eight clinical care sites that provide medical oncology, infusion, radiation, proton therapy and related services, and network affiliations with hospitals in five states. Together, our fully integrated research and clinical care teams seek to discover new cures to the world’s deadliest diseases and make life beyond cancer a reality.

 

At Fred Hutch we value collaboration, compassion, determination, excellence, innovation, integrity and respect. These values are grounded in and expressed through the principles of diversity, equity and inclusion. Our mission is directly tied to the humanity, dignity and inherent value of each employee, patient, community member and supporter. Our commitment to learning across our differences and similarities make us stronger. We seek employees who bring different and innovative ways of seeing the world and solving problems. Fred Hutch is in pursuit of becoming an anti-racist organization. We are committed to ensuring that all candidates hired share our commitment to diversity, anti-racism and inclusion.

 

The Registered Nurse is a member of an interdisciplinary care team. This role provides patient centric care and is primarily responsible for nursing assessment and diagnosis, planning, implementation, and evaluation.

 

Responsibilities

Care Coordination:

• Performs comprehensive initial assessment of patient, family and caregiver
• Performs ongoing assessment of patient, family and caregiver as patient progresses through Transplant process
• Monitors patient response to therapies, including lab values and symptom assessment, in collaboration with the medical, nutrition and pharmacy staff
• Provides psychosocial support to patients and families
• Functions as resource for rotating physician staff regarding standard practice and operations in the clinic
• Reviews all orders written by the medical staff
• Communicates hospital admissions to the Charge RN
• Coordinate home infusions provided by outside Home Infusion agencies after initial referral by Transition RNs
• Provide continuity of nursing care by communicating effectively with Charge, Evening, Weekend, Infusion
• Room, Procedure, Triage, and Inpatient RN’s
• Documents all assessments, teaching, response to therapies and plans of care in a timely manner
• Keeps patient Kardex up to date
• Functions as primary telephone contact for patients and their caregivers
• Participates with all disciplines in daily rounds to plan and coordinate patient care

Patient and Caregiver Teaching:

• Provides initial education and Clinic orientation. Reviews Patient Resource Manual with patient and family at arrival visit
• Assumes primary responsibility for chemotherapy teaching with patients and caregivers
• Assumes primary responsibility for patient education regarding medications and therapies, including home infusions
• Assumes primary responsibility for patient education regarding symptom management
• Assumes primary responsibility for departure teaching when patient is leaving the Acute Transplant Program

Support for Research:

• Acts as patient advocate in coordination of research consent forms
• Assists in obtaining research data in conjunction with patient care data
• Maintains a working knowledge of current protocols related to the patient population with whom they work. Knows research resources and how to access

Communication and Teamwork:

• Participates in Committees and Task Forces to review and improve current standards
• Serves as a resource to other nurses caring for patients undergoing BMT transplant
• Flexible in incorporating patient care outside own team assignment to assist with patient care needs in other areas of clinic
• Informs Nurse Manager of high-risk patient situations or operational issues
• Communicates in a respectful and effective manner with other staff
• Demonstrates appropriate problem solving when working with other departments

Maintaining And Developing Own Skills:

• Participates in continuing education programs
• Keeps current in area of expertise through journals, books, and conferences