Nurse Supervisor

• Directs, through head nurses, activities of nursing staff: Plans and organizes
activities in nursing services, such as obstetrics, pediatrics, or surgery, or for two
or more patient-care units to ensure patient needs are met in accordance with
instructions of physician and hospital administrative procedures. Coordinates
activities with other patient care units. Consults with head nurse on nursing
problems and interpretation of hospital policies to ensure patient needs are met.
Plans and organizes orientation and in-service training for unit staff members, and
participates in guidance and educational programs. Assists in formulating budget.
Engages in studies and investigations related to improving nursing care.

• Under general direction, provides nursing care of patients; plans and oversees
departmental staff nursing activities, ensuring customer satisfaction and
adherence to policies, procedures, standards, and regulations.

CHARACTERISTIC JOB TASKS AND RESPONSIBILITIES

May include any and/or all of the following:

1. Plans, organizes, and oversees staff to provide patient care; evaluates

care and ensures customer satisfaction; oversees the department’s daily
staffing requirements; orients clinical staff to their job responsibilities;
provides leadership in clinical problem solving.
2. Assists with staff recruitment; ensures an orientation plan for new staff
members, and provides timely feedback; evaluates and schedules
inservices/training as needed; serves as liaison with physicians.
3. Ensures department activities and records are in adherence to AAAHC
and various licensing and regulatory requirements; maintains clinical skill
and knowledge necessary to set standard and work in clinical areas of
nursing; assists with patients examinations and/or questions.
4. Implements and interprets organizational policies and procedures, and
nursing standards and regulations.
5. Assists with preparing the departmental fiscal budget; performs other
duties as assigned.

KNOWLEDGE, SKILLS, ABILITIES AND PERSONAL CHARACTERISTICS

• Knowledge of health care and medical procedures, including

terminology
• Interpersonal/human relations skills
• Attentiveness to detail
• Supervisory skills
• Accounting and budgeting skills
• Ability to prioritize duties and delegate responsibilities
• Ability to use protective equipment and respond to emergency
situations
• Ability to exert average physical effort

Nursing Aides
 • Nursing aides, also known as nursing assistants, geriatric aides, unlicensed
assistant personnel, or hospital attendants, perform routine tasks under the
supervision of nursing and medical staff. They answer patients' call bells, deliver
messages, serve meals, make beds, and help patients eat, dress, and bathe. Aides
also may provide skin care to patients; take temperatures, pulse, respiration, and
blood pressure; and help patients get in and out of bed and walk. They also may
escort patients to operating and examining rooms, keep patients' rooms neat, set
up equipment, store and move supplies, or assist with some procedures. Aides
observe patients' physical, mental, and emotional conditions and report any
change to the nursing or medical staff.

Head Nurse
• Supervises and coordinates nursing activities in hospital unit: Assigns duties and
coordinates nursing service.

• Evaluates nursing activities to ensure patient care, staff relations, and efficiency of
service. Observes nursing care and visits patients to ensure that nursing care is
carried out as directed, and treatment administered in accordance with physician's
instructions. Directs preparation and maintenance of patients' clinical records.
Inspects rooms and wards for cleanliness and comfort. Accompanies physician on
rounds, and keeps informed of special orders concerning patients. Participates in
orientation and training of personnel. Orders, or directs ordering of drugs,
solutions, and equipment, and maintains records on narcotics. Investigates and
resolves complaints, or refers unusual problems to superior.

Senior Staff Nurse

Senior staff nurses are experienced medical professionals in supervisory roles

in hospitals and medical centers. They are often in charge of a ward or
specific medical unit and can supervise any number of nursing staff
members. They have supervisory duties in addition to regular nursing
duties. The senior staff nursing job market is highly competitive.
Duties
 Senior staff nurses generally work in a hospital setting or private clinic. They
supervise patient care in an assigned medical unit such as neonatal care or an
intensive care unit. Supervisors can have anywhere from a two to a dozen or more
nurses under their leadership. Senior nurses must supervise junior nurses, provide
mentoring, motivate the staff and delegate authority. Senior staff nurses assist
physicians with medical procedures, direct patient care, ensure patients’ privacy
and comfort, chart patients’ progress and often act as liaisons between doctors
and patients’ family members. They also supervise the discharge of patients,
according to the Bureau of Labor Statistics. Senior staff members must conduct
training for junior members and write work performance evaluations.
• Education
 Registered nurses must have an Associate of Arts or Bachelor of Arts. If nurses
expect to advance to senior staff nurse level, however, they usually need a
Bachelor of Science. In most cases, a master’s degree allows nurses to advance to
positions of practical nurse, clinical nurse specialists, nurse anesthetists and
 administrators. These positions advance beyond the senior staff nursing level. A
state nursing license is required.
• Requirements
 Nurses don’t rise to senior staff level without extensive experience in patient
care and staff development procedures. Nurses must be detailed-oriented,
demonstrate empathy toward patients, consult frequently with physicians to
outline patient care and react quickly to emergencies. Senior staff nurses already
hold stressful jobs given the nature of life and death situations, but they also have
the added stress of managing a nursing staff. They must have the emotional ability
to handle the pressure. Senior staff nurses generally need two years of experience
as a registered nurse working in an acute medical environment.
• Working Environment
 Senior staff nurses usually work in hospital settings that are clean and
comfortable. Although some senior staff members work in medical offices, senior
staff nurses usually supervise a moderate to large staff in hospitals. The standard
workweek is 40 hours, but supervising staff members work nights, weekends and
holidays as well. Nurses may face exposure to infectious diseases, combative
patients, accidental needle sticks and chemicals.

