Registered Nurse-Preop/PACU

Position Summary

Responsible for providing care for pre and post-operative patients recovering from anesthesia, including general, regional and local. The PreOp/PACU RN treats inpatients and outpatients according to their needs, monitoring their vital signs to determine necessary care.

Responsibilities

• Promotes the mission, vision and values of the organization.

• Assesses patients at intervals as stated in policies and procedures.

• Assess the status of patients’ health in pre-op and ensure accuracy of identification wristband.

• Ensure that operative and informed consents are in order.

• Determine the surgeon and procedure being carried out.

• Take and record vital statistics of patients to ensure readiness for surgical procedure.

• Initiate IVs and ensure that patients are informed about the procedure and attending medical staff.

• Assess patients’ condition after a surgery has been performed.

• Provides continuous reassessment due to the possibility of rapid changes in a patient’s physiological condition; ensures all vitals are within normal range and report any changes to the doctor.

• Log all findings in patients’ files.

• Answer patients’ questions and ensure they are kept comfortable.

• Verify all relevant IVs are in check.

• Develop individualized care plans based on each individual patients’ condition and ensure they are carried out.

• Initiate patient education programs to ensure that both patients and families are educated on procedures and medications.

• Perform intervention duties in cases of post-operative emergencies.

• Record sedation levels and body temperature.

• Manage blood and fluid transfusions and draw specimens.

• Ensure that the post-operative space is clean and sanitized.

• Changes bandages and dress surgical wounds.

• Evaluates the patient’s progress toward attaining outcomes.

• Transfers care as appropriate.

• Maintains confidentiality of patient and Center related business.

• Performs other duties as assigned.

Knowledge, Skills and Abilities

• Ability to maintain confidentiality and act as a patient advocate.

• Ability to delegate tasks as appropriate according to the state Nurse Practice Act and job descriptions.

• Pursues professional growth and participates in a professional organization.

• Basic computer skills (eg, Microsoft® Word).

• Collaborates effectively with other disciplines as appropriate.

• Uses problem-solving and conflict resolution skills to foster effective work relationships with team members.

• Maintains required competencies.

Qualifications

• Graduate from an accredited school of nursing.

• Current registered nurse licensure in state of employment.

• Two years perioperative services experience.

• Basic Life Support (BLS) certification.

• Advanced Cardiac Life Support (ACLS) certification.

• Pediatric Advanced Life Support (PALS) certification, depending on patient population.

Preferred:

• Bachelor’s degree in nursing.

Physical Demands/Working Conditions

The physical demands described here are representative of those that must be met by an employee to successfully perform the essential functions of this job. Reasonable accommodations may be made to enable individuals with disabilities to perform the essential functions.

• Working Conditions: Exposure to blood and body fluids, communicable diseases, chemicals, radiation and repetitive motions; Category 1-Occupational exposure.

• Physical Demands: Physically demanding, high-stress environment. Full range of body motion including handling and lifting patients. Pushing and pulling heavy objects. Manual and finger dexterity; hand and eye coordination; standing and walking for extensive periods of time. Lifting and carrying items weighing up to fifty (50) pounds. Corrected vision and hearing to within normal range.