Responsible for providing care for pre and post-operative patients recovering from anesthesia, including general, regional and local. The PACU RN treats inpatients and outpatients according to their needs, monitoring their vital signs to determine necessary care. Licensing or registration required. The staffing of the Center is based on a teamwork concept. Employees may be cross-trained in other clinical areas and may be expected to perform duties other than their normal ones as staffing and patient needs change.

Responsibilities

• Promotes the mission, vision and values of the organization.
• Identifies patient care requirements by establishing personal rapport with potential and actual patients and other persons in a position to understand care requirements. Answers incoming patient/family questions.
• Adhering to principles of Universal Precautions
• Assures quality of care by adhering to therapeutic standards; measuring health outcomes against patient care goals and standards; making or recommending necessary adjustments; following Center and nursing division's philosophies and standards of care set by state board of nursing, state nurse practice act and other governing agency regulations; answering questions.
• Conducts pre- and post-operative education. Assessing the knowledge level of the patient or designated support person; providing education regarding the expected psychosocial response, nutritional management, medication management, pain management, wound management and expected responses to the operative or invasive procedure.
• Provides for safe, efficient and compassionate postoperative and perioperative care.
• Maintains safe and clean working environment by complying with procedures, rules and regulations; calling for assistance from health care support personnel.
• Documents patient care services by charting in patient and department records.
• Responds to life-saving situations based upon nursing standards and protocol.
• Managing the patients specimens in the appropriate manner.
• Prepares and administers medications safely and correctly. Administers and documents medication given to patients, assesses reactions and reacts as needed including contacting physician and/or supervisor.
• Maintains accountability for controlled substances; inventories medications at the beginning and end of the shift with another licensed nurse; notifies supervisor of discrepancies.
• Maintains continuity among nursing teams by documenting and communicating actions, irregularities and continuing needs.
• Ensures operation of equipment by completing preventive maintenance requirements; following manufacturer's instructions; troubleshooting malfunctions; calling for repairs; maintaining equipment inventories; evaluating new equipment and techniques.
• Maintains nursing supplies inventory by checking stock to determine inventory level; anticipating needed supplies; placing and expediting orders for supplies; verifying receipt of supplies; using equipment and supplies as needed to accomplish job results.
• Maintains professional and technical knowledge by attending educational workshops; reviewing professional publications; establishing personal networks; participating in professional societies.
• Maintains a cooperative relationship among health care teams by communicating information; responding to requests; building rapport; participating in team problem-solving methods.
• Transfers care as appropriate.
• Maintains confidentiality of patient and Center related business.
• Performs other duties as assigned.

• Ability to delegate tasks as appropriate according to the state Nurse Practice Act and job descriptions.
• Basic computer skills (eg, Microsoft® Word).
• Uses problem-solving and conflict resolution skills to foster effective work relationships with team members. Maintains required competencies.
• Exhibits favorable bedside manner including listening and communication skills.
• Function independently without constant supervision.
• Ability to read and legibly write, communicate appropriately and effectively, understand and execute instructions as needed and visually distinguish color.
• Operation Monitoring - Watching gauges, dials, or other indicators to make sure a machine is working properly.
• Using logic and reasoning to identify the strengths and weaknesses of alternative solutions, conclusions or approaches to problems. Ability to prioritize and handle multiple tasks.

Qualifications

• Associates Degree (or other 2-year degree)
• Graduate from an accredited school of nursing.
• Current registered nurse licensure in state of employment.
• Basic Life Support (BLS) certification.
• Advanced Cardiac Life Support (ACLS) certification.

Preferred:

• Bachelors degree in nursing.
• Two (2) years perioperative services experience and/or training.
• Certified Nurse, Operating Room (CNOR) certification.
• Pediatric Advanced Life Support (PALS) certification, depending on patient population.

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. This position requires intermittent physical activity, including bending, kneeling, stooping and crouching. Pushing and pulling heavy objects. Manual and finger dexterity; hand and eye coordination; standing and walking for extensive periods of time. Exerting ten to twenty-five (10-25) pounds frequently. Regularly lifting and carrying items weighing up to fifty (50) pounds. While performing the duties of this job, the employee is regularly required to talk and hear.