Job Summary: A Senior ICU Staff member (such as a Senior Staff Nurse or Nurse in Charge) serves as the frontline clinical leader in the intensive care unit. They are responsible for managing high-acuity patients, operating complex life-support systems, mentoring junior nurses, and coordinating emergency interventions alongside the multidisciplinary medical team.
Key Responsibilities. Patient Assessment & Care
- Conduct comprehensive, real-time clinical assessments of critically ill patients.
- Monitor complex, multi-organ clinical data derived from invasive and non-invasive monitors (e.g., hemodynamic parameters, intracranial pressures, and cardiac rhythms).
- Develop, implement, and adjust individualized nursing care plans based on patient responses.
2. Clinical Procedures & Interventions
- Manage highly specialized critical care therapies, including mechanical ventilation, inotropic support, and sedation/analgesia protocols.
- Assist intensivists and physicians with complex procedures such as endotracheal intubation, central line insertion, and lumbar punctures.
- Administer high-risk medications and intravenous fluids precisely as prescribed, following strict safety protocols.
- Perform immediate life-saving interventions and respond to Code Blue / medical emergencies.
3. Team Leadership & Unit Operations
- Lead daily ICU shifts, allocating patient assignments based on staff skill mix and patient acuity.
- Supervise, mentor, and train junior nursing staff, student nurses, and support workers.
- Act as a professional role model, assisting staff with complex troubleshooting and problem-solving.
- Coordinate with the hospital’s bed managers and multidisciplinary teams to ensure smooth patient admissions, transfers, and discharges.
4. Documentation & Communication
- Maintain accurate, meticulous, and up-to-date patient records and clinical charts.
- Utilize the SBAR (Situation, Background, Assessment, Recommendation) format for shift-change handovers to ensure continuity of care.
- Communicate updates to patients' families with empathy and clarity regarding prognosis and care plans.
5. Infection Control & Safety
- Enforce strict infection prevention and control (IPC) protocols, ensuring adherence to hand hygiene and PPE requirements.
- Regularly inspect and calibrate ICU life-support machines and emergency equipment, reporting any faults to biomedical engineering.
Key Result Areas (KRAs)
1. Patient Safety & Clinical Outcomes
- Target: Zero incidence of preventable hospital-acquired complications (e.g., ventilator-associated pneumonia, central-line infections, and pressure ulcers).
2. Documentation Accuracy & Handover Compliance
- Target: 100% accuracy and timely completion of hourly vital sign charting, intake/output balances, and medication administration records.
- Target: Zero discrepancies during shift-to-shift SBAR clinical handovers.
3. Equipment Management & Readiness
- Target: 100% operational readiness of crash carts, defibrillators, and emergency airway equipment.
- Target: All medical devices and consumables checked monthly to ensure zero expired items are present on the unit.
4. Team Supervision & Shift Management
- Target: High shift efficiency—ensuring staff are appropriately allocated and junior staff competencies are signed off.
- Target: Manage staff-related shift conflicts and handle attendant grievances promptly and professionally.
5. Quality Assurance & Audits
- Target: Successfully execute regular clinical audits (e.g., hand hygiene compliance, medication error audits) and implement recommended corrective action plans. [1]
- Target: 100% compliance with critical protocols, including DVT prophylaxis and stress ulcer prophylaxis.
Key Requirements / Qualifications
- Education: Bachelor of Science in Nursing (BSc) or Diploma in General Nursing and Midwifery (GNM). Post-basic specialty certification or diploma in Critical Care Nursing is strongly preferred.
- Experience: Minimum of 5 to 8 years of active critical care nursing experience, with at least 1 to 2 year in a senior or charge nurse capacity.
- Certifications: Valid state nursing registration and active certifications in ACLS (Advanced Cardiac Life Support) and BLS (Basic Life Support).
- Core Competencies: Advanced mechanical ventilation management, hemodynamic monitoring proficiency, excellent crisis management, and strong interpersonal skills.
Work Location: In person
