House Supervisor

Job Summary:

The House Supervisor, under the direction of the Chief Nursing Officer, provides supervisory support for staff working within their shift in the absence of the other management staff. The House Supervisor acts as a clinical resource person to the hospital and medical staff. This individual functions as the in-house administrative representative outside of normal business hours. The House Supervisor addresses patient care, staffing, and any other issues that may arise. They are responsible for handling occurrences during the shift and ensuring appropriate documentation and communication. In addition, they are responsible for managing and coordinating all elements of patient care to ensure efficiency, service-oriented, quality care.

Operations/Leadership

• Represents facility administration after business hours and on weekends

• Promotes shared decision making through collaborative/consultative relationships with nursing administration, department leadership, general nursing staff and other department staff

• Rounds throughout the facility on a frequent and consistent basis

• Acts as a central source of information for all staff

• Serves as a resource for problem solving, decision-making, and policy interpretation, consistently making judgments based on reliable critical thinking and that are evidence-based

• Collaborates with patient care leadership to facilitate the resolution of staff and patient needs

• Responds to emergency, rapid response, or clinically complex events and serves as a clinical leader during the emergency situations. Ensures that resources are allocated to meet the patient/visitor needs and that the evaluation for the code is done promptly.

• Communication with other care providers is timely, accurate, and complete

• Demonstrates a positive, supportive role when a change is being introduced and implemented

• Guides staff through various steps of change and positively reinforces their efforts

Patient Throughput/Bed Management

• Facilitates appropriate utilization of beds, assuring that patient needs, diagnosis, and acuity are appropriately matched to the unit's scope of service, level of care, and assigned nursing competency/skill

• Utilizes bed tracking systems and other methods to meet the timely assignment of beds and minimize delays, where applicable

• Ensures that resources are allocated to care for admitted patients waiting in the ED for a room to become available; rounds on these patients frequently to ensure that an appropriate level of care is being delivered and implementation of admit orders is not delayed. Coordinates and approves appropriate transfers from other facilities in a timely manner.

• Troubleshoots issues and barriers to expedient placement of patients

Customer Support/Patient Experience

• Responds to patient, visitor, and physician concerns

• Mediates conflicts between caregivers

• Facilitates conflict resolution amongst family members of patients as necessary

• Serves as a patient advocate, including implementation of Service Recovery activities when indicated

• Demonstrates cultural awareness, communication, and decision-making

• Demonstrates supportive skills in supporting patients and families at the end of life. Essential Functions

Human Resources/Staff Development

• Supports units with staffing variances and coverage based on unit/acuity staffing

• Informs unit management of staffing or human resource concerns

• Rounds on the unit or departments consistently

• Assists with facilitating meal breaks

• Is vigilant for the possibility of mandatory overtime, assuring that it does not occur

• Mentors and supports staff

• Supports staff compliance with human resource policies

• Clarifies and supports all policies governing behaviors and on job injuries

• Assists in the orientation and development of staff and new leaders

• Keeps staff informed of new developments, new policies, and other changes

• Communicates observations and concerns about staff performance to managers and directors

• Serves as employee health after hours/weekends

Professional Development/Professional Accountability

• Continues professional education and growth through formal and informal means

• Seeks learning opportunities for professional growth and role enhancement

• Continues to develop nursing knowledge and skills, as well as management and leadership knowledge and skills

• Active participation in the Nursing/ Hospital Committee

• Complies with hospital policies, the Nurse Practice Act, and the ANA Code of Ethics

• Promotes and demonstrates the professional image of nursing in demeanor, appearance, attitude, and behavior

• Recognizes and promptly communicates ethical and legal concerns through established channels of communication

Quality Improvement

• Assists in the identification of ineffective and costly processes and takes action to improve those processes

• Incorporates evidence-based practice and research to monitor and continuously impact outcomes

• Provides evidence of participation in process improvement activities

• Assumes responsibility for/participates in projects to improve care

• Works one-on-one with other departments to resolve issues

• Has a strong knowledgebase of regulatory standards; identifies non-compliance during rounding; and initiates correction as appropriate

• Participates in TJC constant readiness activities

• Enforces staff adherence to safety goals in care delivery. Safety checklists/quality controls are completed are required.

• Models the use of High Reliability Organization (HRO) tools in everyday practice and situations and encourages staff to do the same

• Assists with the development of and serves as a resource to others for new systems. Supports ongoing support of these changes.

Physical Requirements:

May be expected to lift up to 50 pounds or up to 150 pounds with assistance. May be expected to push or pull up to 500 pounds with assistance. Work is of medium demand; walking or standing most of the time while on duty. Visual and auditory acuity and manual dexterity are essential to performing the designated duties required. Optimal auditory acuity required. Manual dexterity involving the handling of equipment and instruments, or needles, is essential to performing assigned duties. Physical work environments are clean, neat, and well lit. May be subjected to unpleasant sights and odors, stressful situations, and hazardous or infectious agents, where judgment as to precautions that need to be taken is essential. Climate control and ambient temperature variances may be experienced and required by patient care andthe needs of the surgical team. Exposure to limited amounts of radiation, hazardous chemicals or substances, and infectious disease processes is a possibility. Hours of duty may be irregular or unexpectedly extended due to patient needs.

OSHA Exposure Classification:

Job Classification I. Direct contact with blood or other body fluids to which universal precautions apply. Personal protective equipment is made available and must be worn.

Qualification, Knowledge & Ability:

• Demonstrates eligibility for employment in the U.S.

• Bachelor of Science in Nursing is required.

• Licensed Registered Nurse in TX

• BLS, ACLS, and PALS certifications are required upon hire.

• Ability to relate and work effectively with others and willingness to participate in goal-setting and educational activities for own professional advancement and that of others.

• A minimum of five (5) years’ recent nursing experience in a hospital setting is required.

• A minimum of 2 years of critical care nursing experience.

• Supervisory experience is preferred.