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In our state-of-the-art Cardiac ICU, our team of pediatric heart specialists is dedicated to saving and improving the lives of our most vulnerable patients.
We designed our 26 bed Cardiac ICU around a dual philosophy: a high-tech environment with a family-friendly feel. We believe that both of these aspects of our Cardiac ICU are vital to our patients' well-being and long-term health.
The CICU staff includes an integrated cardiac team with all sub-specialists readily available and accessible. The unit-based staff includes a dedicated pharmacist, respiratory therapist, social worker, nurses, as well as physicians from the divisions of anesthesiology, critical care medicine, cardiology and cardiac surgery. Children's CICU is home to an Extracorporeal Life Support Organization (ELSO) center of excellence for ECMO services in children. The CICU also has VAD (Ventricular Assist Device) and heart transplant programs.
Children's National Neonatal Intensive Care Unit is a 70 bed Level IV NICU. Care is delivered to infants and families transported from approximately 40 regional community hospitals in three states. The patient ages typically range from 23 weeks gestation to 37 weeks gestation, term infants and older children with multiple disease processes. Comprehensive services include medical-surgical care for infants with conditions including but not limited to pre-maturity, genetic disorders, pulmonary disorders and cardiac disorders. The unit also provides for the inter-hospital transportation of infants as well as ECMO services.
In 1975, Children's National Hospital opened one of the first intensive care units dedicated for children in the United States. While advances in technology have changed the look of our Pediatric Intensive Care Unit (PICU), an enduring hallmark of our care is an emphasis on comfort for patients and compassion for the entire family.
The PICU is a state-of-the-art 47 bed unit designed with the family in mind. In addition to creating a child-friendly environment, there are special waiting and resting areas for families to enable them to stay near their child. Our team offers the most current therapies for cardiac, pulmonary, and neurologic injury. Children's was one of the first pediatric hospitals to use the CereTom Portable CT Scanner, which delivers high-resolution images that help diagnose head and neck injuries.
The American Association of Critical-Care Nurses (AACN) previously awarded the Children's National Pediatric Intensive Care Unit with a silver-level Beacon Award for Excellence. The three-year award marks an important milestone on the path to exceptional patient care and achieving a healthy work environment. The silver-level designation signifies continuous learning and effective systems to achieve optimal patient care and shows alignment practices with AACN's six Healthy Work Environment Standards.
Children's National serves as the primary referral center in the Washington, DC region for pediatric emergency, trauma, cardiac, and critical care. Annually, the PICU treats more than 1,500 patients with a wide variety of conditions from across the United States and abroad, including:
- Cardiac disease
- Genetic disorders
- Multiple organ failure
- Pulmonary disease
- Traumatic injury
- Traumatic burn injury
Surgical Services at the main hospital campus is equipped and available to provide 24 hours a day, seven days a week surgical care.
The Perioperative Department consists of the following areas:
* Surgery Preparation
* Operating Rooms (17 O.R.'s and 2 Procedure Rooms)
* Post Anesthesia Care Unit (PACU-12 prep and 35 post anesthesia bays)
* Sterile Processing Department (SPD)
* Radiology
* Endoscopy
In our delivery of care we aim for quality healthcare that is: patient centered, safe, timely, efficient, equitable, and effective. The department is engaged in quality, performance improvement and research to provide care that has the patient and family in mind.
Perioperative Services' mission is facilitated through a culture of safety. The focus of care is on the patient, family, and the environment. The department strives for an environment that enables the provision for safe patient care, excellence in performance, improvement in our process, and positive health outcomes.
Children's National surgery center performs nearly 17,000 procedures each year on infants, children and adolescents, including kidney transplants, scoliosis, hernia repairs, and procedures to treat disorders and abnormalities of the esophagus and trachea. Other special services include corneal implants and cataract surgeries, and we specialize in cochlear implant for the ear. Children's surgeons perform laser surgery and employ many types of minimally invasive techniques such as laparoscopy and thoracoscopy.
Children's National has a world-class team of pediatric surgeons, anesthesiologists, nurses, and support staff who have developed a variety of programs designed with children in mind. One of our newest additions is the DaVinci robot and MRI suite.