Bed Manager

• Bed manager has access to resources throughout the hospital and improves
patient primary schedule within units.

• The Bed Manager on duty has full delegated authority to place patients in clinical
accommodation. In order to achieve this, every ward is required to maintain a real
time bed state of their admissions discharges and transfers. Medical staff (senior
and junior) need not routinely be involved in the placement of patients, except as
part of a consultation process with the Bed Manager.

• Where there is dispute about the placement of a patient following discussion with
the ward manager and/or senior nurse for the area, the Bed Manager is responsible
for the decision in patient placement and he/she is accountable to the Director of
Operations through the Clinical Operations Lead for his/her decisions.

JUNIOR STAFF NURSE

• The position requires a bachelor's degree in nursing, an associate's degree in

nursing or graduation from a diploma school of nursing.
• The core of the junior staff nurse’s job is to provide nursing care to those who need
it.

• To be flexible in the approach to the clinical area and provide cover for any area
specified.

• To develop and maintain good ward management and organizational skills

 • To provide effective support for the ward manager and charge nurse, ensuring self-
development in the day to day management of the ward.

• To work towards an awareness of service delivery plans.

• To be involved actively in the implementation of trust policies and procedures at

ward/ department level, reinforcing their use.

• A junior staff nurse becomes responsible for the well-being of the patient when he
is under the nurse’s watch.

• Providing nursing care also involves the regular check-ups or monitoring of the
patient’s statistics and condition, and to report the same to the correct people.

• Assessing, developing and implementing patient care plans, evaluating care given,
ensuring that all documents is completed accurately.

• Assisting with safe custody, storage and control of all drugs at ward level.

• Learn to ensure good utilization of the beds on the ward ensuring that discharge
planning starts from admissions, trying to avoid delays at the same time as
recognizing individual’s needs.

• Actively participate in clinical nursing practice, monitoring and evaluating clinical

activity.

• To ensure that any identified problems with equipments are reported and the
equipment is removed from use as appropriate.

• Ensure good communication exists between health care professionals and promote
harmonious working relationships and safe work practices.

• Ensure good relationships and communications with patient’s relatives by ensuring

frequent contact and availability.

• Give and receive patient centered handover.

• Attend ward meetings, read minutes and memos to keep updated.

PRACTICAL NURSES

• Help physicians and registered nurses (RNs) care for patients.

• They have the technical knowledge to perform routine nursing duties, but they
may also make appointments, maintain patient records, and perform basic clerical
duties.

• Their work allows doctors and registered nurses to devote their time to patient
care that requires specialized knowledge.
 • They also take patients' blood pressures, check temperatures, and apply
bandages. May give their patients drugs that doctors have prescribed.

• Practice nurses watch for changes in their patients' condition. If there is a change,
they report it to the doctors immediately.
• They can be trained to use special equipment and may direct nurse's aides.
• Should be a BSN (Bachelors of Science in Nursing), followed by additional training.

• First in line to diagnose and treat illnesses and injuries.

• With increasing specialization nurse practitioners take on some secondary care

responsibilities, including anesthesiology (certified registered nurse anesthetists),
widwifery (certified nurse-midwives), and certain other clinical responsibilities
(clinical nurse specialists).

• Responsible for taking vitals and monitoring in-and-out volumes, treating common
like bedsores, and preparing or performing several procedures such as dressing
wounds, bathing and dressing, and giving enemas.

ORDERLIES

• Performs any combination of following tasks, as directed by nursing and medical

staff, to care for patients in hospital, nursing home, or other medical facility:
Bathes patients and gives alcohol rubs.

• Measures and records intake and output of liquids, and takes and records
temperature, and pulse and respiration rate. Gives enemas. Carries meal trays to
patients and feeds patients unable to feed themselves.

• Lifts patients onto and from bed, and transports patients to other areas, such as
operating and x-ray rooms, by rolling bed, or using wheelchair or wheeled
stretcher.

• Sets up equipment, such as oxygen tents, portable x-ray machines, and overhead
irrigation bottles. Makes beds and collects soiled linen. Cleans rooms and corridors.

• Bathes deceased patients, accompanies body to morgue, and places personal

belongings in mortuary box. Administers catheterizations and bladder irrigations.

• Accompanies discharged patients home or to other institutions.

• Answer patients' call signals.

• Provide patients with help walking, exercising, and moving in and out of bed.

• Collect specimens such as urine, feces, or sputum.

 • Answer phones and direct visitors.

• Maintain inventory by storing, preparing, sterilizing, and issuing supplies such as

dressing packs and treatment trays.

• Work as part of a medical team that examines and treats clinic outpatients.

• Set up equipment such as oxygen tents, portable x-ray machines, and overhead
irrigation bottles.

• Often there are no specific educational requirements for these jobs, but in many
cases a high school diploma is required. Orderlies are usually trained on the job
under the supervision of a registered nurse or a licensed practical nurse. Training
generally lasts from one week to three months. Some high schools, vocational
institutions, community colleges, and nursing care facilities also offer courses.
Volunteer jobs in hospitals are good experience, as are courses in home nursing
and first aid.

Nursing Shift Manager

• Job Summary:
*Plans, coordinates and directs the daily operations of a specific shift on a clinical
unit.
*Supervises staff and facilitates communication with physicians and internal
administrators to provide optimal patient and family-centered care.
*Is recognized as a change agent and routinely leads efforts to strengthen
organizational systems that support the mission, vision, and values of the
department.
*Adept at creative problem-solving, negotiating conflict, and collaborating with
others.
*Demonstrates insight, judgment, and clinically sound risk-taking.
*May be utilized in staffing with a reduced patient care assignment per the needs
of the Unit.