Pre-Op/PACU Registered Nurse

Summary

While upholding the Star Valley Medical Center mission, vision and values this key position is responsible for the delivery quality patient care through the assessment of the patient upon admission to the pre-op area, the operating room and/or the post-op area, and on a continuing basis. The nurse collaborates with other professional disciplines to ensure effective and efficient patient care delivery and the achievement of desired patient outcomes. This position is at will.

Job Duties

Pre-Operative Duties

• Manage patients' admission processes to the preoperative department in a hospital
• Assess the status of patients' health in pre-op and ensure the accuracy of the 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 a surgical procedure
• Initiate IVs and ensure that patients are informed about the procedure and attending medical staff

Post-Operative Duties

• Assess patients' condition after surgery has been performed
• Ensure that all vitals are within normal range
• Log all findings in patients' files
• Answer patients' questions and ensure that they are kept comfortable
• Make sure that all relevant IVs are in check
• Develop individualized care plans based on each patient's condition
• Ensure that all nursing activities are carried out following the individual patient care plan
• Monitor patients for condition change and report any changes to the doctor
• Initiate patient education programs to ensure that both patients and families are educated on procedures and medications
• Determine when patients are ready to be moved to their rooms
• Perform intervention duties in cases of postoperative emergencies
• Record sedation levels and body temperature
• Manage blood and fluid transfusions and draw specimens
• Ensure that the postoperative space is clean and sanitized
• Change bandages and dress surgical wounds

Requirements

Abilities & Skills:

• Excellent organizational skills and attention to detail, prioritizes work to meet the changing needs of the department
• Proficient oral and written communication skills
• Aptitude to apply and modify the principles, methods and techniques of professional nursing to provide on-going patient care
• Sound analytical and problem solving skills with the ability to recommend solutions
• Skill to develop and maintain department quality assurance
• Knowledge of modern clinical equipment
• Talent to establish and maintain effective working relationships with physicians, leadership and peers
• Ability to react calmly and effectively in busy or emergency situations
• Adequate hearing to perform job duties in person and over the telephone. Able to use stethoscope and respond to verbal questions
• Must be able to communicate clearly to patients in person and over the telephone
• Visual acuity adequate to perform job duties, including visual examination of patient and reading information printed sources and computer screen
• Requires frequent lifting and carrying items weighting up to 50 pounds unassisted, adequate physical ability including sufficient manual dexterity to perform the requisite healthcare service, including injections.
• Requires frequent bending, reaching, repetitive hand movements, standing, walking, squatting and sitting, with some heavy lifting, pushing and pulling exerted regularly throughout a regular work shift.
• Requires exposure to communicable diseases and/or bodily fluids

Experience & Education:

• High school diploma or equivalent
• Graduate of an accredited school of nursing
• Maintains current State of Wyoming Registered Nurse licensure
• Maintains CPR certificate for Health Care Providers
• ACLS and PALS certifications, preferred
• Knowledge of professional nursing theory and practice to give and evaluate patient care
• Two years acute care or surgical nursing experience
• Computer literate, experience with EMR

Note: Position descriptions are intended to serve as a guideline for typical duties and requirements of a position, but are not inclusive. Additional or different responsibilities within a reasonable scope of the position description may be added or deleted any anytime at the discretion of the Board.

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