Summary:
The Head Nurse is responsible for the supervision of the nursing activities in Assigned ward and demonstrates appropriate qualifications, knowledge, skills and experience to lead the area in a competent manner to meet the goals, objectives and standards of the unit.
Functional Responsibilities:
- Staff Management
- Develop a nursing staffing plan of the unit and revised on YEARLY basis or as needed to address the current demands of the unit.
- Ensures of the qualifications and validity of the licenses (professional registration IDs from country of origin and Saudi Council for Health Specialties (SCFHS), Life Support Provider IDs (BLS, ACLS, PALS, NRP etc.) of the unit nursing staff.
- Receives new staff and ensures to facilitate the nursing staff orientation and their smooth integration into the unit.
- Provides the staff with the orientation package and schedules.
- Ensures orientation to the unit facility, its policies and procedures and to his/her job position and duties.
- Orients the staff to the Unit Scope of Service and Standards of Practice.
- Oversees and evaluates the orientation/ training of staff in the unit.
- Develops and participates in the planning, conducting and scheduling of timely in-services that provides instructions on “how to do the job”, and ensures well-educated nursing staff.
- Monitors job performance of the nursing staff and regularly evaluate them according to their job description.
- Assess competencies of the nursing staff on and ongoing basis.
- Ensures to give feedback and discuss the performance evaluation with the nursing staff.
- Fosters the staff satisfaction, supports work performance and staff development.
- Recommends, coordinates and facilitates training according to established programs like competency-based orientation program; preceptorship program; charge nurse program; cross training program; and student nurse training program.
- Assigns and arrange schedule for staff to attend continuing medical education (CME) courses with accredited hours in Saudi Council for Health Specialties.
- May recommend for any staff recognition, bonuses, transfers, promotions, renewal of contract and even terminations.
- Implement disciplinary procedures when necessary and ensures it is administered fairly.
- Maintains effective and therapeutic communication to ensure good working relationship with all the members of the healthcare team.
2.Unit Work Schedule & Staff Coverage
- Prepares a monthly staffing duty rota and makes revision as needed taking into consideration the nursing staff vacation
- Develops an annual vacation plan for all the staff in the unit based on adequate unit coverage and availability of staff.
- To submit the monthly rota prior to the start of the month; submit to the DON for final approval.
- Approved duty rota should be accessible to all nursing staff.
- Arrange nursing staff on-call schedule and request staff for overtime/ Extra Duty as the need arises.
- Monitor absenteeism and report to immediate Nursing Manager.
- Ensures that sufficient qualified staff with which to operate the unit in all shifts is being covered and maintained.
- Ensures that Nursing staff are readily available to provide nursing services and/or bedside nursing care to all patients within the unit 24 hours a day, 7 days a week.
- Arranges the nursing staff schedules and their patients.
- Ensures nursing services of the unit are provided by the nursing staff in accordance with their qualifications, specialty and/or scope of service.
3.Unit Operational Management
- Participate in the development and implementation of strategic plan of the Nursing Department in accordance with the hospital strategic plan.
- Participates in the development, maintenance and periodic updating of the Departmental/Unit Policies and Procedures Manual, and the objectives and philosophies.
- Prepares the unit Scope of Service and Standards of Practice and update every 3 years.
- Ensures awareness of staff for proper guidance,
- Informs all nursing staff in the unit about any new procedure and policy implementations introduced by the hospital, department and unit.
- Overseeing the implementation of procedure, policies, protocols, etc, at unit level.
- Ensures that approved stock level of medications, medical equipment & supplies, linen, etc., in the unit is maintained at all times to adequately meet the needs of the patient.
- Encourages optimum utilization of resources within the unit and follow established safety regulations in the use of medications (emergency, narcotics, controlled drugs, high alert), equipment and supplies.
- Accountable for the inventory and maintenance of approved stock level of narcotic and high controlled medications in the unit. Follow established procedure to assign and transfer the accountability to the acting head nurse during her/his vacation.
- Maintains inventory list of equipment, its periodic preventive maintenance and equipment service report to ensure of its safe and operable functions.
