Summary

The RN Fellowship is for all nurses with more than 6 months of independent practice experience in a specialty (not including a residency) who are transitioning into practice in the UTSW Registered Nurse Fellowship. RN Fellows will receive an extensive orientation and training to the new specialty. 

Application deadline is April 28, 2025.

Application instructions and requirements include:

• A completed online application
• Resume showing all of your work experience, involvement in professional organizations and history of volunteerism
• Texas RN license
• Current Basic Life Support (BLS) from the American Heart association or The American Red Cross

Units Accepting Fellows

• 2O- Critical Care SICU
• 3O – Critical Care NSICU
• 7B- Critical Care MSICU
• 8B- Critical Care MICU
• 9B- Critical Care CVICU
• Emergency Department
• 11G- Medical Oncology Unit
• Rehab
• Psych
• Operating Room
• PACU
• Labor & Delivery
• NICU
• 6O – Progressive Care & Medical Surgical Unit
• 10B – Progressive Care – Cardio Surgical/Thoracic Unit
• 8O-Progressive Care Acute Stroke/Epilepsy Monitoring Unit (ASU/EMU)
• Simmons Cancer Center – Infusion Clinic
• Simmons Cancer Center – Surgical Oncology Clinic

Essential Functions

• Perform and accurately document physical, psychosocial, and emotional assessments. All assessments take into consideration age specific criteria (children, adolescents, adults and older adults).
• Actively anticipate patients’ and/or patient’s family needs and expectations and utilizes these in conjunction with the assessment to develop an appropriate plan of care for the patient. Utilize critical thinking skills in planning and prioritizing nursing care. Maintain and utilize competencies per unit expectation.
• Identify and implement appropriate nursing interventions based on the completed assessment. Complete accurate and timely documentation of these interventions. Active coordinator of the interdisciplinary plan of care. Confer with all members of the health care team in a collaborative fashion, sharing information and observations of the patient and/or patient’s family in a manner that contributes to optimal patient care.
• Appropriately prioritize nursing interventions based upon completed assessment. Promptly identify changes in condition as evidenced by nursing assessment, labs, x-rays, etc. Report changes and take follow-up action as appropriate.
• Evaluate implemented interventions and modify care according to the evaluation.  Document interventions and modifications to the plan of care in an accurate and timely manner.
• Adhere to appropriate hospital and/or Department of Nursing policies, procedures, clinical pathways and nationally accepted standards of nursing practice while delivering nursing care to patients. Suggest practices to enhance Nursing care based on current literature and research.
• Provide appropriate and timely answers and/or education to patients and/or patient’s families. Complete accurate and timely documentation of all education provided. Obtain feedback/evaluation of understanding from patient/family, i.e., have we helped you? Patient/family verbalizes comfort with after discharge care. Demonstrate effective communication with children, adolescents, adults and older adults.
• Welcome and orient patient/family to the unit. Encourage patient/family participation in care. Review plan of care with patient/family every shift. Explain special diets, tests, procedures and medications in easily understood and appropriate language. Make frequent rounds on patients, communicates when will return; patient infrequently needs to use call light.
• Assume accountability for all actions in the workplace. Report errors promptly and take appropriate follow-up action to rectify the error. 
• Effective patient/family advocate. Respond to patients and/or patients family’s complaints in an appropriate and effective manner. Report complaints to the Clinical Nurse Manager or their designee in a timely manner. Utilize the chain of command appropriately to resolve patient, operational, or personal work related problems.
• Participate in performance improvement activities as directed. Attend at least 80% of scheduled staff meetings and 100% of mandatory educational sessions.
• Provide supervision of and direction to unlicensed support personnel and nurses new to the environment. Delegate duties appropriately and within legal parameters.
• Duties performed may include one or more of the following core functions:  a) Directly interacting with or caring for patients; b) Directly interacting with or caring for human-subjects research participants; c) Regularly maintaining, modifying, releasing or similarly affecting patient records (including patient financial records); or d) Regularly maintaining, modifying, releasing or similarly affecting human-subjects research records.

Minimum Qualifications

Education/Experience

• Candidates are experienced nurses with more than six (6) months of independent practice experience in a specialty (not including a residency)
• Associate’s degree (ADN) from an approved/accredited nursing program either by a governmental authority, nursing board, or a licensing authority which has jurisdiction over approval/accreditation of nursing programs (Texas BON 217.1
• Candidates with an ADN must complete their BSN Degree within 3 years of starting the Fellowship Program.
• Must be able to read, write and communicate in English.
• Current Texas (or BNE Compact State) license
• Current Basic Life Support (BLS) certification, course accredited by the American Heart Association (AHA) or American Red Cross.

Knowledge, Skills, & Abilities

• Self-directed and able to organize and manage multiple tasks/projects simultaneously.
• Work requires high level of effective written, verbal and interpersonal communication skills.
• Work requires interdisciplinary collaboration between nursing, physicians and allied health professionals.

The following is the acronym, “PACT”, and is fundamental to all clinical positions at UT Southwestern Medical Center:

• P-Problem Solving: To achieve excellence in patient care and service, all employees are expected to take ownership in solving problems effectively, efficiently and to the satisfaction of the patient.
• A-Ability, Attitude and Accountability: In keeping with a professional healthcare environment, all employees are expected to have the ability to perform their jobs and to appear and conduct themselves in a professional and positive manner.
• C-Communications and Compassion: It is our goal that all our communications are clear, courteous, timely, and delivered with compassion, respect and appropriate confidentiality.
• T-Teamwork: In our medical environment, our patients regard every employee they encounter as a member of the Southwestern Medical Center team. Our goal is to individually work hard to contribute to our team, support our co-workers, and to achieve not only excellent patient care and service, but also a satisfying, caring environment for each other.

Working Conditions

Constant walking, standing, bending, turning, and stooping.  Pushing and pulling heavy objects such as patient beds.  Must be able to help lift and turn patients. Any qualifications to be considered as equivalents in lieu of stated minimum require prior approval of Vice President for Human Resources Administration or his/her designee.

Compliance with the COVID-19 vaccine mandate enforced by the Centers for Medicare and Medicaid (CMS) is a requirement for this position. Federal law requires individuals holding this position to be fully vaccinated or have an approved exemption for certain medical, disability, or religious reasons. Individuals who do not meet CMS vaccination requirements are not eligible and should not apply for this position but are encouraged to apply for other non-healthcare positions at UT Southwestern for which they qualify.

For COVID-19 vaccine information, applicants should visit https://www.utsouthwestern.edu/covid-19/work-on-campus/

This position is security-sensitive and thereby subject to the provisions of Texas Education Code §51.215.

UT Southwestern Medical Center is committed to an educational and working environment that provides equal opportunity to all members of the University community.  As an equal opportunity employer, UT Southwestern prohibits unlawful discrimination, including discrimination on the basis of race, color, religion, national origin, sex, sexual orientation, gender identity, gender expression, age, disability, genetic information, citizenship status, or veteran status.