Job Summary:

The O.B. Staff Nurse will provide quality nursing care for maternal and newborn patients and will work with other professional staff to provide services that reflect the caring philosophy of the hospital.

Supervisory Responsibilities:

• None.

Duties/Responsibilities:

• Completes initial nursing histories, assesses patients' conditions, and develops individual plans of care for patients assigned to the unit. Provides direct patient care, evaluates outcome, consults with other specialists and adjusts nursing care processes as indicated to ensure optimal patient care.
• Accurately administers medications and performs procedures that cannot be delegated such as assessing labor progression, managing induction of labor and cervical ripening, and dealing competently with medical emergencies including prolapsed cord, breech delivery, postpartum hemorrhage, precipitous delivery, uterine rupture, management of meconium, abruptio placenta, placenta previa. Performs fetal heart monitoring and makes assessment of labor progress using the Friedman labor curve.
• Works with neonatal unit to care for preterm infants and other infants with special problems.
• Teaches and supervises the proper performance of nursing acts that have been delegated to others and monitors nursing care of other health care team members.
• Promotes patient/client education and involves the patient and significant others in implementation of health goals.
• Understands and adheres to JCAHO standards as they apply to the nursing profession.
• Participates in fire, safety, disaster, and infection control educational programs and exercises.
• Participates in specific patient quality assessment activities including chart reviews.
• Complies with certification/recertification requirements of the position and attends continuing education courses to remain current in the field.

Required Skills/Abilities:

• Demonstrated competency in the care of the antepartum, intrapartum, and postpartum patients and their newborns.
• Ability to act independently and make decisions under stress.
• Ability to work effectively as part of a team.
• Ability to handle emergency and crisis situations.

Education and Experience:

• Graduate of an accredited school of nursing and holder of current state license.
• CPR certified.

Physical Requirements:

• Ability to perform prolonged or extensive standing and walking.
• Ability to lift and position patients frequently with the assistance of other staff.
• Ability to lift and/or pull 40-50 pounds frequently.
• Ability to perform considerable reaching, stooping, bending, kneeling, crouching.
• Hearing and vision abilities within normal range (corrected) to observe and communicate with patients.
• External and internal applicants and position incumbents who become disabled must be able to perform the essential job specific functions either aided or with assistance of a reasonable accommodation to be determined by the hospital on a case-by-case basis.
• Regularly exposed to the risk of bloodborne diseases.
• Regular exposure to unpleasant elements (accidents, injuries, and illness)
• Possible exposure to electrical hazards working with patient care equipment.