Harrington Heart and Vascular Institute Acute Care Nursing Assistant II Float Position

Got a big heart and want to work with one of the best cardiovascular programs in the greater Cleveland area?  Then join us at University Hospitals Cleveland Medical Center Harrington Heart and Vascular Institute for a new graduate position in the newly piloted float pool. Harrington Heart and Vascular Institute in-patient closed unit structure creates a 90 bed staffing model consisting of 3 specialized cardiac/thoracic units: Lerner Tower 3, Lerner Tower 5, and Lerner Tower 7.  All divisions are 30 bed units featuring 5 lead continuous cardiac monitoring with future expansion of 9 of these beds functioning as a Stepdown Unit.  Below is a description of the specialized populations on each of the units:

Lerner Tower 3 Cardiac and Pulmonary Surgical Stepdown

• Primary focus: Cardiac and Thoracic Surgical Recovery
• Postop open heart surgery: Nursing care focusing on pain management, mobility, and pulmonary toileting. Chest tube drains may be present, and equipment like temporary pacemakers is common.
• Transplant:  Lerner Tower 3 SDU cares for Heart and Lung transplant patients once they are surgical stable and able to leave the ICU setting.
• Thoracic surgery: Primarily done to remove masses, fluid, or air from the pleural space. Includes lung resections and esophagostomies that are stabilized in the TSICU.  Care is focused on pain management, mobility, and pulmonary toileting. Chest tube drains are very common, and tube feeding is often seen in the post esophagectomy patient.
• Stepdown Focus (9 beds): High level, frequent assessment and monitoring currently performed in the CTICU such as arterial pressures, swan lines, post open heart procedures, and titration of drips.  Coming in November 2022

Lerner Tower 5 Cardiac Medical-Surgical Stepdown

• Primary focus: Medical management of high-risk cardiac conditions.
• Specialties include: Initiation, dose adjustment and symptom management of anti-dysrhythmic medications such as Tikosyn; management of pre and post cardiac invasive procedures such as EP studies, pacemaker insertions and heart stenting; care of acute and chronic heart failure; symptom management of advanced staged pulmonary hypertension; pre and post heart transplant care, and the care of ventricular assistive devices (VADs).
• Stepdown Focus (9 beds): High level, frequent assessment and monitoring currently performed in the CICU such as arterial pressures, swan lines, post TAVR procedures, and titration of drips. Opening November 2022

Lerner Tower 7 Interventional Cardiology and Vascular Unit

• Cardiovascular unit specializing in:
• Vascular Surgery, Electrophysiology procedures, Interventional Cardiology, Hospitalist and Neurology patients. As part of the Harrington Heart and Vascular Institute and Neurological Institute, we are proud to be the designated unit caring for patients with vascular, cardiac and neurological diseases.
• Common patient diagnoses include carotid endarterectomy, carotid artery stenting, cardiac catheterization, Transcatheter Aortic Valve Replacement (TAVR), afib ablation, aneurysm repair, stroke, ALS and autonomic disorders.
• Future expansion planned in 2023 to include a stepdown unit of 9 beds.  Description of services and full scope of unit is still in the developmental phase

Benefits of the Position

• Closed Unit Structure – important because candidates will primarily float within 3 cardiovascular units that share similarities but with different specialties (i.e telemetry, cardiovascular focused, etc.).  This can decrease anxiety associated with the “unknown float” where units are not defined and an employee can be asked to float anywhere in Acute Care.
• Work Experience – Floating within this structure leads to a broader development of cardiovascular nursing skill by having exposure to cardiac, thoracic, and vascular surgeries while also developing skills in chronic cardiac and pulmonary issues such as heart failure and pulmonary hypertension. 
• Institution of the Stepdown Units – With patients becoming sicker and ICU bed availability at a premium at main campus, the concept of the stepdown was born.  The care that will be provided in these units is currently being delivered in the ICU so it is not truly a stepdown in acuity but the opportunity to expand ICU level care within the inpatient setting. 
• Incorporation of skills as an ICU and Acute Care:  Many of the best ICU nurses developed their skills on an acute care floor before they transitioned.  However this role offers all new floats the opportunity to learn aspects of the acute care divisions, as well as ICU skills on the stepdown units.
• Flexible Scheduling: 12 hour shifts with the option for set weekend or choose 6 weekend shifts to work during a 6 week period.  Also open to employee chosen rotation schedules provided 3 weeks nights and 3 weeks days are met.  One popular model I remember is doing 3 weeks of nights at the end of the schedule and then 3 weeks to begin the next schedule.  This way it was 6 week of a straight shift over 2 schedules.  Can also discuss other scheduling options to keep the position attractive
• Holiday Requirements: 1 winter and 1 summer holiday of employee’s choosing.

Position Summary: 

The Nursing Assistant II (NA II) position is a PRN entry level position specifically used for RN nursing students. The position provides hands-on experience to help prepare nursing students for their first RN position. It is designed to build upon the experience gained in the classroom and during clinical rotations.