- Ensures training on the different medical equipment operation (safe use and handling) is conducted by the Biomedical Department annually and as needed.
- Plans, organizes, directs and evaluates the delivery of patient care.
- Ensures that all nursing staff involved in providing the care to the patient is aware of the care plan and that care plans are used in administering daily care to the patients.
- Act as an advocate for infection control in the unit.
- Ensure that nursing staff follow established infection control procedures when isolation precautions become necessary.
- Implement and maintain a program for monitoring communicable and/or infectious diseases among the patient and nursing personnel.
- To report any incidents pertaining to infection control practices
- Act as an advocate for staff safety and patient safety as well as environmental safety.
- Ensures nursing service work areas and patient care rooms and treatment rooms are maintained in a clean, safe and sanitary manner.
- Implement and maintain a procedure for reporting hazardous conditions or equipment.
- Ensure participation of unit staff in fire safety and disaster preparedness drills in a safe and professional manner.
- Ensures nursing staff awareness and preparedness for their roles during hospital codes in the unit.
- Address any issues, concerns and unforeseen occurrences that may arise within the unit.
- Applies analytical and problem solving skills on a case to case basis.
- Ensures staff and patients’ issues are promptly and appropriately addressed.
- Demonstrates effective communication and collaboration skills when interacting with patient/families, other healthcare team members and staff of other department.
- Encourages and facilitates Occurrence Variance Reporting (OVR) as applicable.
- Maintains all records pertaining to the staff management, work schedules and staff coverage, and unit operations and generates reports as required on a daily, monthly, quarterly and/or annual basis.
- Maintains confidentiality of matters related to nursing administration, staff and authorities.
- Participates in quality management programs and activities
- Participates in committees and workgroups
- Attends meetings
- Performs other assignments or duties
4.Clinical Responsibilities
- Maintains high visibility in clinical areas to facilitate and coordinate provision and continuity of nursing care services in the unit.
- Take unit, patient and nursing shift endorsements
- Ensures the awareness of the active list of patients and their conditions and staff patient assignment.
- Ensures that available rooms in the unit are ready for new admissions
- Assess staff if the needed nursing care services are being provided to patient and families.
- Assists the nursing staff and ensures the provision and education of patient and their families regarding the patient nursing care management.
- Makes rounds to observe patients and to determine if nursing needs are being met.
- Assists with medical/surgical emergencies of any patients with change of conditions by coordinating with other needed disciplines.
- Monitor medication and treatment schedules to assure that medications are being administered as ordered and that treatments are provided as scheduled.
- Review nurses notes to ensure that they are informative and descriptive of the nursing care being provided and that they reflect the patients’ response to the care.
Job Specifications
Minimum Job Qualifications Requirement
- Bachelor of Science in Nursing
- Valid Certification as Licensed Nurse in the Country of Origin
- Preferably with Valid Certification as Nurse Specialist in SCFHS
- Valid Certification as Basic Life Support (BLS) Provider is a must for all nursing staff.
- Valid Certification as Advanced Cardiac Life Support (ACLS) Provider is a must for all ER, ICU, OR-PACU, Endoscopy, CCU/Cath Lab and Renal Dialysis Unit nursing staff..
- Valid Certification in Neonatal Resuscitation Program (NRP) Provider is a must for all ER, Neonatal Intensive Care Unit (NICU) and Labor and Delivery nursing staff.
Desirable Nursing Certifications: Additional certifications in areas like nursing leadership, critical care, or specialty fields
Minimum Work Experience Required
Minimum of 5 years clinical experience which include 2 years of progressive administrative and clinical practice in the assigned nursing specialty area/ unit.
Skills & Competencies:
- Clinical Skills – Patient Assessment, Care Planning, Medication Management and other applicable unit specific competencies.
- Leadership Skills - Team Leadership, Conflict Management, Staff Development
- Quality of Care and Incident Reporting
- Excellent communication and interpersonal abilities
- Proficiency in relevant systems/tools and data-driven management.
- Must be able to manage projects and organized.
- Must be creative, flexible and have critical thinking skills.
