About Job

Job Objective:

Coordination of all Prehospital and Mobile Intensive Care Nurse (MICN) activities sponsored by Antelope Valley Medical Center when acting as a base hospital in compliance with the Paramedic Base Hospital Agreement and in accordance with the policies, procedures and protocols established by the Los Angeles County EMS Agency.

Essential Duties and Responsibilities:

Serves as a liaison by maintaining effective lines of communication with base hospital personnel, the local EMS Agency, EMS provider agencies, and local receiving facilities
Develops and maintains a quality improvement (QI) plan to:
- Identify important aspects of Prehospital care and develop related QI indicators.
- Evaluate Prehospital care, service, and trends to identify opportunities for improvement.
- Improve Prehospital care and service delivery, assist in problem solving, and reevaluate the effectiveness of those actions.
- Identify relevant topics for continuing education program.
Develops and institutes Prehospital care education programs for MICNs, paramedics, paramedic trainees, and base hospital physicians (in collaboration with the Base Hospital Medical Director) as per Los Angeles County EMS Agency Ref. #310. Programs shall include, but are not limited to, specific issues identified by quality improvement activities. Education requirements include the provision of:
- An accumulative average of twelve (12) hours of education per year, of which an average of six (6) hours per year are field care audits.
- A mechanism for providing and evaluating structured clinical experience.
- A mechanism to facilitate the scheduling of field observation experience for MICNs.
- Special and mandatory training programs deemed necessary by the EMS Agency. Mandatory classes shall be given and scheduled, at a minimum, three (3) sessions so as to provide continuing education to the majority of the ALS Units assigned to the base hospital.
- Orientation to the Prehospital program for new base hospital staff.
Evaluates the performance of MICN candidates and submits recommendations for certification and recertification to the EMS Agency (Ref. No. 1010.4 LA County Prehospital Care Manual). Such evaluation shall include, but not be limited to:
- Direct observation of radio performance.
- Audit of taped communications.
- Observation of patient assessment and clinical judgment skills (in conjunction with the Emergency Department Management team).
- Review of written documentation.
- Provide written evaluation of the MICNs for hospital performance review.
Collaborates with the Base Hospital Medical Director and the Provider Agency to provide ongoing evaluation of assessment, reporting, communication and technical skills of assigned paramedics. Such evaluation shall include, but not be limited to:
- Audit of audio recorded communications.
- Review of EMS Report Forms in collaboration with assigned ALS Unit(s}.
- Coordination of structured field observation experience including transfer of patient care upon arrival at the receiving facility.
- Coordination of direct observation of performance during scheduled clinical hours in the emergency department.
Ensures, in conjunction with the Base Hospital Medical Director, that all personnel assigned to communicate with paramedics in the field have been adequately trained in the operation of the base station equipment.
Coordinates, in conjunction with the Base Hospital Medical Director, a monthly base hospital meeting which should include representation from hospital administration, MICNs, base hospital physicians, and EMS providers for the purpose of:
- Providing updates on policies, procedures, and protocols.
- Providing orientation to field and base hospital operations.
- Providing a forum for problem-solving.
Submit the following documents to the EMS Agency:
- Monthly: a continuing education schedule for the upcoming month.
- Quarterly: base hospital meeting minutes.
- Annually (by January 31 of each year): a summary of continuing education classes including the date, course title, category, and number of continuing education hours.
- Within 30 days: rosters of courses mandated by the EMS Agency.
Complies with data collection requirements as outlined in the Paramedic Base Hospital Agreement.
Ensures compliance with requirements for retention and release of taped communications, Base Hospital Forms, logs and information sheets, and maintain retrieval system in collaboration with hospital's medical record department.
Maintains Licensing, certification, and continuing education records (Ref. No. 1013-LA County Prehospital Care Manual).
Maintains and updates pertinent Antelope Valley Medical Center policies and procedures in regards to base hospital operations.
Serves as Reddinet Coordinator for Antelope Valley Medical Center.
Reports to the EMS Agency, in conjunction with the Base Hospital Medical Director, and action of certified or licensed personnel, which results in apparent deficiencies in medical care or constitutes a violation under Section 1798.200 of the Health &Safety Code.
Represents the base hospital at system wide and/or regional meetings sponsored by the EMS Agency that address Prehospital care issues and participates in committees and other task forces that may be developed.
- Collaborates with the Emergency Department Management Team in evaluating, developing and implementing educational programs, policies and procedures, and staff performance.
Provides verbal and written feedback to the Department Manager/Director regarding staff performance issues.

Non-Essential Duties:

Copying, faxing.

