Registered Nurse-Cardiovascular Full Time Nights Sign On Bonus Eligible
Northwestern Medicine
Summary
At Northwestern Medicine we provide personalized, expert care for our patients through every step of their heart-health journey. Our CVICU Registered Nurses specialize in caring for patients in the Cardiovascular Intensive Care Unit (CVICU). These patients often present with complex cardiac conditions that require vigilant monitoring, advanced assessments, and specialized medical interventions. CVICU nurses collaborate closely with a multidisciplinary care team—including cardiologists, cardiac surgeons, respiratory therapists, and other clinical specialists—to deliver coordinated, comprehensive care tailored to each patient's needs.
Job description
Responsibilities
Relationship to Patient/Family and Community Care Coordination
- Performs a comprehensive assessment on all assigned patients as evidenced by completed documentation.
- Communicates changes in patient's condition promptly.
- Utilizes appropriate nursing diagnosis and data from the assessment to derive realistic outcomes and documents them as measurable goals on the plan of care; modifies care plan, if indicated.
- Identifies and prioritizes patient needs and/or nursing diagnosis for patients and documents.
- Collaborates with patient, family, and other members of the health care team when planning patient care and documents accordingly.
- Assesses patients with regard to discharge planning and makes the appropriate referrals as necessary, including palliative care.
- Evaluates and documents the patient response to nursing interventions and alters the plan of care as necessary.
- Assures completed discharge instructions, medication reconciliation and provides information to patient/family regarding the use of the patient portal and other pertinent resources.
Patient Education/Ethic and Diversity
- Supports patient/family/spiritual/cultural needs when assessing the patient and family needs for teaching; identifies the patient's learning level and readiness, and documents education record.
- Utilizes the teach back methodology for advancing patient education about medication side effects and new medication education.
- Utilizes and distributes Krames for patient education/clinical condition.
- Utilizes culture vision as a resource in care planning and delivery.
- Treats patients, families and staff in a caring manner with respect and dignity.
- Acknowledges and values the contributions of patient's significant others as an integral part of the plan of care.
- Adheres to ethical standards of practice and calls for an ethics consult when appropriate.
EBP and Research
- Implements nursing interventions consistent with the established plan of care based on evidenced based care.
- Maintains and advances the professional image and science of nursing through use of best available evidence utilizing resources such as Ovid/Joanna Briggs, Up to Date, Culture Vision, and other reliable sources of evidence.
- Demonstrates active involvement in clinical LADDER project or process improvement at the unit/organization level.
Healing Safe Environment
- Demonstrates safe medication administration through the use of bar coding.
- Promotes and strives to protect the health, safety and rights of the patient.
- Conveys complete, timely, and accurate information at bedside shift report/hand-off.
- Rounds hourly in collaboration with patient care technician.
- Protects patients by maintaining a safe environment of excellence.
- Demonstrates innovation and participation in meeting unit based and organizational quality metrics on the exceptional care dashboard.
- Ensures clinical practice excellence that focuses on preventing pressure ulcers, falls, CAUTI's and central line infections.
- Participates as a unit safety facilitator or as identified resource for quality initiatives as requested.
- Participates in unit huddles.
Relationship to Colleagues Shared Leadership
- Oversees and directs the work of patient care or support techs; maintains overall accountability for the care of assigned patients.
- Demonstrates effective interpersonal skills in leading and directing others; deals with conflict directly and appropriately.
- Demonstrates proficiency in the charge nurse/preceptor role when assigned; assumes responsibility for coordinating patient care for the entire unit.
- Takes the clinical lead when patient's condition changes and confers with the primary care physician about the appropriate treatment plan or the need to transfer to the appropriate level of care.
- Serves as a resource and role model for new staff, students, and other system personnel.
- Assists with precepting, unit orientation, and mentoring as requested.
- Participates in the peer evaluation process by providing feedback to colleagues on a regular basis, and through participation in clinical case peer review.
- Works collaboratively with all hospital services to responsibly accomplish daily work and maintain an environment of excellence.
- Identifies barriers to effective clinical practice and communicates to nursing leadership and practice operations council.
Resource Utilization
- Ensures an appropriate level of care order is documented in the EMR for all admissions.
- Understands and adheres to the charging of supplies.
- Participates in any value based unit/organizational initiative.
- Demonstrates a personal commitment to decreasing utilization overtime hours.
Use of Technology
- Assures all electronic and paper documentation is complete.
- Utilizes the guardrails for the Alaris pump.
- Understands physiologic monitoring and the implications to drive changes to clinical management of the patient.
- Utilizes the bed management system.
- Identifies new technologies for unit, hospital or system use.
- Participates in CEOC activities for the advancement and optimization of the medical record as requested.
Relationship to Self Professional Practice
- Attends internal professional development offerings i.e. Schwartz Rounds, Nursing Grand Rounds.
- Obtains certification in the nursing specialty of practice.
- Demonstrates accountability for his/her professional practice-competencies, ELM learning, dress code adherence.
- Participates in professional organization through membership, leadership, or committee work.
- Takes assigned lunch breaks.
Qualifications
Required:
- Bachelor of Science in Nursing (BSN)
- Current State of Illinois Registered Professional Nurse
- Basic Life Support
- Strong interpersonal skills
- Ability to collaborate with others
- Strong analytic abilities
- Associate Degree Nursing (ADN) acceptable with commitment to obtain a BSN from an accredited program within three years of first day of employment in clinical nurse role.
Preferred:
- National Certification in area of specialty
- Two years of experience in ICU setting
Requirements
- Bachelor of Science in Nursing (BSN)
- Current State of Illinois Registered Professional Nurse
- Basic Life Support
- Strong interpersonal skills
- Ability to collaborate with others
- Strong analytic abilities
- Associate Degree Nursing (ADN) acceptable with commitment to obtain a BSN within three years
- National Certification in area of specialty (preferred)
- Two years of experience in ICU setting (preferred)
Benefits
- Tuition Reimbursement
- Loan Forgiveness
- 401(k) Matching
- Lifecycle Benefits
- Sign-On Bonus
Company overview
Northwestern Medicine is a premier integrated academic health system and the healthcare network of Northwestern University, headquartered in Chicago, Illinois. Established in 2009 through the collaboration between Northwestern Memorial HealthCare and Northwestern University Feinberg School of Medicine, the system represents a strategic partnership to transform healthcare delivery. As an academic medical center, Northwestern Medicine encompasses comprehensive research, medical education, and patient care activities across its extensive network. The system operates 11 hospitals and more than 200 locations throughout the Chicagoland area, anchored by its flagship Northwestern Memorial Hospital in downtown Chicago. With over 33,000 employees and more than 4,400 aligned physicians, the organization provides advanced medical care across nearly every specialty. Northwestern Medicine is nationally recognized for its excellence in oncology, cardiology, orthopedics, neurology, and women's health services. The system maintains strong affiliations with the Feinberg School of Medicine, Lurie Children's Hospital, and the Shirley Ryan AbilityLab, fostering an environment of continuous innovation and scientific discovery. Five of its hospitals are ranked among "America's Best" by U.S. News & World Report, reflecting its commitment to superior quality, patient safety, and academic excellence in healthcare delivery.