All nursing practice is based on the legal scope of practice, national and specialty nursing standards, Children's National Policies and Procedures, and in accordance with all applicable laws and regulations. The Professional Model of Care requires registered professional nurses to be responsible and accountable for their own practice. Children's National supports the development of RN relationships within the community; specifically those relationships associated with the health and well being of the community at large.
Minimum Education
ADN Required, BSN preferred.
Specific Experience Requirements
For ICU or PACU consideration: At least one year of RN experience in a hospital acute care or critical care unit (adult or pediatrics) is required.
For Operating Room consideration: At least one full year of operating room nurse experience is required
Required Licenses and Certifications
Registered Nurse licensed in the District of Columbia.
Basic Life Support for Providers (BLS)
PALS
Functional Accountabilities
Transformational Leadership
- Contribute to Magnet re-designation as evidenced by independent updating of professional profile and initiation of council involvement, committees, task forces and /or community outreach.
- Demonstrate critical thinking skills by problem solving appropriately during patient care.
- Communicate to reflect development of plan of care and ability to advocate to meet patients' needs.
- Independently initiate escalation of issues utilizing chain of command.
- Demonstrate proper use of the currently identified hand off processes.
- Demonstrate a collegial and respectful relationship with ancillary staff.
- Participate in implementing change and support management decisions.
- Role model behavior that reflects empathy, concern and a desire to help others.
Structural Empowerment
- Independently maintain regulatory requirements e.g. license, BLS.
- Plan for attendance at mandatory education and professional activities to enhance nursing practice.
- Demonstrate professional review of peers through timely participation in evaluations.
- Seek out opportunities to participate in enhancing departmental goals by ensuring adherence to national safety standards and service excellence standards; support advancement of education and certification as well.
- Collaborate with members of the healthcare team and role model professional behavior and teamwork with coworkers.
- Utilize resources as needed and know when to escalate to next level.
Exemplary Professional Practice
- Utilize assessment data gathered from patient and family to ensure completion of data base and plan of care within identified timeframes.
- Demonstrate clinical skills with complex patients that reflect analysis of patient status and appropriate interventions.
- Role model skill in prioritization and organization for complex patient with rapidly changing needs.
- Documentation exemplifies adherence to the highest standards of practice.
- Anticipate and proactively plan for educational needs verified with patient and family throughout the hospital/outpatient stay and prior to discharge.
- Role model organizational skills, adjust for changes and is able to complete assignment on time.
- Demonstrate caring in all encounters with patient and family as evidenced by feedback from parents and an increase in patient satisfaction scores.
Safety
- Speak up when team members appear to exhibit unsafe behavior or performance
- Continuously validate and verify information needed for decision making or documentation
- Stop in the face of uncertainty and takes time to resolve the situation
- Demonstrate accurate, clear and timely verbal and written communication
- Actively promote safety for patients, families, visitors and co-workers
- Attend carefully to important details - practicing Stop, Think, Act and Review in order to self-check behavior and performance
Organizational Accountabilities (Staff)
New Knowledge, Innovations, and Improvements
- Identify ways to improve operations through quality improvement and assist in implementation of solutions.
- Identify self learning needs and take initiative to meet those needs.
- Ensure care is based on evidence with the literature and benchmarking.
Organizational Commitment/Identification
- Partner in the mission and upholds the core principles of the organization
- Committed to diversity and recognizes value of cultural ethnic differences
- Demonstrate personal and professional integrity
- Maintain confidentiality at all times
Customer Service
- Anticipate and responds to customer needs; follows up until needs are met
Teamwork/Communication
- Demonstrate collaborative and respectful behavior
- Partner with all team members to achieve goals
- Receptive to others' ideas and opinions
Performance Improvement/Problem-solving
- Contribute to a positive work environment
- Demonstrate flexibility and willingness to change
- Identify opportunities to improve clinical and administrative processes
- Make appropriate decisions, using sound judgment
Cost Management/Financial Responsibility
- Use resources efficiently
- Search for less costly ways of doing things
Equal Opportunity Employer of Minorities, Females, Protected Veterans, and Individual with Disabilities.