A Brief Overview

The Critical Care Transport Nurse is an experienced Registered Nurse with an overarching objective to provide safe efficient age specific nursing care to patients/families using the nursing process in order to assist them to attain, maintain, regain, and sustain optimal health status. Implements the nursing process by delivering effective relationship based nursing care. Demonstrates technical skills in care delivery that result in safe practice and positive care outcomes. Demonstrates clear communication and effective collaboration to optimize patient care and clinical operations. Develops self and contributes to the professional practice of nursing. Displays leadership that influences optimal clinical and operational outcomes. The Critical Care Transport Nurse (CCT-RN) is responsible to provide safe, comprehensive nursing care to critically ill and/or injured patients of all ages through having an in depth understanding of emergency procedures, critical interventions and diagnostics for patients who require a higher level of care than is immediately available at any referring facility both inside and outside of the UH Health System. The position is primarily serving patients requiring critical care ground or air transport. This position requires a team based approach where the CCT-RN is expected to have a minimum of three years (five years preferred) of current critical care/emergency experience, or in a high volume ground CCT or medical helicopter service. The CCT-RN will be required to complete both didactic and experiential learning during orientation and demonstrate and ability to care for patients in all age ranges inclusive of neonatal transport. The CCT-RN is expected to function at the highest levels within their scope of practice and to have demonstrated experience making advanced patient centric clinical decisions in order to ensure safe and timely movement of patients across the region. In addition, the CCT-RN is expected to have a working knowledge of and experience with advanced equipment above and beyond the standard competencies of a Registered Nurse in the emergency department or ICU/critical care setting, inclusive of vent management, use of high flow and other advanced airway machines and techniques, IABP, Impella devices, ECMO, and advanced airway management. In addition, this position requires critical decision making skills that operate in austere environments that could include scene responses with public safety to stabilize and deliver care above the capabilities of typical paramedic lead 911 ALS services. Ongoing training and education require substantial investments of time and this position requires obtaining and maintaining advanced certifications (ACLS, PALS, NRP, and TNATC, TNCC, ITLS, or PHTLS, etc.) and demonstrated procedural capabilities such as but not limited to rapid sequence intubation, vent management, and transport isolettes. This CCT-RN position is also expected to care for NICU patients and have demonstrated competencies in NICU and PICU care delivery. It is expected that this position obtains and maintain in good standing an additional critical care certification for nurses such as CFRN and upon completion of orientation should be prepared to provide care both on the ground during ambulance transport and via fixed and or rotor wing transport in a helicopter if required. Additionally, this position may be assigned to provide support to in-patient clinical services where the knowledge and skill of the CCT-RN contributes to the patient care plan.

What You Will Do

• Practice critical clinical decision making and deliver care to patients at the absolute top of the Nurse’s scope of practice in a team based care delivery model with the mission to stabilize and transport critically ill/injured patients from any environment (road side, residence, clinic, ED, hospital) via ground or rotor wing transport to tertiary care.
• Performs a wide range of specialized functions and complex assessments, diagnoses, therapies and emergency treatment of patients transported by rotor-wing and/or ground.
• Expected to learn and leverage advanced procedures and or equipment to support safe and effective care such as RSI, advanced airway management, ventilators, central lines, chest tubes, medication administration and titration, cardiac assist devices, IAPB, Impella, ECMO, and isolettes.
• Must excel at working in an interdisciplinary environment inclusive of physicians, advanced practicing providers, paramedics and EMTs, nursing, respiratory therapy, and other members of the clinical care team.
• Documents/Charts in a team based approach appropriate and accurate information for assessment and treatment during stabilization and transport. Assures provision of an accurate and complete billing information of patient transports.
• Must uphold and maintain all necessary certifications and demonstrated competencies as described by medical direction and clinical leadership.
• To qualify for flight transport duties, must complete and remain current in all related air transport safety classes, maintain a weight below 215 pounds, and meet the then current job fitness requirements which include strength, flexibility and lifting.

Additional Responsibilities

• May be assigned to support inpatient clinical services.
• Performs other duties as assigned.
• Complies with all policies and standards.
• For specific duties and responsibilities, refer to documentation provided by the department during orientation.
• Must abide by all requirements to safely and securely maintain Protected Health Information (PHI) for our patients. Annual training, the UH Code of Conduct and UH policies and procedures are in place to address appropriate use of PHI in the workplace.