Staff Nurse, Labor/Delivery

About NYC Health + Hospitals / Harlem Hospital Center

Harlem Hospital Center has been a bedrock of the Harlem community since 1887. The hospital provides a wide range of medical, surgical, diagnostic, therapeutic and family support services to the residents of Central Harlem, West Harlem, Washington Heights and Inwood. Harlem is the largest hospital in the area, capable of treating the most seriously ill. Harlem provides over 90 specialized ambulatory care services, dentistry and oral surgery, behavioral health services, and community substance abuse treatment.

At NYC Health + Hospitals, our mission is to deliver high quality care health services, without exception. Every employee takes a person-centered approach that exemplifies the ICARE values (Integrity, Compassion, Accountability, Respect, and Excellence) through empathic communication and partnerships between all persons.

Duties & Responsibilities of a Staff Nurse, Labor/Delivery

Under supervision, the Staff Nurse, Labor/Delivery provides professional nursing care to patients/clients within an assigned unit. This involves diagnosing and treating responses to actual or potential health problems through various nursing methods and techniques, including case-finding, health teaching, health counseling, and providing care supportive to and restorative of life and well-being.

• Identifies and discriminates between physical and psycho-social signs and symptoms.
• Selects and performs therapeutic measures essential for effective execution of the nursing regimen.
• Develops, implements, and continuously evaluates nursing care plans for assigned patients.
• Records and maintains nursing care plans and progress notes to ensure continuity of care.
• Interprets and reports patient responses to appropriate members of the health team.
• Participates with interdisciplinary health team members to plan comprehensive patient care programs.
• Determines and assigns components of the nursing regimen to allied nursing personnel.
• Provides teaching, guidance, and direction to allied nursing personnel in rendering patient care.
• Participates in defining, implementing, maintaining, and interpreting standards of nursing practice.
• Participates in departmental and interdisciplinary conferences pertaining to policies and procedures affecting nursing practice.
• Participates in determining conditions, resources, and policies essential to nursing care delivery.
• Participates in developing and maintaining a system for evaluating nursing care, practices, procedures, and personnel.
• Interprets philosophy and objectives of the agency and Nursing Department to patients, families, and other groups.
• Maintains professional competence through continuing education and other learning experiences.
• Performs other professional nursing activities as delegated by nursing service administration.

Specific Tasks in Labor/Delivery

• Knowledgeable regarding policies, procedures, protocols, and State Regulations for Maternal HIV Testing, eye prophylaxis, newborn screening, and mother/newborn identification.
• Aware of AWHONN current standards of care for labor and delivery.
• Encourages breastfeeding and assists with newborn latch-on post-delivery.
• Triages patients through the obstetrical emergency room in order of priority.
• Conducts initial assessments on all admitted laboring and non-laboring ante-partum patients within eight hours.
• Applies external fetal monitor and interprets fetal heart tracing and uterine activity.
• Completes ongoing assessment of fetal heart rate pattern and maternal status during labor.
• Identifies emergency situations such as changes in fetal heart rate problems, maternal physiological and neurologic status, initiating prompt actions and summoning a physician.
• Performs nursing intervention efficiently in cases of maternal-fetal compromise.
• Assists with the application of scalp electrode/IUP, fetal blood sampling.
• Demonstrates efficiency in assisting the physician/midwife during a delivery.
• Demonstrates efficiency in circulating as well as scrubbing in the OR.
• Follows aseptic techniques during scrub and circulating.
• Exhibits an understanding of established standards of care for both high and low-risk obstetrical patients.

Minimum Qualifications

• A valid New York State license and current registration to practice as a Registered Professional Nurse in New York State.
• Holds, or obtains through facility orientation, a valid and current certification in Basic Life Support (BLS) through the American Heart Association (AHA).

Special Note

For assignments in Post-Acute Care ONLY, individuals meeting the following criteria may also be considered for appointment: Graduation from a nursing education program registered by the New York State Education Department (NYSED) as licensure qualifying for Registered Professional Nurse (RN) and has applied for licensure as an RN. These unlicensed individuals may be employed to practice under the immediate and personal supervision of a NYS licensed, currently registered, RN for up to 90 days immediately following graduation pending receipt of a limited permit, which selected candidates must apply for and receive within the same 90-day period. Once a limited permit is received, individuals can practice nursing, under the immediate and personal supervision of a NYS licensed, currently registered, RN at a NYC Health + Hospitals health care setting for up to one (1) year from the date of issuance of the limited permit. In addition, must hold or obtain through facility orientation, a valid and current certification in Basic Life Support (BLS) through the American Heart Association (AHA).

How to Apply

If you wish to apply for this position, please apply online by clicking the "Apply Now" button.

Benefits at NYC Health + Hospitals

NYC Health and Hospitals offers a competitive benefits package that includes:

• Comprehensive Health Benefits for employees hired to work 20+ hrs. per week.
• Retirement Savings and Pension Plans.
• Loan Forgiveness Programs for eligible employees.
• Paid Holidays and Vacation in accordance with employees' Collectively bargained contracts.
• College tuition discounts and professional development opportunities.
• Multiple employee discounts programs.

Key skills/competency

• Labor and Delivery Nursing
• Fetal Monitoring Interpretation
• Obstetrical Emergency Response
• Newborn Care and Support
• Patient Assessment and Triage
• Interdisciplinary Team Collaboration
• AWHONN Standards
• BLS Certification
• Aseptic Technique
• Electronic Health Records (EHR)