The Lead Staff RN position is considered an expert in a specialty and supports the Medical Staff of the Adult Congenital Heart Disease Program and associated services.  The Lead Staff RN coordinates the efforts of the patient, physician, referring physicians, multi-disciplinary teams and other health care professional involved in the patient's care to achieve optimal care in an out-patient ambulatory setting.

At Houston Methodist, the Lead Staff Registered Nurse (RN) position is responsible for functioning as an advanced clinician, at the Proficient stage of Benner's model of clinical practice. This position develops best practices, identifies, and leads process and quality improvement initiatives. In addition to fulfilling the duties and responsibilities of a clinical nurse, the Lead Staff RN position serves as a mentor and resource to all team members utilizing skills and knowledge to help train and develop others and achieve optimum performance levels for responsible service line, shift and/or clinics assigned. This position conducts quality assurance audits of staff performance, provides feedback to management on staff performance and identifies developmental needs. The Lead Staff RN position provides nursing care to a diverse patient population in an organized, effective manner and practices and leads relationship-centered care.

PATIENT AGE GROUP(S) AND POPULATION(S) SERVED
Refer to departmental "Scope of Service" and "Provision of Care" plans, as applicable, for description of primary age groups and populations served by this job for the respective HM entity.

HOUSTON METHODIST EXPERIENCE EXPECTATIONS

• Provide personalized care and service by consistently demonstrating our I CARE values:
  • INTEGRITY: We are honest and ethical in all we say and do.
  • COMPASSION: We embrace the whole person including emotional, ethical, physical, and spiritual needs.
  • ACCOUNTABILITY: We hold ourselves accountable for all our actions.
  • RESPECT: We treat every individual as a person of worth, dignity, and value.
  • EXCELLENCE: We strive to be the best at what we do and a model for others to emulate.

• Practices the Caring and Serving Model

• Delivers personalized service using HM Service Standards

• Provides for exceptional patient/customer experiences by following our Standards of Practice of always using Positive Language (AIDET, Managing Up, Key Words)

• Intentionally collaborates with other healthcare professionals involved in patients/customers or employees' experiential journeys to ensure strong communication, ease of access to information, and a seamless experience.

• Involves patients (customers) in shift/handoff reports by enabling their participation in their plan of care as applicable to the given job

• Displays cultural humility, diversity, equity and inclusion principles

• Actively supports the organization's vision, fulfills the mission and abides by the I CARE values

PEOPLE ESSENTIAL FUNCTIONS

• Serves as a liaison between the physician and the clinical staff regarding the execution of quality patient care outcomes. Coaches staff to use efficient and effective communication and fosters staff engagement by demonstrating active listening, requesting, and acknowledging feedback, making equitable decisions, providing rationale when appropriate, and supporting organizational goals. Improves department score for turnover/retention/employee satisfaction.

• Promotes a positive work environment and leads the team to be a dynamic, focused work unit that actively helps one another to achieve optimal department results. Anticipates the needs of the staff members and proactively offers assistance. Role models interprofessional communication and assists with staff stress management as needed.

• Serves as preceptor, mentor, and resource to other Registered Nurses, providing guidance and direction as needed. Identifies levels of conflict and applies tools to effectively resolve concerns, complaints or conflict with patients, families, physicians and other interprofessional health care team members.

• Conducts self in a manner that is congruent with cultural diversity, equity, and inclusion principles. Leads contributions towards improvement of department scores for employee engagement, i.e., peer-to-peer accountability.

SERVICE ESSENTIAL FUNCTIONS

• Leads the patient and family-centered care standards, as outlined in the Houston Methodist Professional Nursing Practice document. Mentors others regarding specialty populations.

• Assesses patient progress, collaborating with other nursing staff when needed, in accordance with the nursing process and established plan of care. Provides patient education regarding disease process and involves patient as well as family, when appropriate, in decision-making process.

• Advocates on patient/family's behalf to identify and resolve clinical and ethical concerns, utilizing appropriate resources, coordinating with the interprofessional team to facilitate a holistic and goal-oriented approach to care across the continuum that meets the patient's physical, psychosocial, and spiritual needs.

• Drives department service standards and activities to improve department score for patient satisfaction, through role modeling and fostering accountability.

QUALITY/SAFETY ESSENTIAL FUNCTIONS

• Role models the standards of care related to the nursing process, regulatory requirements and professional practice as outlined in the Houston Methodist Professional Nursing Practice document, by actively participating in meeting and improving quality indicators and patient safety goals and outcomes. Participates in the creation of a continuous improvement environment by promoting situational awareness and using teachable moments.

