JOB TITLE: REGISTERED NURSE SUPERVISOR

JOB CODE: 30430

DEFINITION: This is supervisory professional nursing work at a Commonwealth facility. An employee in this class supervises professional nursing services work which is provided in multiple patient or resident care and treatment areas, wards or living areas on an assigned shift or serves as supervisor of nursing care areas that are comparable in scope and complexity to shift supervisory responsibility. Shift supervisors establish and maintain communications with previous shift professional nursing care staff to ensure continuity of nursing care and treatment and to maintain a safe, therapeutic environment for individuals and staff. Employees direct the nursing care and services staff in the identification and assessment of the physical, psychosocial, and/or mental health nursing care needs and problems of individuals and may participate in the administration of direct nursing care and treatment, as needed, and in accordance with the attending physicians' orders. Nurse supervisors maintain continuity of all phases of nursing care and treatment services and ensure that individuals are provided with care and treatment consistent with the facility's policies and procedures, and standards of professional nursing practice. Employees serve as a resource person to nursing direct care staff, other discipline staff and members of the interdisciplinary treatment teams (ITT), individual habilitation program plans (IHP), or the master case planning system (MCPS); and evaluate the nursing process and nursing care and treatment services to ensure that optimum care and treatment is provided within the assigned areas of the facility. Work direction is received in the form of oral or written instructions, and employees exercise independent judgment in performing supervisory duties. Work is reviewed by a professional nursing manager or another administrator, through reports, conferences, meetings and observation for effectiveness and compliance with standards. EXAMPLES OF WORK: (NOTE: The examples of work are representative of the work, but every position classified to this job may not perform all examples of work listed. Conversely, this is not an all-inclusive list of work examples.)

• Plans, organizes, directs, and evaluates the administration of nursing care and treatment services.

• Supervises professional, paraprofessional, and non-professional nursing care personnel through observation.

• Orients new employees to the policies, procedures, rules, and regulations of the nursing department and the health care facility.

• Provides instruction, guidance, and counseling to professional staff and ongoing employee staff development programs.

• Assesses the nursing staff's implementation of nursing care and treatment plans.

• Ensures the consistency of the nursing care plan with the individual's comprehensive treatment program plan.

• Administers prescribed medications and treatments and takes physician's orders.

• Monitors nursing care through observation and review of charts, records, and reports.

• Updates nursing care charts, records, and reports.

• Serves as a resource person to the ITT, IHP, or MCPS.

• Assesses staffing patterns, assigns staff accordingly, identifies staffing needs, and reports staffing deficiencies to management.

• Evaluates Registered Nurses in their implementation of nursing care and treatment plans and overall capabilities in professional nursing.

• Directs the nursing care staff assigned to specialty nursing care areas such as, hygiene, infection control, quality assurance/improvement/risk management, and disease prevention education and counseling.

• Directs the scheduling, and assures required immunizations and physical examinations are completed for facility employees and individuals.

• Audits and monitors the quality of nursing care and treatment and initiates action to correct deficiencies, as appropriate.

• Supervises and coordinates the implementation of activities programming for individuals.

• Prepares and signs subordinate employee work performance evaluation reports and discusses with employee.

• Encourages and recommends appropriate actions to sustain or improve work performance, as necessary.

• Interviews prospective employees and recommends job applicant selection or ranks applicants in terms of preferability for employment.

• Receives employee grievances and complaints.

• Conducts initial grievance investigation into causes and conditions, discusses with employee, and resolves complaints or recommends solutions.

• Receives, reviews, and approves or disapproves leave requests.

• Monitors leave usage of subordinate staff.

• Communicates contractual and administrative rights and obligations to employees.

• Modifies work environment or processes to conform to changing conditions.

• Promotes safe and sanitary environments and therapeutic milieu.

• Participates in nursing and facility committee activities.

• Implements and participates in the quality assurance/improvement/risk management and infection control activities.

• Participates in and evaluates the effectiveness of staff development and continuing education programs.

• Identifies training needs of subordinate nursing services staff.

