Certified Registered Nurse Anesthetist

Description

A Certified Registered Nurse Anesthetist (CRNA) in an advanced practice registered nurse (APRN) who practices both autonomously and in collaboration with a variety of health providers on the interprofessional team to deliver high-quality, holistic, evidence-based anesthesia and pain care services. The CRNA cares for patients at all acuity levels across the lifespan in a variety of settings for procedures including, but not limited to, surgical, obstetrical, diagnostic, therapeutic, and pain management.

JOB SPECIFIC DUTIES AND RESPONSIBILITIES:

1. Periodic pre-anesthesia assessment and evaluation of the patient.
2. Obtains informed consent for anesthesia and related services.
3. Selects, obtains, orders, and administers preanesthetic medication or treatment.
4. Develops and implements an anesthesia care plan.
5. Selects, obtains, prepares, and uses equipment, invasive and non-invasive monitors, supplies, and drugs for the administration of sedation, anesthesia and performs safety checks as needed.
6. Selects, orders, obtains, and administers analgesic and anesthetic agents, adjuvant drugs, accessory drugs, fluids, or blood products necessary to provide anesthesia services.
7. Performs all aspects of airway management, including fiberoptic intubation.
8. Facilitates emergence and recovery from anesthesia by evaluating patient response, and selecting, ordering, and administering medications, fluids, and ventilator support to maintain patient stability during transfer.
9. Initiates and administers post-anesthesia pharmacological or fluid support of the cardiovascular system.
10. Initiates and administers respiratory support to ensure adequate ventilation and oxygenation in the post-anesthesia period.
11. Implements acute and chronic pain management modalities.
12. Manages emergency situations by assessing, stabilizing, and determining disposition of patients, including providing airway management, administration of emergency drugs and fluids, and using basic and advanced cardiac life support techniques.
13. Supports patient safety when performing his or her job functions and through participation in facility, department, or unit patient safety initiatives.
14. Takes action to correct observed risks to patient safety.
15. Reports adverse events and near misses to appropriate management authority.
16. Identifies possible risks in processes, procedures, devices and communicates the same to those in charge.
17. Participates in quality assessment and quality assurance.
18. Participates in required educational programs.
19. Participates in departmental meetings.
20. Seeks ongoing professional educational growth.

OTHER JOB REQUIREMENTS:

1. This individual must be able to work under pressure and be proactive as well as resourceful.
2. Confidentiality is crucial for this role.
3. Expert verbal and written communication skills, strong decision-making ability and attention to detail are equally important.
4. This multi-tasker must be exceedingly well organized, flexible, display a high level of professionalism and enjoy the administrative challenges of supporting a clinic of diverse people and patients.

SUPERVISORY RESPONSIBILITY : None.

EDUCATION, CERTIFICATION, LICENSURE, REGISTRATION:

1. Master's degree or Doctorate in Nurse Anesthesia by date of hire
2. Current Arkansas licensure as an RN and APRN (CRNA).
3. Graduate of a nurse anesthesia educational program accredited by the Council on Accreditation of Nurse Anesthesia Educational Programs or its predecessor.
4. Certified by the National Board of Certification and Recertification for Nurse Anesthetists by date of hire
5. BLS and ACLS required

EXPERIENCE, SKILLS AND KNOWLEDGE:

1. Previous CRNA experience preferred.
2. Ability to perform clinically as a nurse anesthetist in the facility setting on a regular basis.
3. Ability to operate, use, and interpret data from a wide variety of equipment to perform anesthesia care as well as necessary perioperative or operating room care to support
4. the safety and wellbeing of the patient while they are under the direct care of the CRNA.
5. Effective verbal and written communication skills are required to effectively collaborate with various clinical staff and other disciplines.
6. Ability to demonstrate knowledge and skills necessary to provide care appropriate to the patient population(s) served.
7. Ability to demonstrate knowledge of the principles of growth and development over the life span and ability to assess data reflective of the patient's requirements relative to his or her population-specific and age specific needs.
8. Knowledge of infection prevention and control techniques.
9. Ability to maintain confidential records.
10. Ability to implement and adhere to facility policies and procedures.

REASONING ABILITY:

1. Ability to solve practical problems and deal with a variety of concrete variables in situations where only limited standardization exists.
2. Ability to interpret a variety of instructions furnished in written, oral, or schedule form.

INTERPERSONAL SKILLS:

1. Must interact and communicate both verbally and in written form.
2. Must interact and exchange information regarding patients with physicians and other departmental personnel on a frequent basis while respecting the confidentiality of patient information.

PHYSICAL DEMANDS:

1. 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.
2. While performing the duties of this job, the employee is regularly required to talk or hear.
3. The employee regularly is required to stand, walk, sit, use hand to finger, handle or feel objects, tools, or controls; and reach with hands and arms.
4. Specific vision abilities required by this job include close vision and the ability to adjust focus.

WORK ENVIRONMENT:

The work environment involves potential exposure to blood and body fluids, communicable diseases, chemicals and other hazardous materials, radiation, and repetitive motions while performing the essential functions of this job. Team members are offered appropriate vaccinations and safety training.

DISCLOSURE:

This description is intended to describe the essential job functions, the general supplemental functions and the essential requirements for the performance of the job. It is not an exhaustive list of all duties, responsibilities and requirements of a person so classified. Other functions may be assigned and management retains the right to add or change the duties at any time. Reasonable accommodations may be made to enable individuals with disabilities to perform the essential functions of the job.

SAFETY SENSITIVE

This position is a Safety Sensitive Position. The essential functions, physical demands, and mental competencies of this job require the employee maintain the ability to work in a constant state of alertness in a safe manner.