• Leads the delivery of quality family-centered care, ensuring the patient plan of care is accurate and timely, coaching staff if documentation deficiencies are identified. Maintains knowledge of the patient's condition and knows when to negotiate a change in the plan of care with the physician and other members of the care team.

• Assumes an advanced leadership role in analyzing systems and processes to anticipate/reduce risk and improve patient safety and quality care outcomes. Leads initiatives to improve quality and safety scores providing recommendations; proactively identifies opportunities for corrective action, leads process improvement, and contributes to meeting department targets for quality and safety through peer-to-peer accountability.

FINANCE ESSENTIAL FUNCTIONS

• Provides input into department resource utilization including capital and operational budget needs. Oversees use of resources efficiently to maximize utilization of time and equipment, providing guidance to team members accordingly.

• Implements department strategies to achieve financial target and mentors others to do the same through timely documentation of care, optimizing efficiency, minimizing incidental overtime, and other areas according to department specifications.

GROWTH/INNOVATION ESSENTIAL FUNCTIONS

• Offers innovative solutions through evidence-based practice/performance improvement projects and shared governance activities. Expands individual nursing knowledge on the latest information and research regarding new procedures, new guidelines, and new innovations within discipline, and educates team on findings.

• Accountable for own on-going professional growth and development. Seeks feedback to gain insight into performance, interpersonal behaviors and incorporates feedback to improve performance. Ensures own career discussions occur with appropriate management. Completes and updates the My Development Plan on an on-going basis.

This job description is not intended to be all-inclusive; the employee will also perform other reasonably related business/job duties as assigned. Houston Methodist reserves the right to revise job duties and responsibilities as the need arises.

EDUCATION

• Bachelor's degree or higher from an accredited School of Nursing

WORK EXPERIENCE

• Five years of nursing experience

LICENSES AND CERTIFICATIONS - REQUIRED

• RN - Registered Nurse - Texas State Licensure and/or Compact State Licensure within 60 days OR
• RN-Temp - Registered Nurse - Temporary State Licensure within 60 days AND
• BLS - Basic Life Support (AHA) AND
• Other credentials and certifications as defined by department/service line

KNOWLEDGE, SKILLS, AND ABILITIES

• Demonstrates the skills and competencies necessary to safely perform the assigned job, determined through on-going skills, competency assessments, and performance evaluations

• Sufficient proficiency in speaking, reading, and writing the English language necessary to perform the essential functions of this job, especially with regard to activities impacting patient or employee safety or security

• Ability to effectively communicate with patients, physicians, family members and co-workers in a manner consistent with a customer service focus and application of positive language principles

• Ability to coach and develop strong interpersonal, teamwork, and leadership skills with all levels of the healthcare team

• Exhibits excellent delivery of customer service to all patients, visitors, physicians, and co-workers; demonstrates ability to establish and maintain highly effective professional relationships with physicians

• Maintains strict confidentiality of patients, employees, and hospital information at all times

• Acts as effective change agent

• Strong assessment, organizational and problem-solving skills as evidenced by capacity to prioritize multiple tasks and role components

• Ability to function independently and exercise judgment in interactions with physicians, interprofessional healthcare team and patients and their families

• Uses critical thinking skills and clinical judgment to work autonomously as defined by the Nurse Practice Act

SUPPLEMENTAL REQUIREMENTS

WORK ATTIRE

• Uniform No
• Scrubs Yes
• Business professional No
• Other (department approved) No

ON-CALL*
*Note that employees may be required to be on-call during emergencies (ie. DIsaster, Severe Weather Events, etc) regardless of selection below.

• On Call* No

TRAVEL**
**Travel specifications may vary by department**

• May require travel within the Houston Metropolitan area Yes
• May require travel outside Houston Metropolitan area No

Houston Methodist Specialty Physician Group - As one of the nation’s leading hospitals and academic medical centers Houston Methodist has brought together some of the nation’s leading experts in multiple specialties to serve our patients.  As part of Houston Methodist Specialty Physician Group (HMSPG), these specialists not only provide excellent clinical care, but are on the forefront of research, developing leading-edge technologies and treatments, and teaching the medical pioneers of tomorrow.  This combination of clinical service, research and academics ensures patients have access to the latest in treatments and technologies while providing the best in comprehensive patient care.  Established as a non-profit corporation and certified by the Texas State Board of Medical Examiners, HMSPG enables physicians to maintain autonomy with respect to their clinical practice while growing their practice within an academic environment.