Job Description

Assumes responsibility for the daily clinical operation of the Specialty Ophthalmology Clinic. Functions as a primary source for assistance and guidance on clinical issues to Nursing Staff. Coordinates the day-to-day running of the unit, ensuring that patients are discharged on time and coordinates patient admissions from other departments under the guidance of the line manager.

Responsibilities

General:

• Provides age-specific patient-centered care utilizing the nursing process:
  • Performs patient assessment using appropriate, problem-focused, and age-specific assessment techniques.
  • Performs continual critical care assessment of patient, and family’s physical and psychological needs.
  • Involves the patient, significant others, and health care providers in the plan of care when appropriate.
  • Collaborates with a multi-disciplinary team to provide patient care.
  • Coordinates and plans critical care/clinical pathway, and prioritizes care, based on individual needs. Revise the care plan as necessary.
  • Initiates appropriate transfer plan.
  • Recognizes subtle cues to anticipate potential problems.
  • Documents all relevant data in the medical record according to hospital/departmental standards.
  • Ensures availability and maintenance of supplies and equipment needed for the unit and patient care.
  • Performs clerical duties when needed.
  • Assumes responsibility for meeting Joint Commission International (JCI) required mandatory education (e.g., fire, safety, infection control and others).
  • Participates in staff meetings and unit committees/projects.
• Participates in developing and achieving unit goals.
• Performs additional duties when required.
• Maintains a safe environment for patients and staff.
• Performs safe handling and administrating of Narcotic/Controlled and Semi-Controlled Drugs and documentation as directed by policies and procedures.
• Ensures completion of both core and unit-specific competencies upon joining, annually thereafter, or whenever necessitated by new services, specialized equipment, or updated technology. 
• Maintains clinical and professional competency based on the latest research and established standards of practice.
• Participates in unit-based Continuous Quality Improvement (CQI) activities (data collection, CQI teams, incident reporting, customer complaint reporting, medication error reporting etc.)
• Participates in ongoing educational activities.
• Maintains mandatory educational requirements, as well as Resuscitation Quality Improvement (RQI), are completed.

Operational Management:

• Assists staff nurses and care assistants in planning, implementing, and evaluating direct patient care.
• Ensures accurate nursing documentation is maintained according to hospital policy and procedures.
• Collaborates with patients, families, and healthcare professionals to achieve optimal patient outcomes.
• Promotes incident, customer complaint and patient satisfaction survey reporting to improve patient and family care.
• Assists in creating a safe and friendly environment for all patients, their families, and other staff members. 
• Maintains effective communication between patients, nurses, and physicians regarding follow-up care/instructions.
• Maintains updated service-specific competencies – according to guidelines. 
• Provides supervision and advice to nursing staff regarding patients’ enquiries. 
• Participates in and maintains clinic-specific Key Performance Indicator (KPI) audits and other data including nursing documentation, closing Customer Relationship Management (CRM) on time, checking the Press Ganey and addressing any patient complaint.
• Ensures the nursing pre-screening is done 48 hours before any appointment.
• Ensures that the quality checklist is met at all times. For any deficiencies, ensure an action plan is put in place and followed.
• Ensures the monthly submission of the environmental rounds audit report and follow-up on deficiencies.
• Ensures clinic stock level is within the required Par level and works with Materials Management to decrease nonmoving and slow-moving items.
• Ensures closure of Customer Relationship Management (CRM) requests accurately within the allotted time frame.
• Ensures all items in the Quality Round are met and places an action plan for those not met.
• Supports in the preparation of the nursing clinical slides and includes them in the monthly Quality Improvement (QI) meeting.
• Follows up on all approved and not utilized tests and ensure that they are scheduled.
• Follows up with the insurance coordinator on all approvals that are pending and ensure all patients are updated on the status.
• Ensures no walkouts take place in the clinic.
• Closes on time all safe points and ensures they are being addressed and the root cause analysis is figured out.
• Ensures all the clinical KPIs are placed monthly on the Patient Safety Data Board.
• Ensures Patient Tracker is updated. 
• Ensures staff are following the dress code.

Unit Specific:

• Performs nursing interventions/procedures per established standards of care (Competency List “Green Book”) policy and procedures including but not limited to:
  • Assists with Intravitreal injection procedures.
  • Supports in Chalazion excision and lesion excision procedures.
  • Assists in Retinal laser and Panretinal Photocoagulation (PRP).
  • Aids in Glaucoma laser procedures, specifically Selective Laser Trabeculoplasty (SLT).
  • Assists with Yag Capsulotomy laser treatments.

Qualifications

• Bachelor’s degree in nursing (minimum of three (3) years full-time course duration) or
• Degree in Nursing (minimum two (2) years course duration) and Registration as a Registered Nurse from Canada, USA, UK, Ireland, South Africa, New Zealand, and Australia.
• For UAE nationals graduates of UAE or non-UAE universities are exempted from the experience and clinical training requirements for the applied title. (UAE National must submit a copy of their birth certificate and the mother’s family book).
• Non-UAE national graduates from UAE universities are required to successfully complete six (6) months of clinical training post-graduation in an APS health facility (except for Registered and assistant Nurse titles).
• Must hold a valid License/Registration to practice in their home country and/or country of last employment (where applicable).
• Must hold a minimum of a valid Basic Life Support (BLS) Certification or others according to the scope of practice.

PROFESSIONAL EXPERIENCE:

• Minimum of three (3) to five (5) years of recent post-graduate experience in Ophthalmology Nursing.
• Previous Team Leader or Senior Registered Nurse experience is an advantage.
• Knowledge of and ability to render care and services based on age, appropriateness, and developmental needs of patients.
• Skills in the assessment of patient and family’s physical and psychological needs.
• Skills in coordination and planning of care and prioritising care based on individual needs.