Supervisory Nurse (Clinical/Med-Surg) Joint Base San Antonio

Time to invest in some new footwear because if you’re San Antonio-bound, you’d better show up in boots! The Alamo City is one of the military’s most envied postings and is often referred to as “Military City USA”. Low cost of living, affordable homes, and the lack of state tax on retirement income are a few financial perks to living and retiring in this Texas city. A robust job market that seems partial to government and defense/security contracting ensures employment opportunities for spouses or transitioning service members. San Antonio is the country’s seventh fastest growing city yet has somehow managed to retain a “small town feel.” Quality schools and friendly locals (most with military ties) are additional  perks to living in San Antonio.

Some things you should know before you get here: trucks are the norm (the bigger, the better), love for The Spurs (NBA) runs deep, the H-E-B obsession is real (it’s a grocery store), rodeos are life, and don’t call it “San Antone”—that’s just wrong. The community boasts a vibrant Hispanic population, and enhances everything from the food, to the music, to community events. You don’t necessarily need to speak Spanish to get around, but you’d better know how to say barbacoa, tamales, and cascarones.

Name brand shopping (IKEA is the latest arrival of note), restaurants, and all variety of entertainment all add to San Antonio’s quality of life. SeaWorld, the San Antonio Zoo, Six Flags Fiesta Texas, and downtown museums are all fun outings for kids and families. Tube or kayak down a river, play or fish in the lakes, or relax by San Antonio’s famous downtown River Walk. Museums, art galleries, and historical landmarks—remember The Alamo?—round out San Antonio’s cultural offerings. Tex-mex cuisine arguably originated here, and some up and coming culinary trendsetters are making a name for themselves in the Pearl District downtown, alongside several notable breweries.

San Antonio has over 300 days of sunshine with some hot summers, mild winters and pleasant spring and fall seasons. San Antonio is in Bexar County (it’s pronounced “BEAR”) in south central Texas, and is just south of the gorgeous Hill Country. It’s only about two hours from Austin, the beach, or the desert.

Working for the Department of Defense comes with an abundance of benefits and perks to include competitive compensation packages, paid-time off, medical benefits, student loan repayments, and retirement package with Thrift Savings Plan to include matching employer contributions.

MAJOR DUTIES:

Serves as the Assistant Clinical Nurse Officer In Charge (CNOIC) within the Medical Nursing Service or Surgical Nursing Service. Utilizing the Patient Caring Touch System (PCTS), performs a variety of supervisory, administrative, and direct patient care duties as an extension and in support of the CNOIC. Works nontraditional work schedule and rotating shifts.

1. Supervisory Duties: Plans work to be accomplished by subordinates sets and adjusts short term priorities. Assigns work to subordinates based on scope of practice, and matches the complexity of the work with the nursing experience of the employee. Evaluates work of subordinates and participates in formal and informal counseling and coaching of subordinates. Participates in interviews of new personnel and makes recommendations for appointment, promotion or reassignment. Resolves employee complaints and refers serious and complex issues to higher level supervisor. Actively participate in developing performance standards for employees. Identifies developmental training needs of employees and provides or arranges for training and coaching of needed skills. Provides formal and informal instruction for nursing staff. Reviews and updates nursing policies and procedures, internal standing operating procedures, and patient education criteria in accordance with nursing practices and accreditation standards. Oversees scheduling of staff as deemed appropriate by unit/ward CNOIC. Serves as an active member of assigned hospital and Nursing Service committees. Ensures fiscal responsibility by providing guidance and oversight to the monitoring of supplies and materials. Utilizing the Team Concept, responsible for nursing care assignments to various skill levels of professional and nonprofessional personnel. Assigns nursing staff to patient care duties based on patient condition and expertise of individual staff members. Monitors, evaluates and oversees staff performance to assure work is accomplished in a timely manner. Ensures staff makes legible, accurate and complete nursing entries in the patient chart. Ensures appropriate patient education occurs during the shift and that the appropriate responses to patient emergencies are made. Reviews physician's orders written during the shift and assists on clarification of orders if necessary. Reviews and assists with revision of nursing care plans as needed. Ensures physicians are advised of significant changes in a patient's condition in a timely manner. Initiates and plans care conferences for individual patients as needed. Coordinates and assures timely arrival of patients to scheduled procedures during hospitalization. Monitors and oversees staff during orientation/preceptor ship periods to verify appropriate training is being provided. Approves short-term emergency or sick leave requested during the shift. Initiates call back of off-duty nurses and other personnel as required by unexpected emergencies. Ensures completion of documentation for quality assurance problems, unusual occurrences, on-the-job injuries, or staff performance issues. Assists with visits by distinguished visitors from all levels of the military and educational community. 

2. Patient Care Duties: Provides comprehensive nursing care to patients on one or more units (surgical, medical or combined units). Nursing care is provided to patients based on physician's medical care plan and the physical, mental and emotional needs of the patient. Systematically collects data through interviews, observation, physical examination and review of medical record. Evaluates information and makes professional assessment of the patient's physical, developmental, social spiritual, emotional and mental status. Collaborates with multidisciplinary team to plan, implement, evaluate patient care and resolve issues related to patient care, communication, policies and resources. Interprets and reports abnormal diagnostic data and changes in signs and symptoms; modifies plan of care accordingly. Identifies situations in which the physician should be notified immediately. Documents appropriately in medical record. Administers oxygen, IV fluid, blood transfusion and prescribed medications. Sets up, operates and monitors specialized equipment such as cardiac monitors, defibrillators, patient controlled anesthesia pumps, sequential compression devices, wound vacuums, etc. Manages nasal, pharyngeal, gastric suction and chest tubes as well as a variety of other drainage tubes. Initiates emergency treatment when necessary (e.g. CPR, ACLS).

Performs other duties as assigned.

Basic Requirements:

US Citizenship required

Employee must have a current, active, unrestricted, valid Registered Nurse license in at least one US state or province/territory of the United States.

Employee must have a current Basic Life Support (BLS) certification.

Advanced Cardiac Life Support (ACLS) is highly desirable.

Position is Designated Testing Position (DTP) for drugs.

Position requires the incumbent to have passed a Child Background Check (works with Adolescent patient).

Position may require incumbent to work alternate shifts.

* This position is subject to drug testing if the incumbent:

Has direct patient contact or performs diagnostic or therapeutic functions

Extracts or works with patients' body fluids or tissues; prepares patient specimens for examination, performs specialized or non-routine tests on body fluids or tissue samples, or confirms patients' test results

Maintains, stores, safeguards, inputs, fills or distributes drugs and medicines

This position has a mandatory seasonal influenza vaccination requirement and is therefore subject to annual seasonal influenza vaccinations. Applicants tentatively selected for appointment to this position will be required to sign a statement (Condition of Employment) consenting to seasonal influenza vaccinations.