Acute Care Clinical Nurse Specialist or Quality and Practice Advisor

JOB SUMMARY

This paragraph summarizes the general nature, level and purpose of the job.

Clinical Nurse Specialist: Clinical Nurse Specialists are Master's Degree prepared advanced practice Registered Nurses in roles characterized by the following responsibilities:

* Provide care for patients with multiple or complex health needs within a specific clinical area;
* Use advanced clinical skills in the assessment, diagnosis, treatment and evaluation of patients;
* Use theoretical and clinical expertise to assist health care providers and patients in promoting or achieving optimal health;
* Develop and implement standards of nursing practice;
* Serve as a consultant or expert resource person for other health providers;
* Facilitate an interdisciplinary and collaborative approach to meeting the needs of patients;
* Seek consultations and make referrals as needed; and
* Promote research to improve clinical nursing practice.

Clinical Nurse Specialists assess, plan, provide and evaluate specialized nursing care of patients by advancing the quality and scope of nursing practice through clinical practice, education, research, consultation, and administrative roles in the area of clinical expertise (e.g., diabetes, cardiology, respiratory, pediatrics, etc.) for a specified patient population.

Quality and Practice Advisor: Quality and Practice Advisor (QPA) are Registered Nurses who utilize evidence informed practice to facilitate and lead improvements in patient care and in the work environment. The QPA is a facilitator of improvement work evaluating data trends, developing clinical practice changes ground by evidence-based practice, clinical specialty consultant to the nursing staff and inter-professional teams at LPCHS. QPA works collaboratively with inter-professional teams to enact implementation of evidence-based practice and specialty standards, lead improvement and change initiatives, utilize data and standard processes to assess and improve patient outcomes. Major responsibilities include but are not limited to nursing leadership, represents clinical practice in a subspecialty practice area, education of team members, facilitating and conducting evidence-based practice including dissemination, and professional development of the inter-professional team.

ESSENTIAL FUNCTIONS

The essential functions listed are typical examples of work performed by positions in this job classification. They are not designed to contain or be interpreted as a comprehensive inventory of all duties, tasks, and responsibilities. Employees may also perform other duties as assigned.

Employees must abide by all Joint Commission Requirements including but not limited to sensitivity to cultural diversity, patient care, patient rights and ethical treatment, safety and security of physical environments, emergency management, teamwork, respect for others, participation in ongoing education and training, communication and adherence to safety and quality programs, sustaining compliance with National Patient Safety Goals, and licensure and health screenings.

Must perform all duties and responsibilities in accordance with the hospital's policies and procedures, including its Service Standards and its Code of Conduct.

Clinical Nurse Specialist: 

* Analyzes unit patient care plans currently for evidence of documentation of standards of practice, shares findings with staff, and collaborates in developing a variety of valid and reliable assessment tools to assist staff with documentation records.
* Demonstrates expertise in the execution of daily patient care, providing collaboration, direction, and instruction to the staff in the application and utilization of the nursing process.
* Elects, implements, and evaluates comforting, therapeutic, restorative, and preventative nursing measures for selected patients; expertise in the planning and delivery of special patient care problems.
* In collaboration with nursing managers and other researchers, performs, assists with, and Initiates, evaluates and revises nursing plans of care that reflect a multidisciplinary approach to patient care; coordinates the nursing plan of care with the medical plan of care.
* Maintains and teaches others the specialized knowledge and skill necessary to perform techniques and routines in the specialty service area.
* Offers consultative services within nursing services and to other disciplines to provide or participates in planning, development, execution and evaluation of clinical research.
* Participates in the hospital's quality improvement program; collaborates in setting unit standards of care and monitors indicators of quality projects.
* Provides direct patient care using consistency in assessing current patient care situations, priorities, and needs.
* Provides safety, comfort care, and treatment of patients according to established legal, ethical, and institutional standards.
* Serves as a consultant to patients, families, and staff.

Quality and Practice Advisor: 

* Establishes and monitors care standards and makes recommendations for changes in area of clinical practice based on professional standards and evidence.
* Demonstrates a minimum of proficient level understanding of daily patient care, providing collaboration, direction, and instruction to the staff in the application and utilization of the nursing process.
* Maintains and teaches others the specialized knowledge and skill necessary to perform techniques and routines in the specialty service area.
* Consults within nursing services and interprofessional teams in planning, development, execution and evaluation of in the delivery of care to improve quality outcomes and practice compliance.
* Basic understanding of quality improvement cycles and change management.
* Participates in the hospital's quality improvement program and monitors indicators of quality and safety trends.