Labor and Delivery Registered Nurse Onsite in Misawa Japan

Minimum Qualifications:

• Baccalaureate Degree in Nursing or an Associate Degree in Nursing or a Diploma from a Nursing Program accredited by the National League for Nursing Accrediting Commission (NLNAC).
• Minimum of two (2) year experience as an inpatient labor and delivery nurse is required. One (1) year of experience with postpartum and newborn nursery is highly desired. All experiences should be within the last five (5) years.
• Certifications:
  • Advanced Life Support (ALS)
  • Basic Life Support (BLS)
  • Neonatal Resuscitation Program (NRP)
  • Intermediate Fetal Heart Monitoring
  • One of the following is required: Association of Women’s Health Obstetrics and Neonatal Nurse (AWHONN), GE healthcare, or National Certification Corporation (NCC) test for Electronic Fetal Monitoring (EFM). The Government may approve an alternate course.
• Possess and maintain a current unrestricted license to practice as a registered nurse in any one of the 50 States, the District of Columbia, the Commonwealth of Puerto Rico, Guam or the U.S. Virgin Islands
• Be in good standing, and under no restrictions, with the state licensure board in any state in which a license is held or has been held within the last 10 years.
• Be in good standing and under no sanction or suspension by the Federal Government.
• Possess a Neonatal Resuscitation Provider (NRP) certifications. HCWs not currently in possession of current certification must acquire certification prior to initiating contract performance. Web based classes do not meet these standards.
• Able to read, write, speak, and understand the English language fluently and maintain good communication skills with patients and other health care personnel.
• Ability to pass all background/suitability checks.
• A valid driver’s license; ability to travel locally as needed.
• Must be a US Citizen
• Must obtain Defense Health Agency (DHA) competencies for labor and delivery nurses within 30-60 days, as well as certifications and competencies such as NMRTC Yokosuka nurse corps competencies, unit/departmental competencies, command orientation (e.g., IV, medications and blood administration) in accordance with the directorate nursing services and base-wide command policy not later than 60-90 days after commencement of services, including MTF observation of three completed IV sticks during this time.
• Emergency Clinical Obstetrics (ECO), Sugar, Temperature, Airway, Blood pressure, Lab work, and Emotional support (STABLE) is mandatory within 30-90 duty days of arrival.

Preferred Qualifications:

• Work experience for Level 1 Labor and Delivery, American College of Obstetricians and Gynecologists (ACOG) for reference level of maternal care.
• Understanding of the military lifestyle and experience working with military family members.
• Knowledge of relevant military, state, federal, and local laws and resources.
• Possession of, or familiarity with, the following certifications is not required but highly preferred:
  • Emergency Clinical Obstetrics (ECO) or Advanced Life Support in Obstetrics (ALSO)
  • Sugar, Temperature, Airway, Blood pressure, Lab work, Emotional support (STABLE)
• Active Security Clearance.

Job Duties

• Coordinates patient care across the continuum to ensure high-quality, safe, and cost-effective care and establishes priorities based on triage, nursing diagnoses, patient needs, and expected outcomes.
• Provides nursing care to routine and high-risk obstetrical patients and newborns in Antepartum, Labor & Delivery, Postpartum, Neonatal/Rooming-In/Nursery, and Obstetric Triage settings.
• Develops and implements nursing care plans, clinical pathways, and standing orders and collaborates with multidisciplinary teams to evaluate therapies and interventions.
• Makes patient care assignments based on scope of practice, competency, and skill level and participates in orientation, training, mentoring, and competency verification of staff.
• Performs sterile vaginal and speculum examinations, electronic fetal monitoring, tocometry, and other diagnostic procedures and prepares patients for surgery, ultrasound, amniocentesis, and other prescribed procedures.
• Provides critical and emergency care, recognizes adverse signs and symptoms, responds rapidly to emergencies, and provides recovery care following C-sections, cerclage, tubal ligations, and spontaneous pregnancy loss.
• Sets up, operates, monitors, and troubleshoots specialized equipment, including IV/PCA pumps, electronic fetal and cardiac monitors, EKG units, oxygen equipment, nebulizers, ultrasound, and emergency transport equipment. Performs required equipment checks and maintains appropriate logs.
• Administers medications, IV therapy, blood/blood components, and complex central and peripheral infusions using knowledge of pharmacology, dosage calculations, indications, expected effects, and potential adverse reactions.
• Provides telephone consultation and triage, makes referrals, coordinates specialty or emergency care, and performs required administrative functions.
• Educates patients and families, assesses individual learning, cultural, and spiritual needs, participates in discharge planning, and develops patient education materials.
• Serves as a patient advocate, protects confidentiality, and coordinates with social work and other ancillary services to support patient independence, dignity, and quality of life.
• Maintains knowledge of normal and complicated antepartum, intrapartum, postpartum, newborn, and women's health conditions and synthesizes clinical information to support appropriate decisions.
• Documents patient condition, treatment, education, medications, procedures, and follow-up care accurately and timely using MHS GENESIS and approved abbreviations in accordance with applicable Air Force Instructions, AWHONN, Joint Commission, and facility standards.
• Participates in bedside rounds, patient care conferences, committees, peer reviews, quality/performance improvement, chart reviews, staff education, customer service initiatives, and medical readiness activities.
• Demonstrates independent clinical expertise and serves as a resource and mentor to nursing, medical, and other healthcare personnel.
• Supports development and implementation of standards of care and clinical pathways consistent with Government, unit, and command patient-care objectives.

Necessary Skills & Knowledge

• Maintain professional competency, productivity, accountability, and standards appropriate to the professional license and assigned clinical responsibilities.
• Comply with The Joint Commission standards, MTF medical staff bylaws, and applicable Federal, State, local, DoD, Department of the Navy, Bureau of Medicine and Surgery, and facility policies and instructions.
• Follow applicable standards of care, ethical and legal requirements, patient rights, confidentiality requirements, HIPAA privacy and security requirements, and professional practice standards.
• Apply appropriate aseptic techniques, infection-control procedures, universal precautions, infectious-waste requirements, and patient and workplace safety procedures.
• Participate in peer review, performance improvement, mandatory orientation, and required Navy and DoD training.
• Appropriately delegate and coordinate duties among healthcare team members and effectively communicate and collaborate with patients, families, and multidisciplinary healthcare personnel.
• Maintain required DoD email and National Provider Identifier (NPI), as applicable.
• Maintain proficiency with electronic medical records, data entry, and Microsoft Office applications, including Word, Excel, Access, PowerPoint, and Outlook.
• Perform the full range of services permitted by the professional license and communicate fluently and proficiently in written and spoken English.