Oncology Staff Nurse

Provides direct patient care and coordinates patient care-related activities using the scientific process of nursing. Nursing care is given to Paediatric, adolescent, adult, and geriatric populations.

Responsibilities

General:

• Provides age-specific patient-centered care utilizing the nursing process.
• Performs patient assessment using appropriate, problem-focused, and age-specific assessment techniques.
• Performs continual critical care assessment of patient and family's physical and psychological needs.
• Involves the patient, significant others, and health care providers in the plan of care when appropriate.
• Collaborates with a multi-disciplinary team to provide patient care.
• Coordinates and plans critical care/clinical pathway, and prioritizes care, based on individual needs. Revise the care plan as necessary.
• Initiates appropriate transfer plan.
• Recognizes subtle cues to anticipate potential problems.
• Documents all relevant data in the medical record according to hospital/departmental standards.
• Ensures availability and maintenance of supplies and equipment needed for the unit and patient care.
• Performs clerical duties when needed.
• Assumes responsibility for meeting Joint Commission International Accreditation (JCIA) required mandatory education (e.g. fire, safety, infection control and others).
• Ensures clinical competencies as well as life support courses are up to date.
• Participates in staff meetings and unit committees/projects.
• Participates in developing and achieving unit goals.
• Maintains a safe environment for patients and staff.
• Performs safe handling and administrating of Narcotic/Controlled and Semi-Controlled Drugs and documentation as directed by policies and procedures.
• Ensures completion of unit competencies i.e. pain management, and utilization of Emergency department devices.
• Maintains clinical and professional competency based on the latest research and established standards of practice.
• Completes yearly, the critical care nursing competencies (basic).
• Participates in unit-based Continuous Quality Improvement (CQI) activities (data collection, CQI teams, incident reporting, customer complaint reporting, medication error reporting etc.).
• Participates in ongoing educational activities.
• Maintains mandatory educational requirements.
• Performs additional duties when required.

Unit Specific:

• Identifies the patient accurately.
• Identifies and responds to urgent/emergencies appropriately and directs team members.
• Provides Nursing Care to patients before and post-procedure.
• Books patient for appointment, procedure, or treatment according to treatment plan.
• Follows up on patients' diagnostic tests and coordinate with physicians to inform patients about their results, treatment, or if a follow-up is needed with a physician.
• Keeps consultation rooms stocked and clean before and after the patient has been seen.
• Ensures patient education is provided upon discharge.
• Checks crash cart, refrigeration temperature checklist, etc.
• Reports medical equipment due for Planned Preventative Maintenance (PPM) monthly.
• Addresses urgent care cases with the physician.
• Addresses all Customer Relationship Management (CRM) tasks on time.
• Calls patients to inform them of approved labs and images and ensure scheduling takes place.
• Updates all patients about the status of their requests.
• Follows up with the insurance coordinators on approvals needed.
• Coordinates with the Operating Room (OR) Coordinator and patient to schedule the operations when applicable.
• Maintains and updates skills and knowledge in medication administration including chemotherapy and blood and blood products transfusion.
• Maintains and updates skills and knowledge in venous access including (peripheral lines and all types of central lines).
• Creates and safe and therapeutic environment for patients and staff.
• Maintains records for patient care and assists in audit of nursing documentation and departmental records as requested.
• Assists in developing and providing related educational materials and education to patients and families.
• Participates in facility surveys and inspections as requested.
• Provides basic life support when needed.
• Assists physicians in Lumbar Puncture, bone marrow aspirate and biopsy, thoracentesis and abdominal paracentesis and chest tube insertion.
• Implements and monitors infection control measures.
• Initiates and handles Intra Venous Access Device (IVAD) line for administering cytotoxic and biologic agents and fluids.
• Manages patients receiving cytotoxic and biologic agents for side effects and complications.
• Manages patients with oncology emergencies.
• Ensures that patients are provided with appropriate nutrition.
• Assists patient in accepting and coping with his/her disease.
• Delivers pre-operative and post-operative patient care, when applicable.
• Applies safety measures related to patient care.
• Operates all unit-required equipment safely.
• Manages kidney transplant patients when applicable.
• Manages bone marrow transplant patients when applicable.
• Manages patients with infectious diseases when applicable.
• Manages immunosuppressed patients when applicable.
• Provides palliative and end-of-life care.
• Assesses patient and family readiness and identifies learning needs.
• Develops and implements the teaching plan to include the disease trajectory and psychosocial issues, preventive, and early detection practices.
• Evaluates the teaching-learning process.
• Documents patient and family education.

Qualifications

• Bachelor's degree in nursing (minimum of three (3) years full-time course duration) or
• Degree in Nursing (minimum two (2) years course duration) and Registration as a Registered Nurse from Canada, USA, UK, Ireland, South Africa, New Zealand, and Australia
• For UAE nationals graduates of UAE or non-UAE universities are exempted from the experience and clinical training requirements for the applied title. (UAE nationals must submit a copy of their birth certificate and the mother's family book)
• Non-UAE national graduates from UAE universities are required to successfully complete six (6) months of clinical training post-graduation in an APS health facility (except for Registered and assistant Nurse titles)
• Must hold a valid License/Registration to practice in their home country and/or country of last employment (where applicable)
• Must hold a minimum of a valid Basic Life Support (BLS) Certification or others according to the scope of practice.

PROFESSIONAL EXPERIENCE:

• Minimum of two (2) years of recent post-graduate experience in Oncology Nursing.
• Knowledge of and ability to render care and services based on age, appropriateness, and developmental needs of patients.
• Skills in the assessment of patient and family's physical and psychological needs
• Skills in coordination and planning of care and prioritizing care based on individual needs.
• Basic Cardiac Life Support (BCLS) certification is essential.