Operating Room Service Coordinator CVT - Vascular/Thoracic Surgery, Full-time, Rotating - Northwestern Memorial Healthcare

Northwestern Memorial Hospital is an academic medical center in the heart of downtown Chicago with physicians, surgeons and caregivers representing nearly every medical specialty. Northwestern Medicine is proud to have five hospitals ranked among "America’s Best" including Northwestern Memorial Hospital, the No. 1 hospital in Illinois for 13 straight years (tie), by U.S. News & World Report, 2024 – 2025. Our clinical and administrative staff and medical and science faculty come together every day with a shared commitment to superior quality, academic excellence, scientific discovery and patient safety.

Northwestern Memorial Hospital enjoys a teaching and service partnership with Northwestern University Feinberg School of Medicine, an integration that provides patients access to leading-edge clinical trials and fosters an environment of world-class patient care, academic inquiry and innovative research. Northwestern Memorial Hospital has also received Magnet® recognition*, the gold-standard for nursing excellence, from the American Nurses Credentialing Center.

At Northwestern Medicine, every patient interaction makes a difference in cultivating a positive workplace. This patient-first approach is what sets us apart as a leader in the healthcare industry. As an integral part of our team, you'll have the opportunity to join our quest for better healthcare, no matter where you work within the Northwestern Medicine system. At Northwestern Medicine, we pride ourselves on providing competitive benefits: from tuition reimbursement and loan forgiveness to 401(k) matching and lifecycle benefits, we take care of our employees. Ready to join our quest for better?

The Operating Room Service Coordinator, CVT (ORSC, CVT) reflects the mission, vision, and values of Northwestern Memorial, adheres to the organization’s Code of Ethics and Corporate Compliance Program, and complies with all relevant policies, procedures, guidelines and all other regulatory and accreditation standards.

The ORSC, CVT is a registered professional nurse who in addition to providing direct patient care is accountable for assisting the Manager, Operations in the coordination of management activities for their specialty service. They demonstrate clinical expertise in their area of specialization, provide leadership to the assigned specialty staff, and are responsible for the training and development of specialty team members. They work with surgical services support personnel to plan patient care/ensure resource availability & safe practice.

Responsibilities:

The role of the Operating Room Service Coordinator, CVT is unique and essential to the care of the CVT (Cardiac, Vascular, Thoracic, Transplant) patient. 

Essential Functions:

• Organizes direct patient care activity to achieve the highest level of quality/cost standards.
• Participates in direct patient care to maintain clinical expertise and serve as a role model for the CVT specialty team.
• Assists the OR manager in establishing the operational and capital budget.
• Assists with data interpretation and analysis.
• Assists the OR manager in the interview process.
• Assists the OR manager in the clinical performance review process.
• Collaborates with OR manager, staff, and Staff Educators to provide a CVT training and development plan for staff.
• Coordinates Interdisciplinary Specialty Team meetings.
• Develops work schedules as required for the specialty team using established guidelines within the OR
• Plans with the OR Schedule Coordinator / Staff Educator for the daily assignment of members in their specialty.
• Demonstrates effective interpersonal skills and ability to work collaboratively with others & collaborates with management in problem solving and decision making.
• Champions new initiatives and helps in unit/departmental or hospital wide committees/task forces.
• Assures regulatory compliance of all activities.

Clinical Functions:

• Demonstrates clinical competence in CVT specialty.
• Assess the care needs of patients, provides consultation or assistance to team members as needed on a daily basis.
• Coordinates team's development and implementation of standards of care (e.g. via preference lists for specific procedures), consistent with the Operating Room philosophy, goals, and objectives.
• Closely monitors daily activities and provides OR manager, Staff Educators, Clinical Nurse Specialist with feedback. Also provides feedback from team members, OR manager, physicians and others to staff during the performance review.
• Provides consultation for Nursing and other disciplines within their area of expertise.

Professional Functions:

• Exemplifies a professional image in appearance, manner, and presentation.
• Is an advocate for patients and their Significant other, coworkers, the community, and the nursing profession.
• Consistently demonstrates accountability.
• Consistently demonstrates compassion to internal and external customers.
• Integrates theoretical knowledge base and clinical expertise in decision making.
• Assumes responsibility for meeting regulatory and other mandatory requirements.
• Assumes responsibility for personal development plan and education/certification related to clinical specialty area.

Leadership Functions:

• Acts in accordance with organizational culture; understands how own actions affects others in the organization and knows when to escalate concerns.
• Assist the OR manager and physicians to identify resources needed to implement new programs & procedures.
• Resolves recurring problems of assignment with the OR schedule coordinator.
• Recommends and monitors implementation of cost control measures for their specialty.
• Assists the OR manager in the follow-up on unusual incidence reports.
• Ensures the environment is clean, attractive, safe and free from hazards for patients, staff and visitors in accordance with regulatory requirements.
• Identifies and communicates key issues and trends to managers and makes recommendations.
• Supports management team with reviewing timecards for all employees within service line/department.

Educational Functions:

• Provides feedback on orientee's performance to OR manager and Staff Educators.
• Develops, conducts, and participates in formal in-service programs within their area of expertise.
• Assists staff with the development and presentation of in-services.
• Assists team members in development goals and activities related to their own professional self-development.
• Participates and provides leadership on Department and/or Hospital-wide committees.
• Creates and updates TIPS Manual for specialty team.

Professional/Research Functions:

• Assumes a leadership role in professional activities / assumes responsibility for own continuing education.
• Actively participates in departmental committees / attendance at designated meetings.
• Actively participates in professional organizations
• Uses current research findings to support and improve nursing practice
• Participates in studies conducted by nurse researchers or other investigators
• Identifies areas for clinical study/promotes or conducts investigations in these areas.

Additional Functions:

• Requirement:  Physical ability to lift, push, pull and move at least 35 lbs.
• Requirement:  To function in the circulating nurse and surgical scrub roles.
• Work conditions include performing procedures where carelessness could result in injury or illness and/or contact with potentially infectious materials, radioactive elements and/or strong, hazardous chemical agents.

Required:

• Graduate of an NLN accredited school/college of nursing
• Baccalaureate degree in Nursing or higher
• CNOR or Certification within the surgical specialty
• Current State of Illinois, Registered Professional Nurse license
• Cardio-Pulmonary Resuscitation recognition (healthcare provider level)
• Supports and Coordinates CVT (Cardiac, Vascular, Thoracic, Transplant) cross-training
• Ability to support team call requirement of 1,386 hours in a 6 week schedule
• Supports training of the insertion of elective/emergent Cardiopulmonary bypass, V-V/V-A Extracorporeal membrane oxygenation (ECMO)

Preferred:

• 5 years of OR nursing experience with at least 2 of those years within the surgical specialty area.

Northwestern Medicine is an affirmative action/equal opportunity employer and does not discriminate in hiring or employment on the basis of age, sex, race, color, religion, national origin, gender identity, veteran status, disability, sexual orientation or any other protected status.