Position Description
Title: Registered Nurse Division One
Department: Across All Units
Agreement: Registered Nurse/RCH Enterprise Agreement
Classification: Grade 2
Responsible to: Nurse Unit Manager
The Royal Children’s Hospital (RCH) in Melbourne is a leading provider of specialist
public health services for children and adolescents and is the major specialist
paediatric hospital in Victoria, caring for children from Tasmania and southern New
South Wales as well as other states around Australia and overseas.
The Royal Children's Hospital is embarking on an exciting chapter in it’s history with
the State Government announcing it would build a state-of-art, “world class”
children's hospital for Victoria. In order to design a new hospital we must first
consider the health needs of Victorian children and their families in 2011 and
beyond. The care they need, will determine the type of facilities required. In
redesigning the care we provide we must look at RCH as an organisation - the
people, processes and systems must fit as well as the facilities. Therefore, the
Building our Future program has been established to coordinate a large number of
projects relating to building the new hospital and organisational development
projects associated with designing a renewed organisation.
With a staff of over 3,900 and an annual operating budget of $270m RCH has an
international reputation as a centre of clinical excellence and is a state-wide
teaching, training and research hospital providing tertiary, secondary and primary
infant, child and adolescent health services.
RCH is committed to a philosophy and practice of Patient and Family Centred Care
and quality management to ensure the best possible services to patients. This
entails an organisational structure which:
Devolves decision making and accountability to patient care providers as close as
possible to the consumer
Encourages and supports teamwork, professional development and growth of its
staff
Seeks input and participation of consumers and employees in the planning and
evaluation processes.
RCH has a variety of research and academic partners including Murdoch Children’s
Research Institute (MCRI), The University of Melbourne, La Trobe University and
RMIT University for teaching medical and postgraduate nursing students and for
postgraduate study and medical research as well as a number of community based
partners.
The Royal Children’s Hospital
Further information on RCH is available at http://www.rch.org.au/
4 North is a 19 bed specialised Orthopaedic Unit; providing quality care for children
and their families in the recovery phase of elective and emergency Orthopaedic
surgery along with children recovering from trauma and infections effecting their
bones and/or joints. We provide care for children across Victoria, Tasmania,
Southern New South Wales and South Australia.
Conditions treated within the unit include congenital Orthopaedic abnormalities,
trauma, Scoliosis, Perthes disease, limb length discrepancies, and gait anomalies
particularly present in children with cerebral palsy.
Purpose
To ensure all aspects of nursing practice and delivery of care are consistent
with the RCH. Nursing standards.
To ensure appropriate planning and documentation for all patient care and
activities.
To support communication systems which enhance patient care delivery and
unit functioning, including Trend Care.
To participate in appropriate research, education and development activities.
To maintain standards that are consistent with professional responsibilities.
Clinical Skills
Utilises clinical skills and knowledge to initiate alternative approaches to
patient care.
Promotes an environment where the child's response to hospitalisation and
the family or the primary care giver's involvement is integrated into
planned nursing care.
Accepts responsibility and accountability for patient assignment consistent
with clinical skills.
Integrates theoretical knowledge with clinical expertise to ensure delivery
of safe patient care.
Recognises and reports abnormal patient findings/diagnostic data and
instigates appropriate nursing actions.
Demonstrates a current knowledge of Royal Children's Hospital's
emergency procedures and updates skills annually.
Demonstrates a working knowledge and understanding of the nursing
application for all unit equipment.
Ensures all Division 2 Nurse's in the unit are provided with appropriate
support and supervision.
Planning and Documentation
Ensures that nursing documentation related to patient care activities is
consistent with the required hospital and nursing standards.
Identifies areas where planning and documentation can be improved to
facilitate positive patient care outcomes.
Participates in interdisciplinary patient care conferences.
Utilises Clinical Paths where appropriate.
Organises and prioritises care considering individual patients needs and
overall unit activities.
The Royal Children’s Hospital
Participates in Trend Care and enters appropriate patient data accordingly.
Ensures continuity of care is provided by liaising with Care Managers, allied
health workers, parents/carers, intra-hospital services and relevant
community agencies.
Communication
Utilises and supports the unit and hospital communication systems.
Supports and encourages an interdisciplinary team approach to patient care.
Recognises and implements strategies to resolve stressful situations with staff,
family or primary care givers.
Expresses and accepts constructive feedback with a focus on positive
outcomes.
Utilises TREND CARE to demonstrate patient acuity and complexity.
Education Research & Development
Promotes, supports and participates in unit and hospital education programs
including orientation.
Participates in, and supports, approved research programs within the unit.
Completes all compulsory R.C.H. and 4 North specific competencies as
required.
Participates in annual performance appraisal and identifies learning needs
through personal and professional objectives.
Professional Responsibility
Supports the current aims and objectives of the RCH strategic plan.
Recognises situations which necessitate supervision/guidance and seeks
appropriate resources.
Maintains professional conduct whilst on the premises of the Royal Children’s
Hospital.
Complies with hospital practice and policies.
Ensures cost efficient use of units operating resources.
Ensures professional practice is consistent with Occupational Health & Safety
requirements.
Ensures professional practice is consistent with Infection Control guidelines
and Hospital Policy related to same.
Maintains a unit environment which facilitates comfort, safety and efficiency
for staff, patients and visitors.
Maintains confidentiality in matters related to patients and/or staff.
Maintains flexible and responsible rostering practices.
Relieves in other nursing units when requested by appropriate nursing
personnel.
Supports integration of undergraduate and post graduate nurses within the
unit.
Accepts responsibility for individual professional development.
Supports the current aims and objectives of the RCH strategic plan.
Accepts responsibility for the integration and development of new and less
experienced staff within the unit.
Other responsibilities
Be aware of and work in accordance with Hospital policies and procedures,
including Occupational Health and Safety, Equal Employment Opportunity,
Confidentiality, Consumer and Community Participation.
Be respectful of the needs of patients, visitors and other staff and maintain a
professional approach to all interactions.
The Royal Children’s Hospital
QUALIFICATIONS / EXPERIENCE
Current registration with Nursing Body
Minimum 2 years post grad experience
Previous paediatric and or orthopaedic experience desirable
Attributes
Excellent interpersonal and communication skills
“can do” and flexible approach
Time management and prioritising
Professional demeanour
Organisational relationship
Describe the internal and external parties this position liaises with and if applicable
the number of staff that reports directly and in directly to this position.
Internal relationships
Key words:
Clinical staff
Shared services
McKinnon School Leaning & Development
External relationships
Key words:
Patients, families and carers
Developed: September 2008
Developed by: Adele Monelli, HR
Date of next Review: September 2009
The Royal Children’s Hospital