Student Nurse

Job Description

About the Company: Mercy Health / Bon Secours Mercy Health

Mercy Health is a healthcare organization where all employees are united by a common purpose: to promote the well-being of patients in mind, body, and spirit. This purpose is deeply intertwined with their history of faith, forming a shared calling that guides their daily work. The organization is committed to providing the highest quality of healthcare to its communities. The job description specifically mentions Bon Secours Mercy Health, indicating it is part of this larger system.

Job Description: Student Nurse

The Student Nurse position is designed for individuals currently enrolled in a nursing program who wish to gain practical experience and develop their skills within a healthcare setting.

Summary of Primary Function/General Purpose of Position:
The Student Nurse delivers direct patient care under the direct supervision and guidance of a Registered Nurse (RN) or another designated healthcare professional. All care provided must adhere to federal, state, and local regulations, as well as the established policies, procedures, and guidelines of Bon Secours Mercy Health.

Essential Job Functions:

• Nursing Process Support: Under the direction of an RN, the Student Nurse supports the application of the nursing process.
• Skill Development: Collaborates with the RN to develop critical thinking skills, ensuring the delivery of quality patient care. Actively seeks out educational opportunities related to nursing practice and critical thinking.
• Basic Patient Care: Provides fundamental patient care, which includes but is not limited to:
• Care and comfort.
• Recording vital signs.
• Assisting with personal care and hygiene.
• Aiding with patient mobility, including unit-based specialty duties.
• Communication & Reporting: Acts as a liaison between the patient and the nurse, reporting any changes or concerns to the nurse promptly.
• Customer Service: Delivers a high level of customer service to all patients, their families, visitors, and all employees.
• Documentation: Provides accurate, precise, and timely documentation when applicable for patient care.
• Handoff/Report: Participates in hand-off/report to convey pertinent information regarding patient and departmental needs upon arrival and when leaving.
• Delegated Tasks: Performs delegated tasks once competency for those tasks has been formally validated.

Qualifications:

• Education:
• Required: High School Diploma or GED.
• Required: Currently enrolled in a nursing program and has successfully completed at least one clinical nursing course and one clinical rotation.
• Certifications:
• Preferred: Basic Life Support (BLS).
• Training:
• Required: Must have completed the First Clinical Rotation as a Nursing Student.
• Preferred: EPIC Electronic Health Record (EHR) training.
• Work Experience:
• Preferred: Recent experience in an acute care and/or long-term care facility.

Working Conditions:

The role involves various environmental and situational factors:

• Stress & Workload: May experience periods of high stress and fluctuating workloads.
• Exposure to Conflict: Potential exposure to physical altercations and verbal abuse.
• Physical Restraints: May be required to use physical restraints.
• Weather Exposure: Possible exposure to adverse weather conditions (cold, hot, dust, wind).
• Sensory Environment: May be exposed to high noise levels and bright lights.
• Hazardous Substances: Potential exposure to limited hazardous substances or body fluids, human blood, and other potentially infectious materials.
• Interruptions: May experience prolonged periods of constant interruptions.
• Office Environment: Some tasks may occur in a general office environment.
• Travel:
• Required to travel by car to off-site locations, occasionally in adverse weather conditions.
• Long-distance or air travel as needed, not exceeding 10% of total travel time.
• Autonomy: May have prolonged periods of working alone.

Patient Population:

The Student Nurse must possess the knowledge and skills necessary to provide age-appropriate care for a diverse patient population. This includes demonstrating knowledge of growth and development principles across the lifespan, assessing data reflective of patient status, interpreting information to identify age-specific and unique patient requirements, and providing care as described in departmental policies. The patient population served includes:

• Neonates (0-4 weeks)
• Infants (1-12 months)
• Pediatrics (1-12 years)
• Adolescents (13-17 years)
• Adults (18-64 years)
• Geriatrics (65 years and older)

Physical Requirements:

The role demands significant physical activity with varying percentages indicating frequency of activity (1-33% occasionally, 34-66% frequently, 67-100% constantly):

• Lifting/Carrying: 0-50 lbs (34-66%), 50-100 lbs (67-100%).
• Push/Pull: 0-50 lbs (34-66%), 50-100 lbs (34-66%).
• Body Movements: Stoop/Kneel (34-66%), Crawling (1-33%), Climbing (1-33%), Balance (34-66%), Bending (67-100%).
• Postures: Sitting (34-66%), Walking (67-100%), Standing (67-100%).

Additional Physical Requirements & Exposures:

• Manual Dexterity: Eye/hand coordination, finger dexterity, repetitive arm/hand movements.
• Work Schedule: Ability to perform shift work.
• Patient Handling: Maneuver weight of patients.
• Sensory: Hear alarms/telephone/audio recorder, reach above shoulder, color vision, acuity (far/near), depth perception.
• Substance Exposure: Use of latex products, exposure to toxic/caustic chemicals/detergents, human blood, and other potentially infectious materials.
• Environmental Exposure: Exposure to moving mechanical parts, dust/fumes, potential electrical shock, x-ray/electromagnetic energy, high-pitched noises, gaseous risk exposure.

Other Skills:

• Communication: Ability to clearly communicate with other members of the healthcare team.
• Following Directions: Ability to understand and follow directions from the healthcare team.
• Safety Knowledge: Knowledge of patient and healthcare safety standards and regulations (e.g., falls, skin breakdown, suicide prevention, environment of care).
• Infection Control: Knowledge of infection prevention and transmission-based precautions.
• Clerical/Technology: Understanding of clerical duties and office-based technology.
• Teamwork: Strong team dynamics.
• Patient Data: Patient data collection and documentation (e.g., vital signs, intake/output, changes in patient condition).
• Basic Care: Basic hygiene and activities of daily living care.
• Assistance: Assists with feeding, hydration, and nutrition; assists with bowel and bladder elimination; ambulation and patient mobility.
• Clinical Technology: Use of clinical technology.
• Patient-Centered Care: Compassionate, relationship-based approach in care activities.
• Accountability: Accountability for completion of assigned tasks.
• Problem Solving: Escalation of concerns via chain of command, critical thinking, advanced problem solving.
• Professionalism: Understanding of the nursing process, professionalism.

Benefits:

Many opportunities reward hard work with a range of benefits, though specific offerings may vary by employment status. These include:

• Comprehensive, affordable medical, dental, and vision plans.
• Prescription drug coverage.
• Flexible spending accounts.
• Life insurance with Accidental Death & Dismemberment (AD&D).
• Employer contributions to retirement savings plan (when eligible).
• Paid time off.
• Educational Assistance.
• And much more.

Equal Opportunity Employer:

Mercy Health and Bon Secours are Affirmative Action and Equal Opportunity Employers. All applicants receive consideration for employment regardless of race, color, national origin, religion, sex, sexual orientation, gender identity, age, genetic information, protected veteran status, or disability. Reasonable accommodation requests for individuals with disabilities during the employment selection process can be made by contacting The Talent Acquisition Team at recruitment@mercy.com.