PRN RN Pre-Op/PACU Indian Creek ASC

KU MedWest Ambulatory Surgery•Overland Park, KS

20h

About The Position

The Registered Nurse (RN) Pre-Op & PACU works in the Preop/PACU department and reports to the Clinical Nurse Manager. The nurse provides preoperative and postoperative assessment and care, monitoring patients across the peri-anesthesia continuum. This includes evaluating patient status, managing recovery from anesthesia, administering medications safely, providing pain and comfort management, educating patients and support persons, protecting patient rights and privacy, and coordinating care with the perioperative team. The role also includes documentation, handoffs, delegation, participation in quality improvement and team activities, maintaining competencies, and professional growth. The position involves a physically demanding, high-stress environment with exposure to blood and body fluids, communicable diseases, chemicals, radiation, and repetitive motions. It requires extensive standing and walking, handling and lifting patients and equipment, pushing and pulling heavy objects, and lifting and carrying items weighing up to 50 pounds. Work may involve irregular hours.

Requirements

Graduate of an accredited school of nursing.
Current state licensure to practice in good standing.
Complete Basic Life Support (BLS) within 90 days of employment or provide documentation of current BLS certification; AHA certification preferred.
Complete Advanced Life Support (ALS) within 6 months of employment or provide documentation of current ALS certification; AHA certification preferred.
Complete Pediatric Advanced Life Support (PALS) within 6 months when required by the supervisor for pediatric care within the facility’s scope of services, or provide documentation of current PALS certification; AHA certification preferred.
High school graduate or equivalent.
Ability to work in a physically demanding, high-stress environment with exposure to blood and body fluids, communicable diseases, chemicals, radiation, and repetitive motions.
Ability to push and pull heavy objects, handle and lift patients and equipment, stand and walk for extensive periods, and lift and carry items weighing up to 50 pounds.
Corrected vision and hearing within normal range.
Ability to work irregular hours.

Nice To Haves

One year of ICU, ED, PACU, and/or medical/surgical nursing experience.
Specialty certification in Perioperative or Perianesthesia Nursing.

Responsibilities

Promote the mission, vision, and values of the Company.
Assess patients’ preoperative and postoperative status at intervals according to facility policies, including cardiovascular, respiratory, neurological, hemodynamic, pain, and comfort needs.
Interpret information from noninvasive and invasive monitors.
Apply relevant scoring systems and discharge criteria for patient transfer as defined by organizational policy.
Develop and implement individualized peri-anesthesia plans of care, including managing recovery from anesthesia and protecting patients from injury.
Communicate patient status throughout the peri-anesthesia continuum of care and provide accurate, concise handoff reports.
Operate equipment and machinery safely and report and correct unsafe situations.
Advocate for patients and raise safety concerns.
Handle specimens according to facility policies and procedures.
Follow standard precautions, including use of personal protective equipment, and perform interventions to protect patients from infection.
Provide acute pain and comfort management, administer medications safely using the eight rights of medication administration, and manage fluids as prescribed.
Maintain wound integrity, tissue perfusion, and normothermia, and provide nursing care and monitoring in accordance with policies and procedures.
Manage patients’ comorbid conditions as applicable.
Assess patient or support-person knowledge and provide education regarding expected psychosocial responses, nutrition, medical and pain management, wound care, and expected responses to procedures.
Involve patients or designated support persons in decisions about the perioperative plan of care and rehabilitation.
Protect patient rights, dignity, privacy, and confidentiality, and provide age-specific, culturally competent, ethical care within legal standards.
Comply with Universal Protocol and facility site-validation and time-out policies.
Evaluate patient progress toward outcomes and transfer care as needed.
Delegate tasks in accordance with applicable nursing laws, regulations, and job descriptions.
Document episodes of care completely, accurately, and legibly.
Communicate and collaborate with perioperative team members and other stakeholders, and serve on multidisciplinary care-planning teams.
Participate in quality review, performance improvement projects, performance appraisal, team meetings, trainings, and daily safety huddles.
Use problem-solving and conflict-resolution skills to foster effective work relationships.
Maintain required competencies and pursue professional growth.
Demonstrate fiscal responsibility, comply with Company and facility policies, and perform other duties as assigned.