• Evaluates and initiates training recommendations for nursing care personnel.

• Evaluates the effects of training on overall work performance of staff.

• Provides guidance for the promotion and maintenance of an optimal health status for individuals, their families, and members of the health care system.

• Provides advice in the development of policies affecting the delivery of nursing care and treatment services.

• Develops, implements, evaluates, and modifies nursing standards and procedures in conjunction with the facility nursing administration.

• Prepares and reviews nursing care, treatment and services reports and records.

• Reviews, evaluates, and coordinates planning for future admissions and pre-discharge planning to promote continuity of care in the community.

• Communicates and coordinates with other members of the health care system.

• Performs related work as required.

ENTRY LEVEL KNOWLEDGES, SKILLS, AND ABILITIES:

• Knowledge of the current theories, practices, and methodologies of professional nursing.

• Knowledge of the principles and practices involved in organizing, directing, and supervising the direct nursing care and treatment work performed by others.

• Knowledge of the principles and methodologies of quality nursing management, inclusive of risk management, quality improvement and quality assurance, and infection control activities.

• Knowledge of therapeutic and adverse effects of pharmacological agents and medical treatments.

• Knowledge of human anatomy and physiology.

• Knowledge of hospital dietetics and personal hygiene.

• Knowledge of the requirements involved in promoting a safe and sanitary environment and therapeutic milieu.

• Knowledge of the principles and techniques used in the interview and selection process for direct nursing care employees.

• Ability to apply professional nursing theory, practices, methodologies, and standards.

• Ability to assess staffing needs to ensure that staff utilization is proper for the nursing care needs of individuals in the facility.

• Ability to direct and instruct professional, paraprofessional, and non-professional nursing personnel in the application of nursing practices and methodologies.

• Ability to coordinate nursing care and treatment services with the resources of other disciplines.

• Ability to assess and evaluate Registered Nurses in their implementation of nursing care plans and their overall capabilities in professional nursing.

• Ability to identify nursing care staff training needs.

• Ability to evaluate and initiate training recommendations.

• Ability to evaluate effects of training on overall work performance.

• Ability to evaluate staff development programs.

• Ability to plan or conduct on-the-job training programs, formal training, and continuing education programs.

• Ability to direct the preparation and maintenance of records and reports.

• Ability to apply techniques needed in interviewing, observing, recording, and reporting vital signs and symptoms and health status.

• Ability to promote and maintain continuity of nursing care and treatment within the facility patient care and treatment areas, wards, units, or living areas.

• Ability to direct patient care administration of nursing services personnel.

• Ability to make independent judgments in relation to nursing practices and supervisory functions.

• Ability to organize and direct the work of professional, paraprofessional, and non-professional nursing services personnel.

• Ability to plan and assess immediate and long-term nursing care goals and objectives.

• Ability to audit and monitor nursing care for compliance with the facility's policies and procedures, the accreditation and certification requirements, and for compliance with the professional nursing standards.

• Ability to develop, implement, evaluate, and recommend modifications to nursing standards and procedures, as needed.

• Ability to review, evaluate, and coordinate planning for future admissions and pre-discharge planning to promote continuity of care.

• Ability to develop and maintain effective working relationships with employees of the health care facility.

• Ability to identify actual and/or potential health and safety hazards.

• Ability to evaluate patterns and trends of nursing care within the health care facility.

• Ability to express ideas clearly and concisely, both orally and in writing.

• Ability to participate in out-service, in-service, staff development, and continuing education programs.

MINIMUM EXPERIENCE AND TRAINING: (NOTE: Based on the Entry Level Knowledges, Skills, and Abilities)

• Three years as a Registered Nurse (commonwealth title);

or

• Four years of professional nursing experience providing care and treatment services consistent with those needed for individuals with a mental or physical injury or illness and/or a developmental disability.

SPECIAL REQUIREMENTS:

• All positions require active authorization to practice as a Registered Nurse in Pennsylvania.

• All employees possessing an active temporary practice permit must obtain licensure as a Registered Nurse within the one (1) year period defined by the Pennsylvania State Board of Nursing.