Provides professional nursing services including planning, assessing, diagnosing, implementing, and evaluating nursing care; provides direction to staff.

Under general direction, provides patient care and coordination of services through assessment, diagnosis, planning, implementation and evaluation of safe, therapeutic care.  Positions in this class typically:

l) Serve as charge nurse over a unit in a hospital or infirmary and give direction to subordinate staff; or,

2) Function as relief charge nurse; or,

3) In the infirmary or clinic of a residential facility holds sick call and examines patients to determine their need for medical care; or,

4) Provide nursing services for a resident/patient caseload within an institutional facility; or,

5) Perform all nursing services in an infirmary at a location removed from higher‑level nursing supervision and in which a physician or mid-level provider is usually not present.

Note: In a Mental Health psychiatric treatment facility, may serve as the designated supervisor in the absence of the Registered Nurse 3 supervisor.

Directs subordinate nursing personnel on a unit in a hospital or infirmary; serves as a charge nurse of a unit;

Assigns staff to patients in the ward; provides counseling and guidance, learning experiences and evaluates performance of staff;

Under the direction of a physician, mid-level provider, or supervising nurse, prepares, carries out, evaluates and revises treatment plans for individual patients based on personal observations and on the observations and recommendations of physicians, mid-level provider, psychiatrists, psychologists, social workers, and/or other nurses; coordinates communication between the physician, mid-level provider, social workers, psychologists, and practical nurses concerning nursing care and policies;

Assists the physician or mid-level provider with physical examinations, techniques and procedures;

Under the direction of a physician or mid-level provider, treats minor ailments; performs first aid;

Holds sick call and examines patients to determine their need for medical care;

Records and administers or oversees the administration of medications such as tranquilizers, anti seizure medications, immunizations, vitamins, blood transfusions, and antibiotics as directed by a physician or mid-level provider;

Observes and records the physical and mental condition of patients noting physical and/or behavioral changes, the effects of drugs, and incidents; takes and records blood pressure, pulse rate and body temperature of patients; evaluates physical and mental conditions of patients to determine whether they require the attention of a physician;

Takes samples of blood, urine, sputum, feces, gastric contents, gynecological cultures for laboratory tests; instructs patients on giving sputum, urine, and other specimens;

Cares for and counsels ill, injured or infirm patients; provides for the safety, comfort and protection of patients; responds to patients' needs; encourages healthy mental attitudes and new behavior patterns;

In a facility for the developmentally disabled, plans the health services including health screening and examination, development of nursing and residential care plan related to patient health, administration of medicine and other types of therapy within scope of physicians' approval, for a unit; trains residence care staff in handling of severe, multiple handicapped cases and handling occasions which would otherwise become medical emergencies; assures that nursing care programs for each patient are carried out, and reviews and revises these as needed;

Performs and documents for assigned patients: assessment and nursing diagnosis of patients; care planning; implementation of safe nursing care; evaluation of patient responses to nursing care; patient teaching; patient advocacy; admission, discharge and transfer processes;

Directs patients, families, visitors and staff members in emergencies and complex situations;

Initiates and evaluates overall care plan; involves patients and their families in care planning;

Applies appropriate policies, procedures, protocols, and standards of practice in performing clinical duties;

Participates in quality assurance program by identifying areas for investigation; assists in data collection, monitoring, and the development and implementation of corrective actions for the unit;

Contributes to the establishment and implementation of goals for the unit through staff meetings and other activities;

Acts as a preceptor for new graduates or experienced employees by assessing learning needs, developing, implementing and monitoring the learning plan, and evaluating the learner's progress;

Acts as a clinical resource to health care team members in identification and resolution of patient care problems to enhance effectiveness of the unit;

Sterilizes medical supplies; establishes security measures to prevent loss or theft of drugs and supplies; requisitions supplies; delivers and distributes supplies;

Performs related duties as required;

May supervise or direct the work of others.

Knowledge of: professional nursing principles and concepts; dynamics of interpersonal relationships; theory, science, and treatment techniques in a particular specialty area of practice such as mental health nursing, infection control, emergency response, etc.; available community resources.

Ability to: use nursing principles, judgment and knowledge; coordinate and provide professional nursing services; work effectively with others; assume responsibility for professional growth and development; work as a team member; communicate effectively with others.

A valid Washington State license to practice as a registered, professional nurse.

Persons legally authorized to work in the U.S. under federal law, including Deferred Action for Childhood Arrivals recipients, are eligible for employment unless prohibited by other state or federal law.

Graduation from an accredited school of professional nursing

AND

one year of professional nursing experience.

OR

Equivalent education/experience.