CRNA - Nurse Anesthetist

Nurse Anesthetist Position

This position is located in the Anesthesia Department of Tuba City Regional Health Care Corporation (TCRHCC) and is a full professional member of the Operating Room (OR) team providing anesthesiology services.

Necessary Qualifications

Education:

• Associate's or Bachelor's degree from an accredited school of nursing.
• Completion of a Nurse Anesthetist training program sponsored or approved by the American Association of Nurse Anesthetists (AANA)

License/Certification:

• Must possess a valid, current, full and unrestricted license to practice as a nurse in any state within the United States, District of Columbia or the Commonwealth of Puerto Rico
• Certification by the AANA (American Association of Nurse Anesthetists)
• Must maintain a current valid certification of the following throughout employment:
  • Basic Life Support (BLS) from the American Heart Association for direct hires
  • Pediatric Advanced Life Support (PALS) from the American Heart Association
  • Advanced Cardiac Life Support (ACLS) from the American Heart Association
  • Must obtain Advanced Trauma Life Support (ATLS) prior to taking trauma call

Experience:

• Knowledge of professional nursing and of the pharmacological properties and physiological effects of anesthetic drugs used in complex surgery
• Independent ability to administer all anesthetics and to detect unfavorable reactions; to administer and manage new drugs and to recover the patient from any side effects
• Skill in preparing reports of results in the use of new drugs. Frequently new techniques, information, and criteria are established from these reports. Knowledge of OR methods, equipment, and procedures

Other Skills and Abilities:

A record of satisfactory performance in all prior and current employment as evidenced by positive employment references from previous and current employers. All employment references must address and indicate success in each one of the following areas:

• Positive working relationships with others
• Possession of high ethical standards and no history of complaints
• Reliable and dependable; reports to work as scheduled without excessive absences
• Ability to coordinate anesthesia activities with the total operating room team
• Completion of and, above-satisfactory scores on all job interviews, demonstrating to the satisfaction of the interviewees and TCRHCC that the applicant can perform the essential functions of the job
• Successful completion of fingerprint clearance requirements, physical examinations, and other screenings indicating that the applicant is qualified to be employed by TCRHCC and demonstrating to the satisfaction of TCRHCC that the applicant can perform the essential functions of the job
• Submission of all required employment-related documents, applications, resumes, references, and other required information free of false, misleading, or incomplete information, as determined by TCRHCC.

Mental and Physical Effort

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

Physical:

The Anesthetist must endure long periods of sitting, and standing while confined to a small area, frequent walking, occasional driving, bending, climbing, kneeling, crouching, twisting, maintaining balance and reaching. Must remain alert and make rapid and accurate decisions during periods of fatigue and anxiety induced by extended high risk surgery. Must be able to lift, push, and pull 10lbs frequently as well as occasionally equipment weighing over 100lbs. Must have ability of far, near, and color vision, depth perception, seeing fine details, hearing normal speech and overhead pages, and occasional telephone use. Must have hand manipulation of frequent simple grasping and fine manipulation and occasional firm grasping and use of keyboards.

Mental:

Contacts often require tact and sensitivity as those related to stressful situation such as death, dying, and catastrophic illnesses. Must be able to prioritize, use good judgment and be able to coordinate a variety of issues while being frequently interrupted. Must have ability to frequently cope with high levels of stress, make decisions under high pressure, handle high degree of flexibility, handle multiple priorities in stressful situation, occasionally cope with anger/fear/hostility of others in a calm way, manage altercations, concentrate, work alone, demonstrate high degree of patience, adapt to shift work, and work in areas that are close and crowded.

Environmental:

Works in an area where there is repeatedly long exposure to anesthetic agents which may cause a risk of abortions, birth defects in the children of anesthetist, and possible cancer. There is also the risk of exposure to radiation and infection. May frequently be exposed to chemical agents, dust, fumes, gases, and loud noises with occasional exposure to infectious disease, extremes in temperature or humidity, hazardous or moving equipment, and unprotected heights.

Responsibilities

Essential Functions

1. Answers to the Chief of Anesthesia and follows all pertinent policies and procedures. Abide by all Medical Staff Bylaws and Rules & Regulations including meeting attendance, educational and quality assurance and process improvement activities.
2. The purpose of the work is to provide full range of anesthetic management in an operating room and post operative setting. The Nurse Anesthetist is an on-site consultant and expert in anesthesiology.
3. Contact with patients, their families, physicians and surgeons, pharmacist, quality assurance staff, nursing staff, and other hospital personnel must reveal excellent interpersonal skill.
4. Contact with patients establishes rapport and health history. Contact is also made with the patient's family to elicit information, provide emotional support, and ensure cooperation. Contact with surgeons and other hospital personnel are to exchange information and provide consultation before, during, and after surgery.
5. The Anesthetist at TCRHCC is responsible for administering anesthesia for all types of surgical procedures. Patients range from the neonate (currently not less than 1 year) to the centurian. The acuity of our patients covers a wide range from the healthy to the gravely ill. The Anesthetist must be proficient in diagnosing the degree of illness and anesthesia related risks, in order to properly select techniques and agents. Reviews patient's charts for pertinent information such as lab, EKG's, x-ray, allergies, and history and physical examination, and previous anesthetics with related complications. Interviews patients and family members if available. Explains anesthesia procedures, discusses risks involved, and what to expect post anesthesia. Employs the services of interpreters when necessary.
6. The Anesthetist administers anesthetic by inhalation, endotracheal intubation, regional, intravenous or topically. Induces anesthesia to the proper state and manages throughout surgery. Determines need for and administers parenteral fluids, including plasma and blood. Administers medications as required and monitors the patient during surgery by maintaining hemodynamics and preventing overdose. Diagnosis problems such as cardiac failure, respiratory insufficiency, fluid and electrolyte imbalance, and corrects same.
7. Provides acute pain management services to obstetrical and other patients as consulted.
8. Gives immediate post operative care to patients for the extent of time required to ensure clear airway and freedom from the possibility of shock or other adverse reactions.
9. Recommends new drugs to the Pharmacy Committee for anesthesia. Administers and evaluates actions of new drugs. Manages actions of new drugs once they are administered. Implements results of new anesthesia methods and techniques after receiving approval from medical committee.
10. Responsible for all techniques, drugs, and equipment used in the administration of anesthesia to all patients undergoing any and all forms of surgical and/or diagnostic procedures. Assumes responsibility for care, sanitation, and inspection for proper functioning of all equipment used in performance of work, enforcing rules and safety with respect to anesthetics or gases such as grounding of patient and venting of gases during surgery. Attempts to maintain a quiet orderly induction and emergence.
11. Responds to medical emergencies such as codes or intubation in the ICU, ER, or any other location in the hospital as availability permits.
12. Responsible for electronic health records data entry pertinent to patient service role.
13. Ensure Proper PPE is always used while on duty. Face surgical mask is to be worn in all hospital areas. Proper handwashing is required. If water is not available use hand sanitizer. Social distancing will be practiced by department.
14. Proper PPE is used inside assigned Clinics or Unit. NIOSH-approved N95 mask filtering face piece respirator or higher, is available, this included eye or face masks shield, gloves, and isolation gown