Preop/PACU Charge Nurse III - Newport Coast Surgical Institute

SCA Health•Newport Beach, CA

About The Position

The Preop/PACU Charge Nurse supervises and supports nursing staff while also providing care to a limited number of patients. The role is responsible for maintaining high standards of patient care, evaluating nurses, and serving as an educational resource. It requires leadership, management, and communication skills, as well as the ability to manage, supervise, and assist nursing staff while providing administrative support and patient care. The Charge Nurse directs patient admission, discharge, and flow; assigns nurses and support staff to patients and rooms; and prioritizes and adapts to changing needs and emergencies. The role guides staff in caring for new patients and patients with special needs, supports individualized care planning, and develops training courses and needs assessments for nurses and staff. Administrative work includes scheduling, maintaining supplies, and communicating protocol changes. The position also provides patient care and may circulate in a surgical room. The role promotes clinical nursing standards, leads and supervises Staff Nurses, conducts supervision sessions and appraisals, and supports teamwork and service improvement. It ensures patient care is assessed, planned, implemented, and evaluated through written care plans; maintains required records; communicates practice changes; reports injuries, disease, and dangerous practices; addresses poor practice with guidance; and ensures staff follow organizational policies, health and safety and fire regulations, and applicable regulatory requirements, including infection control.

Requirements

Bachelor's degree or equivalent experience.
Minimum of two years of Pre-Op/PACU experience in an ambulatory surgery center.
Current license to practice professional nursing in the state.
BLS for Healthcare Providers certification.
Leadership, management, and communication skills.

Nice To Haves

PALS/ACLS certification; this can be obtained.

Responsibilities

Supervise, manage, and support nursing staff and provide patient care to a limited number of patients.
Promote high standards of clinical nursing care and lead, manage, and supervise Staff Nurses.
Direct patient admissions, discharges, and general flow, and assign nurses and support staff to patients and rooms.
Adapt priorities and respond effectively to emergencies and changing needs.
Guide staff in caring for new patients and patients with special needs, answer questions about operating room protocols, and support individualized plans of care.
Develop and implement training courses and organize needs assessments to educate and train nurses and staff.
Create schedules, maintain adequate supplies, and inform staff of protocol changes; plan nursing staff budgets in settings where applicable.
Circulate a surgical room as needed.
Conduct one-to-one supervision sessions and appraisals for Staff Nurses.
Maintain working relationships with the nursing and care team, attend staff meetings, and encourage team input on service improvements.
Ensure effective assessment, planning, implementation, and evaluation of patient care through written care plans.
Maintain records as required by the company and regulatory bodies.
Communicate requests and changes in practice to relevant personnel and assume named nurse/link nurse responsibilities.
Report injuries, disease, and dangerous practices to relevant personnel; challenge poor practice and provide guidance for improvement.
Address team matters with a view to settlement, involving HR for support and advice when necessary.
Ensure staff comply with organizational policies and procedures, including health and safety and fire regulations.
Ensure compliance with regulatory requirements, including infection control, and maintain working relationships with regulatory bodies and other relevant organizations.