Registered Nurse - Neuro (New Grad)

General Surgery / Neuroscience unit for adult and geriatric patients. All patient rooms are private. The floor manages a variety of general surgery and medicine patients as well as a focus on Neuroscience patients including stroke patients, general neurology and neurosurgical patients and supports the Comprehensive Spine Center program. The mixed patient population provides a unique opportunity to learn about a variety of general surgery and medical diagnoses while also learning about specialized needs of the neuroscience patients. In the neuroscience realm the unit cares for patients with diagnoses ranging from strokes to brain tumors to spine surgeries.

·      Meet the clinical and financial goals established by the department.

·      Promote current and ongoing evidence based nursing and medical care.

·      Promote the recruitment and retention of qualified staff by supporting the education and development of staff.

·      Embrace the Nursing Partnership advancement program (NPAP) to develop expert clinicians at the bedside.

·      Develop staff for Clinical Staff leader (CSL) positions by developing their leadership skills.

·      Assist the staff to develop and implement performance improvement projects.

·      Schedule a Neuroscience Review Course for educational credits for staff development.

·      Support the re-establishment of a local Neuroscience chapter.

·      Promote a culture based on Hardwiring Excellence principles.

·      Stroke Certification and JCAHO Accreditation for the care of Stroke patients at MUHA.

·      Activities of daily living

·      Discharge planning

·      Pain management

·      Patient controlled analgesia

·      Insertion of triple lumen and intravenous catheter

·      Medications and iv drug administration

·      Monitor intrathecal pain management

·      Patient and family education

·      Peg tube management

·      Administer hyperalimentation- tube feedings

·      Physical therapy

·      Occupational therapy

·      Administer blood products

·      Isolation

·      Vital signs assessment

·      Telemetry monitoring

·      Patient/staff safety management

·      Wound  management

·      Perform halo and pin care

·      Use of specialty beds

·      DVT prophylaxis and treatment

·      Tracheostomy suctioning and care

·      EKG's

·      Blood glucose monitoring

·      Nasogastric tube insertion

·      Long term EEG monitoring

·      Continuous virtual monitoring

·      Frequent neurology checks and vital signs

·      Monitor lumbar drains

·      Monitor SEPS drains

·      Stroke patients are admitted to intermediate care status as appropriate.

·      Standardized admission orders and care maps will be used from the American Stroke Association Stroke Guidelines.

·      Cardiac monitoring (telemetry).

·      NPO until cleared by Dysphagia screen.

·      DVT Prophylaxis.

·      Rehab/therapy consults made based on individual patient needs.

·      Care Managers support discharge/home needs.

·      Patient/family teaching includes written materials on medications, risk factors, follow-up doctor appointments, call 911 and disease process.

·      Daily interdisciplinary, multidisciplinary rounds occur daily.

·      Magnet Designation: Noted by The American Nurses Credentialing Center’s (ANCC) Magnet Recognition Program® as the gold standard for nursing excellence and quality patient outcomes, MUSC Health achieved the esteemed Magnet designation in 2015.

·      Professional Practice Model: Nursing Professional Practice Model (PPM) is a way of thinking about what nurses value most in their nursing practice. At MUSC, we have developed a graphic based on Charleston’s wrought-iron gates to represent our professional practice model.

·      Care Delivery System: The care delivery system is actually a subsystem of the professional practice model that describes our approach to delivering patient care.

·      Nurse-driven Research: Nurses at all levels participate in nursing research as principle investigators, co-investigators, and members of research teams. Since the introduction of the Nurse Scientist roles, the number of nurse-driven initiatives has increased significantly. Evidence-based Practice Evidence-based practice (EBP) is integrated into the culture of MUSC Health’s nursing practice.

·      Shared Governance: Nursing shared governance at MUSC Health is the structure that empowers nursing to make practice change and improvement.

·      Reward & Recognition: The nursing program at MUSC Health is nationally recognized. Included are Magnet® designation, the Emergency Nurses Association.