Student Nurse

Job Description

About the Company

Mercy Health, united with Bon Secours Mercy Health, operates under a shared purpose: to help patients achieve well-being in mind, body, and spirit. Driven by a history of faith, the organization is committed to providing the highest quality of healthcare to its communities. As an Affirmative Action and Equal Opportunity Employer, Mercy Health values diversity and inclusion, offering reasonable accommodations for individuals with disabilities during the employment selection process. The company rewards its employees with a comprehensive benefits package, which may include:

• Comprehensive, affordable medical, dental, and vision plans
• Prescription drug coverage
• Flexible spending accounts
• Life insurance w/AD&D
• Employer contributions to retirement savings plan (when eligible)
• Paid time off
• Educational Assistance
• And much more (Benefits offerings vary according to employment status.)

Job Description: Student Nurse

The Student Nurse at Bon Secours Mercy Health is an integral part of the healthcare team, providing direct patient care under the close supervision and guidance of a Registered Nurse (RN) or a designated healthcare professional. This role adheres strictly to federal, state, and local regulations, as well as the policies, procedures, and guidelines set forth by Bon Secours Mercy Health.

Summary of Primary Function/General Purpose of Position:
This position is designed for a nursing student to gain practical experience by supporting patient care, applying learned nursing principles, and developing essential clinical skills within a professional healthcare environment.

Essential Job Functions:

• Supports the Nurse: Works under the direction of the RN to assist in the application of the nursing process.
• Develops Critical Thinking: Collaborates with the RN to enhance critical thinking skills, contributing to quality patient care delivery.
• Seeks Educational Opportunities: Actively pursues learning experiences related to nursing practice and critical thinking.
• Provides Basic Patient Care: Delivers fundamental care, including but not limited to:
• Care and comfort measures.
• Recording vital signs.
• Assisting with personal care and hygiene.
• Aiding with patient mobility.
• Performing unit-based specialty duties as assigned.
• Patient Liaison: Acts as a communication link between the patient and the nurse, promptly reporting any changes or concerns.
• Customer Service: Provides a high level of customer service to all patients, their families, visitors, and employees.
• Documentation: Ensures accurate, precise, and timely documentation of patient care when applicable.
• Communication: Participates in hand-off/report sessions, sharing pertinent information regarding patient and departmental needs upon arrival and departure.
• Delegated Tasks: Performs delegated tasks once competency for those tasks has been formally validated.

Qualifications:

• Education (Required):
• HS/GED.
• Currently enrolled in a nursing program.
• Has completed one clinical nursing course and one clinical rotation.
• Certifications (Preferred):
• BLS (Basic Life Support).
• Training (Required):
• Must have completed the First Clinical Rotation as a Nursing Student.
• Training (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 dynamic and potentially challenging working conditions, including:

• Periods of high stress and fluctuating workloads.
• Potential exposure to physical altercations and verbal abuse.
• May be required to use physical restraints.
• Exposure to adverse weather conditions (cold, hot, dust, wind, etc.).
• Exposure to high noise levels and bright lights.
• Potential exposure to limited hazardous substances or body fluids.
• Potential exposure to human blood and other potentially infectious materials.
• Periods of constant interruptions.
• General office environment.
• Required car travel to off-site locations occasionally, even in adverse weather conditions.
• Long-distance or air travel as needed, not to exceed 10% travel.
• Prolonged periods of working alone.

Patient Population:

The Student Nurse must demonstrate the knowledge and skills necessary to provide care appropriate to the age of patients served on their assigned unit. This includes understanding the principles of growth and development across the lifespan and the ability to assess and interpret patient data relevant to their age-specific needs. The patient population served spans all age groups:

• Neonates (0-4 weeks)
• Infant (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 of time spent on:

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

Additional Physical Requirements:

• Manual dexterity (eye/hand coordination)
• Ability to perform shift work
• Maneuver weight of patients
• Hear alarms/telephone/audio recorder
• Reach above shoulder
• Repetitive arm/hand movements
• Finger dexterity
• Color Vision
• Acuity – far
• Acuity – near
• Depth perception
• Use of latex products
• Exposure to toxic/caustic/chemicals/detergents
• Exposure to moving mechanical parts
• Exposure to dust/fumes
• Exposure to potential electrical shock
• Exposure to x-ray/electromagnetic energy
• Exposure to high pitched noises
• Gaseous risk exposure

Key Skills:

The ideal candidate will possess a range of critical skills, including:

• Communication: Ability to clearly communicate with other members of the healthcare team and understand/follow directions.
• Safety Knowledge: Knowledge of patient and healthcare safety standards and regulations (e.g., falls, skin breakdown, suicide prevention, environment of care), and infection prevention/transmission-based precautions.
• Technical Acumen: Understanding of clerical duties and office-based technology, and ability to use clinical technology.
• Team Dynamics: Strong understanding of team collaboration.
• Data Management: Proficiency in patient data collection and documentation (e.g., vital signs, intake/output, change in patient condition).
• Patient Care: Competence in basic hygiene and activities of daily living care, assisting with feeding, hydration, nutrition, bowel and bladder elimination, ambulation, and patient mobility.
• Compassion: A compassionate, relationship-based approach in care activities.
• Accountability: Responsibility for the completion of assigned tasks and escalation of concerns via the chain of command.
• Problem Solving: Critical thinking and advanced problem-solving abilities.
• Nursing Process: Understanding of the nursing process.
• Professionalism: Demonstrates a high level of professionalism in all interactions.