Registered Nurse (Oral Surgery)

Registered Nurse (Oral Surgery)

The Registered Nurse (Oral Surgery) provides pre-operative/procedural care, including the nursing assessment of patients, consent, and History and Physical validations, the starting of intravenous fluids including venipuncture, assisting with peripheral nerve blocks, assuring all lab work and other pre-operative/procedural testing is completed and communicated to team members, confirms surgical sites are prepared and marked, and the administration of medications as ordered. Provides clear and concise preoperative teaching and reviews discharge instructions to patients and families with written and verbal communication. Monitors post-operative patient's level of consciousness after the recovery of anesthesia/sedation. Closely observes signs of side effect of post residual anesthesia medications. Maintains knowledge of current American Society of peri-Anesthesia Nurses (ASPAN) standards, VHA Directives, and service level standard operating procedures. Responsible for ensuring comprehensive documentation of all phases of care and is timely, complete, and accurate in the electronic health record (EHR). Will also assist patients in appointment scheduling. Chairside Assisting: Assists oral surgeon at chairside as anticipated or required in all phases of oral surgery treatment of medically compromised patients. Sets up operatory or surgery suite for planned surgical procedure, cleans dental imit for timely turnover. Passes instruments safely, accurately, and efficiently. Keeps operative field clear of debris and retracts oral tissues effectively and comfortably. Prepares dental medicaments per manufacturer's instructions. Accomplishes all intra-operative procedures within standard infection control protocols. Assists in specialized dental procedures, e.g. oral maxillofacial surgery and in the placement of dental implants by providing working knowledge of the assisting techniques involved in implant therapy. In the operating room: Retracts tissues, suctions blood and debris during surgical procedures, protects nerves, veins, arteries, and muscle. Assists in wiring splints, placing bone plates, and maintains placement of special retractors. Anticipates surgeon's actions and needs. Passes and uses materials, appliances, and instrument in precision order. Infection Control and Equipment Sterilization: Instruments are properly prepared for sterilization by SPD standards in a manner that does not delay clinical care. Demonstrates proper infection control procedures in setting up and cleaning up operatories. Decontaminates all dental operatory surfaces with chemical solutions after each patient is treated following universal precautions procedures. Demonstrates proper infection control procedures in exposing images. Assists patients in scheduling appointments Information Management: Maintains patient confidentiality per HIPAA with written and verbal information. Protects printed and electronic files containing sensitive data in accordance with the provisions of the Privacy Act of 1974 and other applicable laws, federal regulations, VA statutes and policy, and VHA policy.