Pre/Post Operative Registered Nurse

Distro•Carmel, IN

18h•Onsite

About The Position

The Pre/Post Operative Registered Nurse organizes, directs, and provides direct patient care at Franciscan Orthopedic Surgery Center. The nurse participates in planning work in assigned areas, coordinates with other patient-care areas, and works with the team leader and administrator to ensure patient-care needs are met and services are coordinated. The role provides unit-level leadership and supports surgery center operations, including efficient case management, inventory maintenance, accurate documentation, and appropriate use of equipment and supplies. The nurse contributes to the full peri-operative process, communicates patient status to other caregivers, and follows privacy, safety, and established clinical procedures. Pre- and post-operative duties include assessing patients’ physical and emotional status, developing and implementing care plans, preparing patients for surgery, providing immediate post-operative and post-anesthesia care, monitoring and documenting patient status, and discharging patients when criteria are met. The nurse also reviews post-operative instructions with patients and caregivers and ensures they understand when and how to seek immediate care. Depending on need, the nurse may provide total pre-, intra-, and post-procedure care for pain procedures; provide sedation or circulate for colonoscopy cases; and conduct pre-admission clinic appointments for pre-operative assessments.

Requirements

High school graduate or GED.
Graduate of an accredited school of nursing.
Active RN license in the appropriate state.
CPR certification.
ACLS and PALS certifications.
Evidence of leadership qualities.
Professional references attesting to ethical conduct.
English proficiency sufficient for high-level written, interpersonal, and telephone communication.

Nice To Haves

PACU (Post Anesthesia Care Unit) experience.
ASC (Ambulatory Surgery Center) experience.
Computer literacy.

Responsibilities

Organize, direct, and provide direct patient care.
Participate in planning the work of assigned areas and coordinate activities with other patient-care areas.
Work with the team leader and administrator to coordinate patient-care service functions and ensure patient needs are met.
Provide unit-level leadership and serve as a resource for the Surgery Center, including interactions involving accrediting organizations, corporate compliance, and marketing efforts.
Use supplies economically and manage patient care efficiently to support cost containment.
Organize time, equipment, supplies, and personnel for effective and efficient case management.
Assist with supply, drug, and equipment inventories to maintain appropriate stock levels and availability.
Accurately document patient care and other required forms in accordance with policies and procedures.
Monitor and maintain a comfortable physical environment, use equipment effectively, anticipate patient needs, and provide appropriate care.
Confirm that proper techniques and procedures are followed according to accepted standards.
Participate as a team member in support of the total peri-operative process.
Communicate patient status accurately to others responsible for the patient's care and document information to support continuity of care.
Comprehend and interpret verbal orders and directions accurately.
Review medical records and patient needs to plan care with other health care team members.
Follow HIPAA and privacy laws to maintain patient privacy and dignity.
Assist with safe patient positioning and prepare operative sites according to established procedures.
Follow facility policy when assessing patients’ physical and emotional status upon admission.
Complete thorough admission assessments, develop and implement plans of care based on assessment data, document admission care, and complete admission checklists when transferring care to operating room personnel.
Discharge patients when all discharge criteria are met and maintain order and cleanliness in admission and post-operative areas.
As needed, provide total pre-, intra-, and post-procedure care for pain procedures; provide sedation for colonoscopy patients; circulate for colonoscopy cases; and conduct pre-admission clinic appointments for pre-operative assessments.
Greet patients and provide comfort and reassurance while supporting privacy, dignity, and confidentiality.
Inform patients about routine care and peri-operative procedures.
Provide safe, individualized nursing care during the immediate post-operative and post-anesthesia period.
Assess and document patients’ physical and emotional status upon arrival in the recovery room.
Monitor patients, report observed complications to the surgeon or anesthetist, and perform thorough post-operative assessments before discharge.
Review post-operative instructions and prescriptions with patients and caregivers and document the review in the medical record.
Ensure patients and caregivers understand conditions requiring immediate care and how to obtain it.