NA IIs work under the direction of an RN to provide safe, efficient, age-specific care to patients and families in order to assist them to attain, maintain, regain, and/or sustain optimal health status.  Responsibilities include:

1. Direct patient care delivery (includes ADLs, hygiene measures, select treatments, patient/family education, discharge preparation)
2. Communication and documentation of interventions and observations
3. Participation in quality improvement process
4. Involved in learning and self-improvement
5. Initiates and maintains a positive relationship with patients/customers and coworkers

Harrington Heart and Vascular Institute Acute Care Nursing Assistant II Float Position

Got a big heart and want to work with one of the best cardiovascular programs in the greater Cleveland area?  Then join us at University Hospitals Cleveland Medical Center Harrington Heart and Vascular Institute for a new graduate position in the newly piloted float pool. Harrington Heart and Vascular Institute in-patient closed unit structure creates a 90 bed staffing model consisting of 3 specialized cardiac/thoracic units: Lerner Tower 3, Lerner Tower 5, and Lerner Tower 7.  All divisions are 30 bed units featuring 5 lead continuous cardiac monitoring with future expansion of 9 of these beds functioning as a Stepdown Unit.  Below is a description of the specialized populations on each of the units:

Lerner Tower 3 Cardiac and Pulmonary Surgical Stepdown

• Primary focus: Cardiac and Thoracic Surgical Recovery
• Postop open heart surgery: Nursing care focusing on pain management, mobility, and pulmonary toileting. Chest tube drains may be present, and equipment like temporary pacemakers is common.
• Transplant:  Lerner Tower 3 SDU cares for Heart and Lung transplant patients once they are surgical stable and able to leave the ICU setting.
• Thoracic surgery: Primarily done to remove masses, fluid, or air from the pleural space. Includes lung resections and esophagostomies that are stabilized in the TSICU.  Care is focused on pain management, mobility, and pulmonary toileting. Chest tube drains are very common, and tube feeding is often seen in the post esophagectomy patient.
• Stepdown Focus (9 beds): High level, frequent assessment and monitoring currently performed in the CTICU such as arterial pressures, swan lines, post open heart procedures, and titration of drips.  Coming in November 2022

Lerner Tower 5 Cardiac Medical-Surgical Stepdown

• Primary focus: Medical management of high-risk cardiac conditions.
• Specialties include: Initiation, dose adjustment and symptom management of anti-dysrhythmic medications such as Tikosyn; management of pre and post cardiac invasive procedures such as EP studies, pacemaker insertions and heart stenting; care of acute and chronic heart failure; symptom management of advanced staged pulmonary hypertension; pre and post heart transplant care, and the care of ventricular assistive devices (VADs).
• Stepdown Focus (9 beds): High level, frequent assessment and monitoring currently performed in the CICU such as arterial pressures, swan lines, post TAVR procedures, and titration of drips. Opening November 2022

Lerner Tower 7 Interventional Cardiology and Vascular Unit

• Cardiovascular unit specializing in:
• Vascular Surgery, Electrophysiology procedures, Interventional Cardiology, Hospitalist and Neurology patients. As part of the Harrington Heart and Vascular Institute and Neurological Institute, we are proud to be the designated unit caring for patients with vascular, cardiac and neurological diseases.
• Common patient diagnoses include carotid endarterectomy, carotid artery stenting, cardiac catheterization, Transcatheter Aortic Valve Replacement (TAVR), afib ablation, aneurysm repair, stroke, ALS and autonomic disorders.
• Future expansion planned in 2023 to include a stepdown unit of 9 beds.  Description of services and full scope of unit is still in the developmental phase

Benefits of the Position

• Closed Unit Structure – important because candidates will primarily float within 3 cardiovascular units that share similarities but with different specialties (i.e telemetry, cardiovascular focused, etc.).  This can decrease anxiety associated with the “unknown float” where units are not defined and an employee can be asked to float anywhere in Acute Care.
• Work Experience – Floating within this structure leads to a broader development of cardiovascular nursing skill by having exposure to cardiac, thoracic, and vascular surgeries while also developing skills in chronic cardiac and pulmonary issues such as heart failure and pulmonary hypertension. 
• Institution of the Stepdown Units – With patients becoming sicker and ICU bed availability at a premium at main campus, the concept of the stepdown was born.  The care that will be provided in these units is currently being delivered in the ICU so it is not truly a stepdown in acuity but the opportunity to expand ICU level care within the inpatient setting. 
• Incorporation of skills as an ICU and Acute Care:  Many of the best ICU nurses developed their skills on an acute care floor before they transitioned.  However this role offers all new floats the opportunity to learn aspects of the acute care divisions, as well as ICU skills on the stepdown units.
• Flexible Scheduling: 12 hour shifts with the option for set weekend or choose 6 weekend shifts to work during a 6 week period.  Also open to employee chosen rotation schedules provided 3 weeks nights and 3 weeks days are met.  One popular model I remember is doing 3 weeks of nights at the end of the schedule and then 3 weeks to begin the next schedule.  This way it was 6 week of a straight shift over 2 schedules.  Can also discuss other scheduling options to keep the position attractive
• Holiday Requirements: 1 winter and 1 summer holiday of employee’s choosing.

Position Summary: 

The Nursing Assistant II (NA II) position is a PRN entry level position specifically used for RN nursing students. The position provides hands-on experience to help prepare nursing students for their first RN position. It is designed to build upon the experience gained in the classroom and during clinical rotations.

NA IIs work under the direction of an RN to provide safe, efficient, age-specific care to patients and families in order to assist them to attain, maintain, regain, and/or sustain optimal health status.  Responsibilities include:

1. Direct patient care delivery (includes ADLs, hygiene measures, select treatments, patient/family education, discharge preparation)
2. Communication and documentation of interventions and observations
3. Participation in quality improvement process
4. Involved in learning and self-improvement
5. Initiates and maintains a positive relationship with patients/customers and coworkers

Experience/Knowledge:  Thorough knowledge of nursing process and practice.  Successful completion of a RN Nursing Fundamentals course required. 

Special Skills, Equipment:  

Uses a wide variety of technical equipment to meet patient needs and prescribed medical therapies (i.e. stethoscope, thermometers, glucometers, and electronic monitoring devices).  Excellent communication skills.

Education:  

Current enrollment in an accredited A.D.N. nursing program required.  Current enrollment in a BSN nursing program preferred. 

Must have completed Foundations/Fundamentals clinical rotation through a RN nursing program prior to starting position. Successful completion of specialty area rotation may be required.