Staff Nurse - Oncology (Al Barsha Clinic)

Role Overview

Staff Nurse - Oncology at American Hospital Dubai, located at Al Barsha Clinic. The role provides direct patient care and coordinates patient care-related activities using the scientific process of nursing to Paediatric, adolescent, adult and geriatric populations.

Role Purpose

Deliver comprehensive, age-specific patient-centered nursing care across the oncology spectrum, including assessment, care planning, procedure support, medication administration, and psychosocial support while maintaining clinical competency and ensuring patient safety and quality outcomes.

Key Responsibilities

Patient Assessment and Care Planning

• Perform patient assessment using appropriate, problem-focused, and age-specific assessment techniques.
• Perform continual critical care assessment of patient and family's physical and psychological needs.
• Identify the patient accurately.
• Recognize subtle cues to anticipate potential problems.
• Coordinate and plan critical care and clinical pathway, and prioritize care based on individual needs.
• Revise the care plan as necessary.
• Involve the patient, significant others, and health care providers in the plan of care when appropriate.

Clinical Care Delivery

• Provide age-specific patient-centered care utilizing the nursing process.
• Provide nursing care to patients before and post-procedure.
• Deliver pre-operative and post-operative patient care, when applicable.
• Provide basic life support when needed.
• Identify and respond to urgent emergencies appropriately and direct team members.
• Address urgent care cases with the physician.
• Create and maintain a safe and therapeutic environment for patients and staff.
• Maintain a safe environment for patients and staff.
• Apply safety measures related to patient care.
• Operate all unit-required equipment safely.

Oncology-Specific Care

• Maintain and update skills and knowledge in medication administration including chemotherapy and blood and blood products transfusion.
• Maintain and update skills and knowledge in venous access including peripheral lines and all types of central lines.
• Initiate and handle Intra Venous Access Device (IVAD) line for administering cytotoxic and biologic agents and fluids.
• Manage patients receiving cytotoxic and biologic agents for side effects and complications.
• Manage patients with oncology emergencies.
• Manage bone marrow transplant patients when applicable.
• Manage kidney transplant patients when applicable.
• Manage patients with infectious diseases when applicable.
• Manage immunosuppressed patients when applicable.
• Provide palliative and end-of-life care.
• Assist patient in accepting and coping with his or her disease.

Procedure Support and Specialized Skills

• Assist physicians in Lumbar Puncture, bone marrow aspirate and biopsy, thoracentesis and abdominal paracentesis and chest tube insertion.
• Perform safe handling and administrating of Narcotic/Controlled and Semi-Controlled Drugs and documentation as directed by policies and procedures.
• Ensure completion of unit competencies including pain management and utilization of Emergency department devices.

Collaboration and Care Coordination

• Collaborate with a multi-disciplinary team to provide patient care.
• Follow up on patients' diagnostic tests and coordinate with physicians to inform patients about their results, treatment, or if a follow-up is needed with a physician.
• Coordinate with the Operating Room (OR) Coordinator and patient to schedule the operations when applicable.
• Follow up with the insurance coordinators on approvals needed.
• Initiate appropriate transfer plan.

Infection Control and Safety

• Implement and monitor infection control measures.
• Assume responsibility for meeting Joint Commission International Accreditation (JCIA) required mandatory education including fire, safety, and infection control.

Patient and Family Education

• Assess patient and family readiness and identify learning needs.
• Develop and implement the teaching plan to include the disease trajectory and psychosocial issues, preventive, and early detection practices.
• Evaluate the teaching-learning process.
• Document patient and family education.
• Ensure patient education is provided upon discharge.
• Assist in developing and providing related educational materials and education to patients and families.
• Ensure that patients are provided with appropriate nutrition.

Unit-Specific Operations

• Book patient for appointment, procedure, or treatment according to treatment plan.
• Keep consultation rooms stocked and clean before and after the patient has been seen.
• Check crash cart, refrigeration temperature checklist, and related items.
• Report medical equipment due for Planned Preventative Maintenance (PPM) monthly.
• Address all Customer Relationship Management (CRM) tasks on time.
• Call patients to inform them of approved labs and images and ensure scheduling takes place.
• Update all patients about the status of their requests.
• Ensure availability and maintenance of supplies and equipment needed for the unit and patient care.
• Perform clerical duties when needed.

Documentation and Compliance

• Document all relevant data in the medical record according to hospital and departmental standards.
• Maintain records for patient care and assist in audit of nursing documentation and departmental records as requested.
• Participate in unit-based Continuous Quality Improvement (CQI) activities including data collection, CQI teams, incident reporting, customer complaint reporting, and medication error reporting.

Professional Development and Quality

• Ensure clinical competencies as well as life support courses up to date.
• Maintain clinical and professional competency based on the latest research and established standards of practice.
• Complete yearly the critical care nursing competencies (basic).
• Participate in ongoing educational activities.
• Maintain mandatory educational requirements.
• Participate in staff meetings and unit committees and projects.
• Participate in developing and achieving unit goals.
• Participate in facility surveys and inspections as requested.
• Perform additional duties when required.

Qualifications & Experience

• Bachelor's degree in nursing with minimum three (3) years full-time course duration, OR Degree in Nursing with minimum two (2) years course duration and Registration as a Registered Nurse from Canada, USA, UK, Ireland, South Africa, New Zealand, or Australia.
• For UAE nationals: graduates of UAE or non-UAE universities are exempted from the experience and clinical training requirements for the applied title. UAE nationals must submit a copy of their birth certificate and the mother's family book.
• Non-UAE national graduates from UAE universities are required to successfully complete six (6) months of clinical training post-graduation in an APS health facility (except for Registered and Assistant Nurse titles).
• Must hold a valid License or Registration to practice in their home country and/or country of last employment where applicable.
• Minimum of two (2) years of recent post-graduate experience in Oncology Nursing.
• Knowledge of and ability to render care and services based on age, appropriateness, and developmental needs of patients.
• Skills in the assessment of patient and family's physical and psychological needs.
• Skills in coordination and planning of care and prioritizing care based on individual needs.

Skills & Competencies

• Basic Cardiac Life Support (BCLS) certification (essential).
• Minimum valid Basic Life Support (BLS) Certification or others according to the scope of practice.
• Chemotherapy administration and management.
• Blood and blood products transfusion.
• Peripheral line insertion and maintenance.
• Central line management (all types).
• IVAD line management.
• Cytotoxic and biologic agent administration.
• Infection control measures.
• Patient and family education and counseling.
• Medical record documentation.
• CRM system management.
• Equipment operation and maintenance.
• Emergency response and triage.
• Palliative and end-of-life care.
• Psychosocial assessment and support.

Additional Information

• Role requires maintaining knowledge and competency in pain management and Emergency department device utilization.
• Full details are available on the employer's original posting.