Perinatal Service Center RN - Gaithersburg Medical Center - Full-time / Part-time

The Perinatal Service Center Nurse provides individualized telephonic support, including in-depth patient education, monitoring and telephonic triage of a defined perinatal high risk population, in collaboration with multi-disciplinary health care teams.

Essential Functions:

* Collaborates with a multi-disciplinary health care team to implement a specific plan of care for defined perinatal high risk members, for optimal outcome of mothers and babies.

* Assists with and facilitates the identification and tracking of prenatal patients at risk for preterm labor, current pregnancy induced hypertension and others, per entrance criteria.

* Provides comprehensive educational interventions to defined members. Promotes member's understanding of her risk factors and her level of knowledge of signs and symptoms of complications. Includes verbal and written instructions on side effects and actions of prescribed medications.

* Collaborates with obstetricians, perinatologists and medical experts in following guidelines for care in addressing gestational diabetes, gestational hypertension, pre-term labor, and other high-risk clinical needs affecting pregnant members.

* Partners with the High Risk OB Case Manager to monitor the member's plan of care, including frequency of office visits, diagnostic procedures, and medical treatments; Analyze barriers that may impact the member's outcome; Provide assistance to defined members in the utilization of existing services within the organization and community.

* Coordinates the member's care upon discharge from hospital, with Kaiser Permanente Patient Care Coordinators as needed.

* Monitors member's outcome, including newborn level of nursery, length of hospital stay, gestational age at birth and birth weight.

* Assures the high risk member's ability to contact a perinatal nurse case manager during the defined business day, for non-urgent questions, problems, or education.

* Documents all member encounters according to department guidelines and applicable regulatory laws. Updates electronic medical record including metrics to be reported to Quality Resource Management and Quality Health Departments.

* Practices within ethical and legal guidelines using established policies and procedures for guidance.

* Maintains confidentiality of member records, information, and departmental activities involving member information.

* Participates in the training and orientation of new perinatal nurse staff and alerts manager to difficulties or situations that require the manger's personal attention.

* Promotes self-awareness and knowledge of current perinatal standards including recent innovations in patient care.

Basic Qualifications:

Experience

* One (1) year of Labor and Delivery or high risk obstetrics within the last 12 months required.

Education

* High School Diploma or General Education Development required.

License, Certification, Registration

* Current RN licensure in Maryland and Virginia (or a compact state license) required.

* Current RN licensure in DC within ninety (90) days of hire.

Additional Requirements:

* Excellent verbal and written communication skills required.

* Strong problem solving and decision making skills required.

* Proficiency of experience with high risk patient evaluation, including fetal monitoring (i.e., Non-stress test skills), current knowledge of medications for high risk conditions, competency in triaging OB high risk conditions required.

* Proficiency in the use of applicable computer software required.

Preferred Qualifications:

* Minimum three (3) years of Labor & Delivery in a high risk setting or high risk antepartum experience preferred.

* BSN or health related field preferred.

* Membership in Association of Women's Health, Obstetric, and Neonatal Nurses (AWHONN) preferred.

* Maternal Newborn Nursing Certification from National Certification Corporation preferred.