Department   Health Services
Category   Health Services
Full-Time / Part-Time   Full-Time

Overview

Princeton University is seeking a self-motivated, knowledgeable, energetic, and flexible nursing professional to serve as a registered nurse within University Health Services. This position entails being cross-trained to support the nursing roles within outpatient medical triage, sexual health & wellness, allergy & immunizations, and Infirmary Services.

The position is a full-time benefits eligible position.The position is a term position-for one academic year, without renewal.

Our care philosophy is that of patient-centeredness in which the needs of the patient are always considered primary. We are aware that students seek our services at a time when they are most vulnerable and may be experiencing anxiety; we want to ensure that their concerns are heard and honored by our staff. However, we also see patient encounters as an opportunity to educate young adults about their health and well-being and empowering them to make healthy choices. Understanding this balance – serving student needs while supporting them to serve their own – is critical for someone in this position.

The nurse in the role of “Triage” determines the acuity and severity of patient symptoms in order to determine priority of care, and monitors the patient until a disposition or medical evaluation occurs.  The triage nurse seeks to maintain operational effectiveness of the outpatient clinic by triaging patients appropriately, managing departmental patient flow, and providing nursing support for physicians and advanced practice clinicians. The triage nurse also provides independent nurse visits to students not requiring a physician visit.

The triage function is critical to the overall operational effectiveness of the outpatient clinic given the variable demand for acute and urgent care services.  Additionally the triage nurse provides nursing support for physicians and advanced practice clinicians, and has responsibility for infrastructure support through activities such as management of supplies and equipment.  The triage nurse is a highly collaborative role, working closely with other nurses, medical assistants, front desk staff, clinicians, and emergency response personnel.  This nursing role also has responsibility for overseeing UHS point-of-care-testing program with regard to regulatory compliance, including staff training and proficiency testing. 

The Sexual Health and Wellness (SHAW) RN provides counseling, education, evaluation and treatment of issues related to sexual and reproductive health concerns to a diverse population, in an inclusive and non-judgmental manner, including but not limited to birth control discussions, sexually transmitted disease testing, and options counseling.   The Registered Nurse also provides support to the Nurse Practitioners, physicians, and OB/GYN specialists. 

The Registered Nurse, Allergy and Immunization Services provide allergy immunotherapy injections, travel related and routine immunizations.  The Registered Nurse maintains contact with students’ allergists. 

Responsibilities

Clinical Care (80%)

• Embraces a patient-centered approach in all clinical interactions:
• Anticipates and alleviates anxiety about physical symptoms and possible causes
• Introduces self and role in providing care to each individual
• Listens to concerns without judgment to the extent necessary to make necessary decisions about needs for further care or evaluation
• Communicates at all times in a person-centered fashion
• Maintains clinical efficiency while taking advantage of opportunities to educate patients
• Triages patients presenting for treatment in medical clinic:
• Performs a brief initial interview – collects accurate, pertinent data.
• Performs nursing assessment as indicated on all walk-in clients.
• Determines the acuity and level of intervention required to provide efficient, quality medical care.
• Assigns patient to an appropriate provider, establishing where and when care will be given, and effectively transitions patient to the next provider
• Provides telephone triage according to protocols (with advanced practice clinician/physician consultation as appropriate).
• Manages patient flow from the front desk through the completion of the visit for patients requiring nursing level triage. Continually monitors the needs and capacity of the medical clinic and adjusts patient flow accordingly.  Supports medical clinic patient flow by assisting medical assistants when needed.
• Provides outpatient nursing care according to protocol:
• Provides brief nursing interventions.
• Assists physicians, physician assistants and nurse practitioners in the medical clinic (procedures, nebulizer treatments, wound care, immunizations, etc.).
• Initiates emergency care.
• Orders tests.
• Gives treatments/medications.
• Assists in referrals to appropriate providers.
• Educates patients regarding their illness, health concerns and encourage their participation in treatment planning.
• Provides tuberculosis drug prophylaxis refills.
• Assesses patients in the context of emotional as well as physical needs.
• Addresses phone calls requesting clinical advice.
• Provides nursing level sexual health visits, including dispensing emergency contraception, based on established nursing protocols.
• Provides immunization visits when needed based on demand and visit availability.
• Documents all clinical activities, including immunizations, per University Health Services protocols and guidelines.

Administrative Management (15%)

• Responsible for on-going maintenance of a safe, hospitable, therapeutic environment in the medical clinic:
• Monitors stock medications, equipment and supplies.
• Responsible for operational ability and safety of emergency equipment.
• Supports unit cohesiveness, works in collaboration with peers and all other staff.
• Supports and promotes quality assurance activities.
• Assists in the development, review and revision of patient care policies, procedures and protocols.
• Works closely with the Associate Director for Medical Services, Urgent Care Coordinator, and the Nurse Manager to improve workflow and identify and resolve problems affecting the patient experience in the outpatient setting.
• Attends staff meetings.
• Serves on committees, as assigned.
• Actively promotes the prevention of the spread of infectious diseases in the outpatient area.

Training and Professional Development (5%)

• Maintains eligibility requirements for license and certifications
• Particpates in annual comptencies
• Participates in Continuing Education

Performs other duties as assigned

Qualifications

Essential Qualifications

• New Jersey license as a professional registered nurse
• Bachelor of Science in Nursing degree (BSN)
• Three years of nursing experience in a general hospital or emergency room
• Triage experience
• Delegation skills
• Ability to perform physical assessments, i.e., take vital signs, assess trauma wounds
• Basic CPR/AED certification
• Ability to respond quickly and appropriately to emergencies, including ability to obtain IV access and administer medications intramuscularly
• Ability to maintain an inventory
• Skilled in Immunization administration and Allergy injections or willingness to learn
• Background in the essentials of travel planning, or willingness to learn
• Vaccine knowledge, knowledge of vaccine procedures and adverse reactions, or willingness to learn
• Knowledge of birth control, sexually transmitted infections, and options counseling, or the willingness to learn
• Ability to physically ambulate/move patients
• Ability to move frequently throughout unit and stand for periods of time
• Good judgment and independent thinking
• Ability to prioritize and effectively manage diverse tasks, often with interruptions
• Ability to dispense all medications prescribed in accordance with protocols
• Computer skills, including MS Outlook email, MS Word, MS Excel and electronic medical records

Preferred Qualifications

• Outpatient/Ambulatory Care
• ACLS

Princeton University is an Equal Opportunity/Affirmative Action Employer and all qualified applicants will receive consideration for employment without regard to age, race, color, religion, sex, sexual orientation, gender identity or expression, national origin, disability status, protected veteran status, or any other characteristic protected by law. EEO IS THE LAW.