RN Pre-Admissions - Full Time

Pre-Admission Registered Nurse (RN)

The Pre-Admission Registered Nurse (RN) performs a verbal assessment with the patient prior to admission via a phone interview or in-person visit, as well as collects the patient's medical history from previous medical records. The nurse also works closely with the anesthesia department and the Prep/Recovery Department (PRU) in coordinating the patient's needs. The RN cares for a varied case load of surgical and procedural patients, making advanced assessments of the patient's physical and psycho-social needs. She/he will be assigned to provide service to patient populations in Robert Packer Hospital. She/he is skilled in physical assessment related to peri-anesthetic care which includes respiratory management, pain management, and patient teaching. She/he is skilled in physical assessment related to pre-surgical state of a patient as well as the patient's assessment post-operatively. She/he is well-versed on the post-op teaching necessary for the above-named patient populations. She/he functions as a team member facilitating patient flow through the pre-op, intra-op, and post-op phase. She/he is skilled in problem solving and emergency intervention.

Education, License & Cert:

1. Registered Nurse in the State of Practice.
2. BSN in Nursing preferred.
3. Any previously agreed upon effective date for obtaining a Bachelor's degree in nursing between individuals and facilities will remain in effect, including those who transition to their position from the NLRN Program.
4. Any contract with specific time frames for obtaining a bachelor's degree in nursing will supersede the above point and will remain in effect.
5. BLS certification.
6. ACLS is unit dependent.
7. PALS is unit dependent.

Experience:

The Registered Nurse must be a registered nurse currently licensed in the state of employment with at least one year of experience. Alternately, the Registered Nurse may have less than one year of experience if they have been transitioned to their position from the Newly Licensed Registered Nurse Residency (NLRN) Program. The Registered Nurse must meet the individual nursing unit specifications regarding educational requirements during employment. Must maintain BLS certification. ACLS is unit dependent. Specifications regarding educational requirements during employment are determined by the Nursing Department and Nursing Unit. Periop experience preferred.

Essential Functions:

• Practice appropriate telephone and patient triage skills, being aware of the need to balance quality care with efficient use of time and resources.
• Perform verbal assessment with patient prior to admission – in person or via telephone, communicating information to appropriate team members.
• Review patients' medical histories, including pre-existing conditions, allergies, medications, and previous surgeries, to identify potential risks or complications.
• Coordinate and perform diagnostic tests such as blood work, ECGs, X-rays, and other assessments as required to ensure patients are medically fit for their procedures.
• Ensure pre-operative care requirements of patients are accomplished through use of the nursing process including assessment, planning, implementation, and evaluation.
• Perform patient teaching/education as established by the department.
• Assess pertinent information, plan, implement, and document interventions and evaluate results.
• Maintain and promote patient's safety by assessing physical and psychological needs.
• Respond to telephone inquiries regarding expressed needs of the caller.
• Refer caller to appropriate resources including medical/ambulatory care, hospital services, and community services within established procedures and guidelines.
• Thoroughly document all call encounters utilizing manual and/or online information systems at the time of the call.
• Alert anesthesia of results of labs, physical assessment, or special needs of individual with medical problems prior to the date of surgery.
• Communicate surgical instructions and NPO instructions to patients per surgeon and anesthesia guidelines.
• Communicate appropriate information including general health information to surgeons and anesthesiologists concerning patient care.
• Communicate special physician's orders and ensure patient charting is completed in an accurate, concise and timely manner.
• Establishes an in-depth database by assessing the behavioral and physical status of a variety of presurgical patient populations utilizing interview, observation, physical exam and seeks information that completes the database from multiple and external sources.
• Implements safe, competent, and efficient patient care within policies, procedures and standards, and interventions as noted on the multidisciplinary plan of care.
• Sets priorities adapting to changing patient and unit/clinic situations. In response to data indicating urgent and/or emergent risk to the patient, initiates action to reduce or correct risk.
• Assumes responsibility and accountability for effectively managing nursing care of individual patients as a team member.
• Integrates nursing interventions into the multidisciplinary plan of care, incorporating appropriate standards of care and practice and patient outcomes.
• Incorporates discharge/home care planning into the multidisciplinary plan of care on an ongoing basis

Required Skills, Knowledge, and Abilities:

• Excellent communication skills both via telephone and in person
• Possess a good working knowledge of nursing theory, practice, and legal aspects of nursing, and techniques, care and use of equipment used in a surgery setting
• Possess strong computer skills and experience with health care applications, Microsoft and/or Windows applications
• Ability to work in a self-directed environment and prioritize with little supervision
• Ability to independently solve problems in a positive, results-oriented manner
• Demonstrated ability to apply organizational skills to facilitate a smooth flow of workload • Telephone voice/speech pattern is articulate and has a pleasant tone
• Demonstrates professionalism and ability to work as part of a team
• Demonstrates high quality customer service to patients, families, physicians, and coworkers
• Coordinate and perform diagnostic tests such as blood work, ECGs, X-rays, and other assessments as required to ensure patients are medically fit for their procedures.