Job Summary:

• Administers nursing care to patients according to principles of nursing practice, physician’s orders, and Hospital policy.

• Coordinates all aspects of care related to oral chemotherapy.

• Provides education to all oral chemotherapy and IV chemotherapy patients.

  Job Duties and Standards:

• Individualized, goal directed, nursing care should be provided to patients through the use of the Nursing Process. The RN functions independently with little supervision.

• Assessments:

• Assesses all assigned patients prior to seeing the physician, including patient’s physical and mental health, reaction to illness, treatment requirements as well as current medication or chemotherapy regimen, vital signs, pain control and toxicity assessments.

• Age Specific Competency: Staff members will have knowledge of human growth and development through the life span of the patient and have the ability to meet the needs of and provide the care of these patients. Young Adult/Adult 18 – 64 yrs; Adult/Middle-Aged 65 - 79 yrs; Geriatric 80+ yrs

• Planning:

• Initiates Nursing Care Plans which identifies the patient’s present/potential problems from the patient assessment and formulates a nursing diagnosis or problem statement.

• Collaborates with MD on plan of care based on oral chemotherapy regimen, collected data, identified problems, and established goals with patient/family input.

• Formulates nursing orders that delineate interventions to be taken relating specifically to identified patient/family needs including education, discharge planning, and follow-up care.

• Implementation:

• Administers nursing care according to MD’s orders and nursing plan of care within the scope of hospital and nursing department policies and procedures.

• Demonstrates accurate technical skill and operational knowledge of: Procedures, Medications, IV therapy, Chemotherapy, Radiation, Equipment, Side effect management, Telephone triage when applicable to their current role.

• Demonstrates ability to recognize and function appropriately under stress and in a crisis situation.

• Communicates (verbally and written) the results of the nursing assessment, the plan of care, and the patient’s response to care to all individuals involved in patient care.

• Anticipates psycho-social and spiritual needs of the patient involving appropriate services as needed.

• Facilitates and implements patient and family teaching.

• Recognizes the needs for additional patient care services, and coordinates these activities with appropriate individuals or outside agency.

• Coordinating and executing new oral chemotherapies. This RN is responsible for refills, authorizations, education and coordination of delivery for oral chemotherapy patients.

• Provides patient with medication calendar to patients who are under treatment as needed.

• Maintains IV chemotherapy competency and administers chemotherapy when appropriate.

• Evaluation:

• Evaluates patient’s status and interventions and modifies plan as needed with input from care team members and patient/family.

• Records the evaluation of the patient’s response to nursing intervention.

• Evaluates patient and family preparedness for the care of the patient at home.

• Ensures accuracy and relevancy of patient records and other hospital documents

• Documents legibly on the patient record and is thorough, accurate, and complete.

• Documents errors in charting according to policy.

• Documents any delay in care and patient follow up encounters in the medical record related to oral chemotherapy

• Reviews and maintains pain contracts according to hospital policy and procedure

• Uses appropriate terminology and approved hospital abbreviations.

• Reviews and signs off patient chart at end of clinic.

• Maintains department specific skill competencies

• Satisfactorily completes annual competency review.

• Consistently demonstrates skills necessary to provide competent care to all assigned patients.

• Demonstrates initiative to acquire skills necessary to provide new care treatments or services.

  Qualifications:

• Education

• Minimum Requirement: Graduate of nursing program

• Preferred at Hire: BSN

  Certification/Licensure (including annual requirements)

• • Minimum Requirement: Current NC or multi-state RN license; CPR

• Preferred at Hire: Certification in specific unit/dept

  Experience (Yrs/Type)

• • Preferred at Hire: 1 - 2 yrs Oncology experience; oral chemotherapy experience preferred

  Minimum Requirement: Demonstrates excellent communication skills, both written and verbal. Diplomacy, tact, and a positive approach to problem solving are required to be successful. Organizational skills are a must. Fosters a teamwork environment. Must be able to communicate with patients, customers, other departments, and staff in an articulate manner.