Registered Nurse - Post Anesthesia Care Unit (PACU) Day Shift

Job Description

Job Description

Join Decypher and make a direct impact on the health and readiness of Americas service members, veterans, and their families. Since 2008 Decypher has offered healthcare industry professionals careers where their expertise is valued, and their work makes a meaningful impact. Decypher partners with the Defense Health Agency to deliver professional services, technology, and management solutions. Our mission is to provide and support quality care for our veterans, servicemembers and their families, across the United States.

Job Summary: PACU RN will provide comprehensive post-anesthesia nursing care to patients across the lifespan, including assessment, monitoring, medication administration, airway management, pain control, and response to critical changes in condition. Collaborates with surgeons, anesthesiologists, and multidisciplinary teams to ensure safe patient recovery, accurate documentation, effective care coordination, and compliance with PACU policies and clinical standards.

Required Qualifications:

• Education: Bachelor's Degree, Registered Nursing. Graduate from a college or university accredited by Accreditation Commission for Education in Nursing (ACEN), the Commission on Collegiate Nursing Education (CCNE).
• Certifications:
  • Basic Life Support (BLS)
  • Pediatric Advanced Life Support (PALS)
  • Advance Cardiac Life Support (ACLS
• License: Have successfully completed a Post-Anesthesia Care course/training program or is nationally certified as a Certified Post Anesthesia Nurse (CP AN). Documentation required
• Experience: Candidates should have a minimum of two years of current experience as a PACU RN in an inpatient Phase 1 recovery unit, or at least one year of experience in Critical Care.

U.S. Citizenship is required

Key Responsibilities:

• Provide PACU nursing care: Assess, plan, implement, and evaluate care for patients from infants through geriatric populations recovering from anesthesia, sedation, and surgical procedures, including potentially critical patients.
• Manage complex and critical patients: Monitor airway, cardiovascular, and respiratory status; manage invasive lines, chest tubes, drains, ventilators, and advanced monitoring; recognize and respond to life-threatening changes and emergencies, including CPR.
• Administer medications and treatments: Safely administer medications, IV therapy, blood products, opioids, and other prescribed treatments while operating specialized equipment and adhering to PACU protocols, medication safety standards, and infection-control requirements.
• Document and coordinate patient care: Accurately perform assessments, maintain real-time electronic health records in MHS GENESIS, document medications and interventions, communicate patient status and handoffs, and collaborate with surgeons, anesthesiologists, and multidisciplinary care teams.
• Support patient safety, education, and unit operations: Assist with patient transfers and mobility, provide patient/family education, participate in quality improvement and staff training, maintain supplies and controlled-substance security, and comply with hospital policies, privacy requirements, certifications, and ongoing competency standards.

*Additional requirements will be provided at the time of interview.

Work Environment & Schedule: On site at WRNMMC, Monday to Friday, 6:00am to 2:30pm.

Physical requirements: Requires the ability to stand and walk for extended periods, walk at least 500 yards, assist with patient transfers and mobility, push occupied wheelchairs and gurneys, and lift/carry items weighing up to 30 pounds. The role may also require physically demanding emergency interventions such as CPR, while safely maneuvering around patients, equipment, and the PACU environment.

Compensation & Benefits: Up to $68.50 per hour.

Decypher is an equal opportunity and affirmative action employer committed to a diverse and inclusive workforce (M/F/D/V)