Knowledge, Skills and Abilities:

Knowledge

Knowledge of Emergency Department nursing care, assessment and triage.
Knowledge of Pre-Hospital Care Protocols and Base Hospital radio communication systems.
Knowledge of Pediatric Specific Emergency Care.Knowledge and ability to practice as defined by California Nurse Practice Act, Emergency Nursing Scope of and Standards of Practice, ANA Scope and Standards of Practice and ANA Code of Ethics in coordination with hospital policy and procedure
Knowledge of nursing sensitive indicators and demonstrated knowledge regarding special needs and behaviors of age specific groups
Demonstrates knowledge of legal and regulatory aspects of care, knowledge of legal documents pertinent to unit / areas of care
Demonstrates knowledge and competency on hospital information system
Knowledge of Windows operating system and Microsoft Office software
Intermediate to advanced knowledge of information systems, including spreadsheet and database management systems
Demonstrates knowledge of patient rights

Skills

Skilled in preparation and presentation of training and educational material to individuals as well as group assembly
Skilled proficiency in the use of Microsoft Office
Skills established to follow customer service expectations and standards
Skilled in reading, analyzing and interpreting common scientific, and technical and specialty journals, as well as understanding regulatory requirements
Skilled in the nursing process and effective decision making when establishing a plan of care
Skilled in Time Management to provide excellent patient care
Skilled in the safe and effective usage of all equipment necessary to provide patient care
Skilled in personnel management through coordination and cooperation
Excellent problem-solving, time management and organizational skills
Skilled to prepare complete and implement performance improvement initiatives and recommendations after appropriate analyses of relevant and reliable information
Excellent oral and written communication skills

Abilities

Ability to demonstrate personal motivation and initiative
Ability to define problems by collecting data in a timely and accurate manner, establishing facts and drawing valid conclusions
Ability to interpret an extensive variety of technical instructions in mathematical or diagram form and deal with several abstract and concrete variables
Ability to give and support the highest level of customer satisfaction at all times by providing a high degree of interaction with patient’s and family members utilizing compassion and fostering effective communication
Ability to work as a team player
Ability to communicate effectively while maintaining good working relationships with coworkers, managers, and all other hospital staff
Ability to follow direction, accepts, and utilizes constructive criticism
Ability to prioritize and maintain organizational work flow
Ability to function effectively under pressure, stress, emotion and physical conditions while meeting time parameters
Ability to plan educational programs based upon a needs assessment
Ability to develop educational staff resources
Ability to plan and coordinate educational opportunities to accommodate the needs of all shifts.
Ability to coordinate unit activities and unit staffing pattern
Ability to actively participate in recruitment, retention, and development of employees and students

Core Competencies: All AVMC employees will effectively demonstrate these behaviors:

Accountability

Action Oriented

Customer Focused

Compassion

Effective Communication

Teamwork

Ethics & Values

Integrity & Trust

Education and Experience:

Education

Bachelors of Science in Nursing (BSN) or currently enrolled in a Bachelors of Science in Nursing program.
CPR, ACLS, PALS required
ENPC required within 6 months of hire
TNCC required within 9 months of hire

Experience

Experienced in and knowledge of:

o Base hospital radio operations

o EMS agency policies and procedures

o Paramedic Base Hospital Agreement

Experienced in and knowledge of Pediatric Emergency Care
Three years clinical nursing experience in a mixed patient population or Pediatric Emergency Department is required
Pre-Hospital care experience is preferred
Experience in quality data measurement, collection, and analysis preferred
Computer skills, including use of Windows and Microsoft Office

Required Licensure and/or Certifications:

Possession of a valid Registered Nurses license issued by the State of California
Be certified as a Mobile Intensive Care Nurse (MICN) in the County of Los Angeles
Possession of a current Emergency Nurses Pediatric Course (ENPC) certification, Instructor certification is preferred.
American Heart Association: Basic Life Support Provider, Advanced Cardiac Life Support, and Pediatric Advanced Life Support provider certification, instructor certification is preferred.
Possession of a Trauma Nursing Core Course (TNCC) certificate is preferred.
Possession of a Certified Emergency Nursing (CEN) certificate is preferred.
Possession of a Pre-Hospital Trauma Life Support (PHTLS) certification preferred.

AVMC Conduct/Compliance Expectations:

Ability to adhere with AVMC Leaves of Absence Policy

Ability to adhere with AVMC Paid Time Off (PTO) Policy

Ability to adhere with AVMC Recording of Hours Worked Policy

Ability to adhere to the department dress code

Ability to organize work and establish priorities

Ability to expand on own initiative in performance of duties

Skill and ability to follow the telephone etiquette/standards

Conforms to AVMC Standards of Excellence

Ability to function effectively under pressure and meet time parameters

Ability to communicate effectively while maintaining good working relationships with co-workers, managers and other hospital staff

Ability to adhere to the normal standards of courtesy and conduct as defined under the rules of hospitality at AVMC

Ability to maintain the confidentiality of patient, hospital and department information

Ability to adhere to safety rules and regulations

Safely and effectively uses all equipment necessary to carry out duties

Ability to interpret and function under hospital and department policies and procedures

Conforms with required and appropriate Joint Commission requirements

Conforms with and supports hospital quality assurance and improvement guidelines

Ability to participate effectively in department and hospital staff education

Display a willingness to work as a team player

Ability to give and support the highest level of patient/customer satisfaction at all times

Supports and adheres to the values and mission statement established by the AVMC Board of Directors

Physical Requirements and Working Conditions:

Work is performed in a high paced and sometimes stressful environment.

A detailed description of the physical requirements of this job is maintained in the Employee Health Department.

NOTE: THE ABOVE STATEMENTS ARE INTENDED TO DESCRIBE THE GENERAL NATURE AND LEVEL OF WORK PERFORMED BY PEOPLE ASSIGNED TO THIS JOB. THIS DOCUMENT IS NOT INTENDED TO BE AN EXHAUSTIVE LIST OF ALL RESPONSIBILITIES, SKILLS, AND WORKING CONDITIONS FOR THE PERSONNEL SO CLASSIFIED.