ONC CERT RN - HEM/ONC Infusion Clinic

UT Southwestern Medical Center is one of the country's leading academic medical centers, patient-care providers, and research institutions.

* Provides working supervision to other nursing staff and/or other no n-licensed medical or office support personnel. Maintains a safe and secure environment to meet patient needs. Facilitates patient s cheduling for all tests and visits. Completes billing of all nursing procedures including any infusion therapy. Precepts new staff to the clinic processes related to oper ations. Directs the duties of the Medical Office Assistant and Clin ic Staff Assistant to facilitate clinic operations. * Prepares equipment and assists physicians during physical exams and medical procedures. Prepares patient for the physician exam. Chape rones physician visit. Prepares and administers medications as pres cribed by physician. Takes, records, and reports patient vital sign s using medical equipment; inspects equipment and facilities visual ly and physically to ensure patient safety and proper functioning o f equipment. Obtains any specimens ordered by the physician for col lection. * Documents nursing assessment. Documents patient care interventions and education in medical records; ensures appropriate patient conse nts and authorizations are obtained for research and/or medical tre atment. Delivers nursing interventions to assigned patients that ar e consistent with stated medical plan of care while observing and r ecording signs, symptoms, and behavior of patients in medical recor ds. Participates in interdisciplinary rounds. Works with the multid isciplinary care team to facilitate patient quality of life through out the cancer trajectory. * Triages patient phone inquiries according to physician and/or depar tmental protocols and documents such inquiries and results in patie nts' medical records. Demonstrates effective communication skills, physical and psychosocial assessment skills, and knowledge of how t o access pertinent health records to facilitate triage decision mak ing. Acts as the telephone triage nurse. * Participates in evaluating nursing needs of patients; assesses prob lems affecting patients; recommends policy and/or procedural change s according to nursing expertise; schedules patients' appointments, tests, and procedures via on-line computer system or telephone. Fa cilitates patient-physician communication and assists the patient t hrough the treatment process. Covers the care of patients when a nu rse who usually assists with their care is not in the clinic. * Provides patient education, procedural instructions, general health information, and reinforces physician instructions in person and t hrough telephone contact. Documents patient education in the medica l record. Recognizes when new patient education materials or techni ques are required and assists center leadership to provide those ma terials to the patients. * Administers chemotherapy and blood products in the infusion area. D emonstrates knowledge of central line, port, and IV management. Pro vides nursing care to the patient undergoing complex procedures suc h as bone marrow biopsies or intrathecal chemotherapy. The bone ma rrow transplant nurse will be responsible for administering high do se chemotherapy and stem cell infusions. * Provides patient counseling based on specialized and/or advanced kn owledge gained through education and experience. Assists patient th rough the University system to facilitate patient treatment plan. * Precepts new nursing staff to the nursing process within the clinic . Consistently assists all new staff in the clinic in order to assu re their success. * Attends multidisciplinary team meetings for disease site specialty.

* Associate's degree (BSN or MSN preferred), 2 to 7 years oncology nu rsing experience, licensure as Registered Nurse by Board of Nurse Examiners for State of Texas, and a current Basic Life Support (BLS) certification, course accredited by the American Heart Association (AHA), are required. * Oncology Nursing Society Certification: OCN, AOCN, APON, AOCNS, AOC NP