Registered Nurse – Theatre

Job Background:

To promote and deliver quality patient care and wellness in accordance with industry standards and to execute Nursing duties within the standards, procedures and protocols set down by the South African Nursing Council and Scope of Practice. The incumbent will collaborate with Doctors and multi-disciplinary team members in providing holistic support to patients and their family and loved ones whilst supervising allocated team members and providing high standards of care and support during each phase of patients’ theatre care.

Requirements:

• Nursing degree/diploma.
• Diploma in Theatre Nursing Science advantageous.
• Registration with South African Nursing Council (SANC) as Registered Nurse.
• Theatre technique post-basic qualification advantageous.
• BLS certification.
• Post-registration experience preferred.
• 3+ years’ experience in Theatre.
• Previous experience in a private hospital environment advantageous.
• Computer proficiency.

Key Performance Areas:

Organizing, Planning, Leading, Directing, Controlling

• Perform all duties in accordance with South African Nursing Council (SANC), Department of Health (DOH) and National Core Standards.
• Adhere to the principles and standards of Patient Advocacy according to SANC Acts and Omissions, Company Code of Conduct, Patient Rights and Responsibilities Charter, National Millennium Development goals and responsibility of Continuous Professional Development (CPD).
• Supervise, organize, lead and control work for self and team to ensure efficient completion of tasks.
• Devise a working knowledge of, and understand the Nursing Strategy, in order to contribute towards unit goals.

Quality, Risk, Emergency Preparedness:

• Assure quality of care by adhering to therapeutic standards, measuring health outcomes against patient care goals and standards, and making recommendations according to the hospital’s requirements of best and safe practices and unit specific protocols and procedures.
• Actively participate in internal and external auditing processes, for example DOH, National Core Standards, SHERQ, SANC and Risk Audits.
• Document patient care services by accurately charting inpatient and department records including updating care plans as patient needs changes.
• Maintain accurate files and records of patient medication, incidents and complaints and steps taken to resolve patient problems or prevent incidents from recurring.
• Conduct structured ward rounds including accompanying Doctors and other Medical Practitioners for creating and evaluating customized care plans including implementing Doctors instructions and prescriptions.
• Monitor activities of nurses to ensure compliance with protocols, security, safety of patient environment, Group Nursing policies and procedures, SANC requirements and act on findings through regular ward rounds.
• Assist in reducing healthcare associated infections in the unit by applying appropriate infection prevention practices.
• Ensure all patients clinical care risk assessments for theatre preparation is implemented and recorded.
• Ensure that all theatre preparation pre-and post-operative is conducted timeously.

Patient Advocacy, Customer/Doctor Relationships;

• Build mutually beneficial relationships with both internal and external stakeholders.
• Drive a positive patient (customer) experience by putting patients first and deliver holistic customer oriented service.
• Collaborate with Unit Managers in identifying and implementing actions to improve service quality and problem resolution.
• Report, investigate and discuss all negative and positive comments regarding the unit and act on findings, where necessary.
• Establish a harmonious and compassionate environment that promotes the patients’ mental and physical health and provide the required support to family and friends.
• Maintain cooperative relationships among healthcare teams e.g. multidisciplinary team to improve patient care standards, information communication and participating in team problem solving.
• Keep patients informed about the Group’s complaints procedure and “The Voice” patient experience platform and guide patients in terms of how the survey can be completed.

Finance:

• Utilize supplies and equipment in an economical manner reducing wastage whilst maintaining overall control.
• Utilize and maintain sufficient inventory levels (i.e. stock levels) to accomplish job and results whilst ensuring minimal wastage.
• Ensure correct usage, cleaning and storage of equipment and report equipment that requires repair and maintenance.
• Drive a culture of efficiency amongst team members by consistently reinforcing opportunities to prevent wastage and reduce costs.
• Support the Nursing Services Manager and Unit Managers in controlling budget expenditure, by ensuring nursing resource spend is in line with budget, patient care and actual activities.

Staffing, HR Policy and Procedure:

• Be an ambassador for quality patient care by living the company values and upholding the company image.
• Take responsibility for CPD to enhance professional and technical knowledge and skills e.g. through attendance of educational workshops, rotating to other units to gain broader exposure, reviewing professional publications, establishing personal networks, participating in professional societies and the like.
• Ensure performance contracting process is completed timeously and that outputs are delivered according to performance standards.
• Promote the Group’s brand and market nursing services by responding timeously to patient needs, projecting a professional image by adhering to the dress code, resolving patient problems and providing personal patient care.
• Supervise team members and motivate them to perform to agreed standards, as well as to ensure compliance to Group’s HR policies and procedures.
• Train and mentor staff to improve overall quality of care.