Position Summary:

Neuro - Spine Unit

UT Medical Center's Comprehensive Spine Center focuses on treating spine conditions such as ruptured discs and spine fractures. The Center offers the latest technology, the region's most experienced neurosurgeons and a neuroscience nursing team dedicated to neurosurgical patients.

Unit overview:

6 South is a 27 bed, state of the art, highly specialized acute care unit which upholds a culture of safety, high quality patient care, and teamwork. Our patient/family-centered unit is fast paced and encompasses a clinically challenging environment with complex neurosurgical patients. We follow a shared governance model with an active unit council that focuses on unit and quality improvement, evidenced based practice principles, structure, and team building, while also emphasizing education and professional development.

Benefits to working at UT Medical Center:

• Medical insurance is through Blue Cross Blue Shield

• Dental insurance and vision care

• Retirement dollars are contributed to your retirement 403(b) retirement fund without required matching from you.

• Higher education assistance is available for employees those who qualify.

• Generous paid time off (PTO) and extended sick leave (ESL) programs. PTO days increase with years of service.

• Recognized as a "family friendly" employer.

Opportunities available on 6S:

• Participate in Unit Council

• Participate in a Shared Governance Council

• Obtain a Specialty Certification

  • SCRN- Stroke Certified Registered Nurse

  • NVRN-BC- Neurovascular Registered Nurse

  • CNRN- Certified Neuroscience Registered Nurse

• Receive additional neurological/stroke education

  • 36 continuing education hours-Hemisphere Modules (Stroke) and Impulse Modules (Cardiac)

  • Advanced Stroke Life Support (ASLS)

  • Neuro Skills Day- interactive stations based on staff learning needs and suggestions

  • ACLS and BLS

UT Medical Center values the continued professional development of our nursing team members and highly encourages nurses to obtain their specialty practice certifications through the American Nurses Credentialing Center (ANCC), and/or other certifying organizations approved by the Magnet Recognition Program®. UT Medical Center currently supports nurses by paying for an original approved certification, and the following renewal of that certification. A bonus, along with other incentives are also provided in recognition and appreciation of those nurses who have achieved this important and highly valued milestone while employed with our organization.

Patient population served:

The Neuro/Spine Unit provides high quality and patient/family centered care for any neurosurgical patients. Spinal procedures include anterior cervical decompression (ACDF), posterior lumbar interbody fusion (PLIF), thoracic lumbar interbody fusion (TLIF), discectomy, and kyphoplasty. In addition to the spine surgeries listed, the team on 6S cares for patients undergoing other neurosurgical procedures such as craniotomy for brain cancer, shunt placement, and cerebral aneurysm clipping/coiling. Other patient populations include ischemic and hemorrhagic stroke as well as other neurologic disorders.

Unit Staffing:

• Management consists of: Nurse Manager, Team Leaders/Charge Nurses, Clinical Nurse Specialist and Director

• The staff includes RNs, Nursing Technicians/Certified Nursing Assistants, and Health Unit Coordinators

• 6 South works closely with Case Management, Physical Therapy and Physical Therapy Assistants, Occupational Therapy and Occupational Therapy Assistants, Speech Therapy, Dieticians, and Pharmacists.

• We collaborate with a broad range of physicians and APRNs: neurosurgeons, neurohospitalists, neuro-interventional radiologists, anesthesia pain service, hospitalists, medical residents and fellows, and multiple consulting physicians.

• In addition, we collaborate with a dedicated Stroke Team comprised of Nurse Practitioners and Stroke Certified Nurses, providing 24/7/365 response to Code Stroke.

Orientation

All RNs complete a centralized hospital and specialized nursing orientation in addition to the unit orientation. New employees are paired with a dedicated preceptor during unit orientation providing specialized learning opportunities and shadow experiences.

Qualifications:

• ASN/BSN

• BLS-completed during orientation

• ACLS- completed within 6 months to 1 year (offered at no cost)

• Advanced Stroke Life Support (ASLS) - completed within 6 months (offered at no cost)

• NIHSS (National Institutes of Health Stroke Scale)- obtained during orientation

Job Summary

The RN is responsible for delegating, coordinating, and managing all aspects of nursing care and services provided to the patient and family in a safe, timely, cost-effective, and respectful manner. Patient and family centered care is delivered in collaboration with the patient, family, and members of the healthcare team.

• Initiates the development of the plan of care based upon the nursing assessment, the medical diagnosis and clinical information gathered from the patient, family and other health care providers.

• Evaluates the patient's actual and/or potential response to the disease process, interventions, and the outcomes of nursing care and multidisciplinary health care services.

• Incorporates evidence-based research in the delivery of professional nursing services.

• Establishes and maintains positive interpersonal relationships and promotes effective teamwork with patients, families, coworkers and the community to meet customer service goals.

• Considers safety principles and practices to address unit-based issues related to the quality of care and services provided the appropriate use of technology, and the efficiencies of service delivery. Responds appropriately to emergency situations or unplanned events.

• Promotes the effective and efficient allocation, distribution and use of unit, service-line, and organizational resources for the delivery of safe, timely, cost-effective and respectful patient care services.

Position Qualification:

Bachelors degree (BSN) or ASN

Current Registered Nurse licensure in Tennessee