Registered Nurse- Per Diem, Days 7a-8p, Operating Room, Morristown Medical Center

Perioperative Nurse

JOB PURPOSE: Responsible for general nursing activities in the operating room. In its entirety, the perioperative nurse is the registered nurse who, using the nursing process, designs, coordinates, and delivers care to meet the identified needs of patients whose protective reflexes or self-care abilities are potentially compromised because they are having operative or other invasive procedures. Establishes, ensures, and supervises surgical team members and procedures to maintain quality services and efficient operations.

PRINCIPAL ACCOUNTABILITIES:

• Promotes and restores patient's health by completing the nursing process; collaborating with physicians and multidisciplinary team members; providing physical and psychological support to patients, friends, and families; and supervising assigned team members.
• Establishes a compassionate environment by providing emotional, psychological, and spiritual support to patients, friends, and families.
• Assures quality of care by adhering to therapeutic standards; measuring health outcomes against patient care goals and standards; making or recommending necessary adjustments; and following hospital and nursing division's philosophies and standards of care set by state board of nursing, state nurse practice act, and other governing agency regulations.
• Maintains safe and clean working environment by complying with procedures, rules, and regulations; and calling for assistance from health care support personnel.
• Protects patients and employees by adhering to infection-control policies and protocols; medication administration and storage procedures; and controlled substance regulations.
• Maintains continuity among nursing teams by documenting as per policy and communicating actions, irregularities, and continuing needs utilizing SBAR while maintaining patient confidentiality.
• Ensures proper function and operation of equipment following manufacturer's instructions; troubleshoot equipment malfunctions; call appropriate personnel for repairs; and evaluate new equipment as necessary.
• Ensures case readiness by confirming that supplies, equipment, instruments, and implants are available as per surgical procedure and doctor preferences. Ensure fiscal responsibility of the organization by accurately documenting/charging for supplies.
• Maintains professional and technical knowledge through continuing education and organization and unit mandates. Achieves and maintained professional certification as required.
• Contributes to team efforts and high quality, safe patient outcomes through collaboration with peers, supervisors, surgeons, and anesthesiologists. Promoting all PRIDE values.

COMPETENCIES: Departmental and Organizational Mandatories, LMS/Corporate Compliance, Unit Based Shared Governance, CEUs, Peer Review, Certification, BSN preferred, Involvement, UBSG, Hand hygiene,). Ensures strict adherence to the Universal Protocol, Prevention of Retained Surgical Items and Specimen Management Policy by all team members in the Operating Room. Demonstrates knowledge of corporate and hospital policies and procedures. Maintains AORN standards of practice (i.e., directs and assists in accounting for all sponges, needles, and instruments, disposes patient specimens in the appropriate manner) Maintains a clean and well-organized patient care area including the return of medication and supplies to appropriate storage location. Utilizes standard precautions in the clinical setting. Assists Anesthesia with induction, & extubation. Assists in positioning, responding to comfort/safety of patient. Provides accurate care and handling of specimens. Observes and enforces strict standards of asepsis. Observes, checks, and monitors all equipment used during surgery to confirm they are running smoothly. Handles patient documentation including documentation of implants and accurately charging for supplies. Functions in assigned scrub/circulating role with knowledge of multiple specialty surgical procedures, instrumentation, and individual surgeon preferences. Demonstrates professional and respectful behavior. Assumes responsibility as the room coordinator when in the circulating role. Acts as a resource and role model when providing a safe and therapeutic environment. Identifies and ensures proper handling of instruments and equipment (i. E. returning instruments to original tray, flexible scope care, identifying and tagging malfunctioning instruments and equipment). Assumes professional and personal responsibility and accountability for patient care (i. E reading preference cards, checking case cart completeness, reports supply deficiencies, one-of-a kind item or specialty item usage to appropriate personnel). Ensures efficient turnaround time between cases, demonstrating organizational skills and priority setting.