RN PACU Days PRN

POSITION SUMMARY

The RN is responsible and accountable for directing, planning, and organizing the nursing activities in the PACU setting with focus on patient, physician and staff needs. The RN is responsible for delivering skilled patient care through the nursing process in accordance with established policies and procedures for coordinating care among patient/family, medicine, nursing, and ancillary and other team personnel; acts as patient advocate; and maintains current knowledge and standards of professional nursing practice. The PACU nurse provides care to patients immediately following surgery. The PACU nurse provides nursing care to meet patient needs related to surgical condition and type of anesthesia administered monitoring patient and informing surgeon or anesthetist of observed complications.

DUTIES AND RESPONSIBILITIES

• Develops a multidisciplinary plan of care that is age specific.
• Revises and updates plan of care as needed evidenced by changes in patient status.
• Demonstrates abilities to prioritize nursing interventions in accordance with patient's needs.
• Demonstrates the ability to identify and prioritize problems/potential problems relevant to the immediate post anesthesia/post-operative phase 95% of the time
• Communicates problems/potential problems to appropriate team members.
• Performs and documents pre-operative assessment according to unit procedure.
• Assists anesthesia with the insertion of arterial lines.
• Assists anesthesia with regional blocks.
• Coordinates patient discharge with appropriate department to ensure continuity of care after discharge.
• Ensures discharge teaching is complete prior to the patient leaving the unit to achieve a comfortable and safe discharge as documented in the patient's record.
• Demonstrates courtesy when relaying and receiving information from co-workers and other departments.
• Transfers the care of the patient to a qualified caregiver.
• Demonstrates effective oral communications skills through the presentation of pertinent information in shift-to-shift and transfer reports to other members of the health care team.
• Can receive and benefit from constructive criticism in a positive manner.
• Consistently displays courteous telephone skills, identifying self and unit 90% of time.
• 95% of audited records reflect documentation of and patient's response to interventions, medications, treatments, and education.
• Keeps patient's family/significant others informed of patient status when appropriate.
• Provides a therapeutic environment through safe, accurate and timely medication administration.
• Utilizes two patient identifiers and the "5 Rights" when administering medication to patients.
• Demonstrates knowledge of drug action and appropriate nursing interventions for drug reaction and patient's response.
• Verifies or rectifies patient medication record per unit protocols.
• Demonstrates critical assessment of correct drug, appropriate dose, and correct pump setting when caring for patients with PCA/Epidural. Documents on the PCA flow sheet per protocols.
• Demonstrates/verbalizes appropriate recognition, reporting of medication variances and problems with the medication process.
• Verifies and ensures correct infusion rates when administering medication using the infusion pump.
• Demonstrates knowledge of high-risk medications by verifying administration with second nurse and documenting appropriately.
• Monitors the patient for response to medication and documents accordingly.
• Is knowledgeable of patient care procedures and follows standards of care.
• Consistently follows policy for utilizing standard/universal precautions.
• Takes an active role in recognizing emergency situations, responds and manages patient /family appropriately.
• Follows policy relating to National Patient Safety Goal regarding hand washing by demonstrating appropriate hand hygiene between patient contacts.
• Demonstrates the ability to manage the patient's airway.
• Carries out I.V. maintenance according to policy and procedure.
• Demonstrates proper use of IV pump.
• Administers I.V. drugs, blood, and blood products according to policy.
• Monitors patient for adverse reactions and reports appropriately.
• Recognizes emergency situations (i.e. laryngospasm, dysrhythmias) and responds appropriately.
• Demonstrates competency in the use of monitoring and resuscitation equipment.
• Maintains body temperatures through the provision of appropriate warming devices.
• All other duties as assigned

EDUCATION REQUIREMENTS

• Current Louisiana license required.
• ASPAN cortication preferred
• BLS Healthcare Provider Status-required within first 30 days of hire date
• All other certifications due within 90 days of hire date, i.e., ACLS, PALS