Registered Nurse (RN) III - Forensic Nurse Examiner

Note: Candidates with SANE certification strongly encouraged to apply.

At Houston Methodist, the Registered Nurse (RN) III - Forensic Nurse is a licensed and experienced clinician who functions at the Competent to Proficient stage of Benner’s model of clinical practice. This role is responsible for delivering professional nursing care to a diverse patient population, combining medical expertise with investigative skills to provide specialized care for patients involved in criminal acts, including victims of assault, abuse, and trauma. The Forensic Nurse conducts medical forensic assessments, assists with exams and treatment, educates patients, and arranges follow-up care. Key responsibilities include assessing and documenting injuries, collecting and preserving forensic evidence, providing courtroom testimony, and collaborating with law enforcement and legal professionals. This position provides direct patient care effectively and efficiently, addressing patients with varied and complex needs. The RN III - Forensic Nurse works closely with physicians and an interprofessional healthcare team to coordinate and deliver high-quality, compassionate care that meets desired treatment outcomes. This role requires clinical competence in trauma-informed care, SANE Certification, the use of technology, including forensic photography, medication administration, procedures, and emergency management. Acting as a patient and family advocate, the Forensic Nurse ensures patient rights are upheld. This position also involves progressive leadership responsibilities, requiring excellent communication and critical-thinking skills. May possibly contribute to service line or hospital-wide initiatives and education in partnership with management, and the ability to work under pressure in high-stress situations while maintaining professionalism and compassion is essential.

PEOPLE ESSENTIAL FUNCTIONS

• Identifies staff development opportunities for professional growth of colleagues, provides coaching to meet identified goals. Acts as a model and coaches staff in effective verbal, non-verbal and written communication, which includes active listening and teaching. Provides oversight for student/new employee preceptorships.

• Collaborates to foster healthy relationships in the work environment such as mitigation of conflict. Advocates for a balanced workload, promotes positive behaviors, and peer-to-peer accountability.

• Improves nurse satisfaction by serving as a role model and mentor, facilitating teamwork with RNs, non-licensed and interprofessional staff, as evidenced by the annual RN-RN teamwork score and interprofessional relationship score. Provides recommendations to improve department scores for turnover/retention.

SERVICE ESSENTIAL FUNCTIONS

• Leads the patient and family-centered care standards, as outlined in the Houston Methodist Professional Nursing Practice document. Mentors others regarding specialty populations.

• Develops, updates, and communicates plan of care, including discharge, in partnership with the patient, family and interprofessional health care team, using the nursing process. Prioritizes care based on the patient's needs, abilities, and preferences. Advocates on patient/family's behalf to identify and resolve clinical and ethical concerns. Develops appropriate resources and supports unit practices and guidelines.

• Develops and implements effective patient teaching strategies based on learning needs; uses appropriate resources, incorporating planning for care after discharge. Consistently evaluates the patient's comprehension and adapts teaching methods accordingly.

• Drives department activities to improve department score for patient satisfaction, through peer-to-peer accountability.

QUALITY/SAFETY ESSENTIAL FUNCTIONS

• Models the standards of care related to the nursing process, as outlined in the Houston Methodist Professional Nursing Practice document. Provides care as the staff nurse leader to complex patients and leads the interprofessional health care team in implementing plan of care. Anticipates/prevents and recognize/resolves early declines in patient condition and emergent situations. Manages assignment of complex patients and other unit demands. Proactively recognizes, determines a plan of action, and responds to situations, such as Rapid Response/CERTs, and emergency codes.

• Models the standards related to regulatory requirements and professional practice as outlined in the Houston Methodist Professional Nursing Practice document. Role models highly developed assessment, clinical documentation, leadership, and analytical skills; integrates and contributes to professional practice standards, policies, procedures, protocols and leads improvements in patient safety-related processes at unit or service line level. Contributes to development of service line and hospital standards and guidelines.

• Leads and identifies opportunities for practice changes and performance improvement. Investigates and incorporates evidence-based practices which are presented to shared governance and leadership. Leads initiatives to improve quality and safety scores, through peer-to-peer accountability, reporting near misses and identifying solutions by collaborating with the interprofessional team. Role models situational awareness, using teachable moments to improve safety. Audits plan of care and audits other areas as needed.

FINANCE ESSENTIAL FUNCTIONS

• Models independent time management effectively and prioritization of daily tasks, minimizing incidental overtime. Collaborates with interprofessional health care team to facilitate patient throughput efficiently to meet organizational goals.

• Implements department strategies to achieve financial target and mentors others to do the same through timely documentation of care, decreasing length of stay, optimizing efficiency, minimizing incidental overtime, and other areas according to department specifications.

GROWTH/INNOVATION ESSENTIAL FUNCTIONS

• Expands individual nursing knowledge and coaches staff to grow in knowledge, abilities, skills, and attitudes. Serves as the clinical resource. Develops and disseminates, as appropriate, informational/educational resources and programs designed to improve quality and professional practice. Supports change initiatives and adapts to unexpected changes.

• Fosters identification and implementation of innovative solutions to improve patient care or unit operations such as reduction of hospital readmissions or other department-specific measures by leading and/or participating in unit projects and shared governance activities.

• Seeks opportunities to identify self-development needs and takes appropriate action. Ensures own career discussions occur with appropriate management. Completes and updates the My Development Plan on an ongoing basis.

This job description is not intended to be all-inclusive; the employee will also perform other reasonably related business/job duties as assigned. Houston Methodist reserves the right to revise job duties and responsibilities as the need arises.

EDUCATION

• Bachelor's degree or higher from an accredited School of Nursing

WORK EXPERIENCE

• Two years nursing experience in a healthcare environment, one year in the clinical field for which you will be working