Resource Nurse - Nursing

Company: Coalinga Regional Medical Center
Location: Coalinga
Posted on: February 14, 2026

Job Description:

Job Description Job Description Description: Position Summary The Resource Nurse functions in a hospital-wide leadership and support role, providing real-time clinical, operational, and staffing oversight during assigned night and weekend shifts. In a Critical Access Hospital, the Resource Nurse serves as the primary clinical resource and escalation point and may be assigned direct patient care, lunch/break coverage, and operational duties when staffing, census, or acuity requires. This role requires strong clinical judgment, leadership, and the ability to provide hands-on patient care. Requirements: Essential Duties and Responsibilities Clinical Oversight, Direct Care & Coverage Serves as the hospital-wide clinical resource for nursing staff during assigned night and weekend shifts. Provides lunch and break coverage for nursing staff as needed to maintain safe staffing and regulatory compliance. Accepts direct patient care assignments when required due to staffing shortages, high census, or increased acuity. Provides hands-on patient care during peak workload periods. Assists with complex clinical situations, rapid assessments, and patient deterioration. Responds to emergencies, including codes, rapid responses, and critical events. Ensures compliance with nursing standards, hospital policies, and regulatory requirements. Staffing & Operations Monitors staffing levels across all departments during nights and weekends. Adjust staffing and personally provides coverage (patient assignments or break relief) when staffing levels cannot support safe operations. Coordinates staffing adjustments related to callouts or unexpected changes in census or acuity. Supports patient throughput, including admissions, transfers, discharges, and bed placement. Serves as the primary staffing decision-maker during assigned shifts. Leadership & Communication Acts as the administrative nursing leader on duty during nights and weekends in the absence of nursing leadership. Serves as the primary point of contact for nursing-related issues after hours. Communicate effectively with providers, department leaders, and ancillary services. It provides guidance, coaching, and real-time problem-solving for nursing staff. Escalates significant operational or clinical issues appropriately to on-call leadership. Patient Safety, Quality & Audits Promotes a culture of patient safety and accountability. Completes assigned audits during night and weekend shifts, which may include but are not limited to: Documentation and chart audits Safety rounds and environment-of-care checks Regulatory or policy compliance audits Admission, discharge, and handoff audits Identifies, documents, and escalates safety or compliance concerns. Participates in incident response, documentation, and follow-up. Supports ongoing quality improvement initiatives and survey readiness. Administrative Responsibilities Documents shift activity, staffing decisions, lunch/break coverage, audits completed, and significant events. Coordinates on-call services and external resources as needed. Supports hospital policies related to staffing, patient flow, and emergency operations. Completes required reports and handoff communication at the end of shift. Qualifications Required Current, active Registered Nurse (RN) license in the State of employment. Minimum of 3–5 years of acute care nursing experience. Leadership experience as a charge nurse, lead nurse, supervisor, or similar role. Demonstrated ability to provide direct patient care across inpatient and/or emergency settings. Strong clinical judgment and decision-making skills. Preferred Experience in a Critical Access Hospital, rural hospital, or small facility. Prior House Supervisor experience. ACLS and/or PALS certification. Experience working night shifts and weekends. Knowledge, Skills, and Abilities Broad clinical knowledge across acute care settings. Ability to transition between leadership oversight, audits, and direct patient care. Strong communication, organization, and conflict-resolution skills. Ability to prioritize competing demands in a resource-limited environment. High level of autonomy and accountability during nights and weekends. Physical Requirements Ability to stand and walk for extended periods. Ability to lift, reposition, and assist patients. Ability to respond rapidly to emergency situations. Work Environment Acute care hospital setting with variable census and acuity. Increased responsibility and decision-making authority during night and weekend shifts. Frequent interruptions and need for rapid task switching.

Keywords: Coalinga Regional Medical Center, Bakersfield , Resource Nurse - Nursing, Healthcare , Coalinga, California