Registered Nurse - Post Anesthesia Care Unit (PACU)

Veterans Health Administration • San Antonio, TX

20h • Onsite

About The Position

The Registered Nurse in the Post Anesthesia Care Unit (PACU) provides specialized peri-anesthesia nursing care across the pre-anesthesia, recovery, and extended-care phases for surgical, diagnostic, and therapeutic procedures. The role encompasses Phase I and II recovery and extended recovery following sedation, analgesia, or anesthesia. Expectations range from developing competence to proficient practice, leadership, evidence-based care, mentoring, quality improvement, policy development, and contributions to program-level outcomes.

The nurse assesses, plans, implements, coordinates, and evaluates age-appropriate patient care using the nursing process and evidence-based practice. The position requires comprehensive assessment, identification of contraindications to anesthesia or procedures, and appropriate interventions. The nurse monitors postoperative cardiovascular, respiratory, airway, neurological, hemodynamic, pain, comfort, and mental-status needs; administers medications and sedation-related therapies; and documents care in the electronic health record.

The nurse coordinates care with the interdisciplinary team, educates patients and families, and uses critical thinking, clinical judgment, and technical proficiency to manage routine and complex situations. The role includes maintaining knowledge of ASPAN standards, VHA directives, and local policies; participating in quality improvement, patient safety, and evidence-based practice initiatives; mentoring colleagues; and contributing to leadership, policy, and service improvements. On-call coverage may be required, including responding to patient-care needs outside regular duty hours.

The work schedule is Monday through Friday, with shifts of 7:30 a.m.–4:00 p.m., 9:30 a.m.–6:00 p.m., or 11:30 a.m.–8:00 p.m. Telework and virtual work are not available. Relocation and recruitment incentives and permanent change of station are not authorized.

Requirements

• Proficiency in basic written and spoken English.
• Graduation from an appropriately accredited school of professional nursing, or qualifying equivalent education as described in the announcement.
• Current, full, active, and unrestricted registered professional nurse licensure in a U.S. State, Territory, or Commonwealth, or the District of Columbia; a temporary Graduate Nurse Technician exception is described for qualifying candidates pursuing licensure.
• Meet the education, experience, and dimension criteria for the assigned Nurse grade and level.
• U.S. citizenship, except that non-citizens may be appointed only when qualified citizens cannot be recruited in accordance with VA policy.
• Selected applicants in testing-designated positions must undergo pre-appointment urinalysis; refusal results in denial of employment.
• Subject to Selective Service registration requirements for males born after December 31, 1959.
• Subject to background/security investigation and completion of the online onboarding process.
• Provide acceptable identification for pre-employment requirements; from May 7, 2025, non-REAL ID-compliant driver's licenses or state identification cards cannot be used as acceptable employment identification.
• A pre-employment or post-employment physical examination may be required depending on organizational needs.
• Participation in the seasonal influenza vaccination program is required for VA Health Care Personnel.
• May be required to serve a probationary period.
• Submit a transcript if education is used to establish qualifications; foreign education requires the specified equivalency documentation.
• Complete all application requirements detailed in the announcement's Required Documents section.

Nice To Haves

• Recent PACU experience within the last three years.
• CPAN, CAPA, or CCRN certification.

Responsibilities

• Provide specialized peri-anesthesia nursing care across pre-anesthesia, Phase I and II recovery, and extended recovery following sedation, analgesia, or anesthesia.
• Assess, plan, implement, coordinate, and evaluate age-appropriate patient care using the nursing process and evidence-based practice.
• Conduct comprehensive patient assessments, identify contraindications to anesthesia or procedures, and implement appropriate interventions.
• Monitor postoperative cardiovascular, respiratory, airway, neurological, hemodynamic, pain, comfort, and mental-status needs.
• Administer medications, sedation-related therapies, and nursing procedures in accordance with established policies, guidelines, and standards of practice.
• Coordinate patient care with the interdisciplinary team to promote positive outcomes, safe care, and customer satisfaction.
• Educate patients and families to support self-management, informed decision-making, and continuity of care.
• Apply critical thinking, clinical judgment, and technical proficiency to routine and complex patient-care situations.
• Maintain knowledge of ASPAN standards, VHA directives, and local policies, procedures, and standard operating practices.
• Document all phases of care accurately, completely, and promptly in the electronic health record.
• Participate in quality improvement, patient safety, and evidence-based practice initiatives.
• Share knowledge, mentor colleagues, and foster a supportive professional practice environment.
• Demonstrate leadership through collaboration, problem-solving, policy development, and contributions to program- and service-level improvements.
• Evaluate care processes, contribute to practice improvements, and promote high-quality patient-centered care.
• May participate in on-call coverage and respond to patient-care needs outside regular duty hours.

Benefits

• Competitive salary, regular salary increases, and potential performance awards.
• 50 days of paid time off per year: 26 days of annual leave, 13 days of sick leave, and 11 paid Federal holidays.
• Traditional federal pension with five-year vesting and federal 401K with up to 5% in contributions by VA.
• Federal health, vision, dental, term life, and long-term care insurance; many federal insurance programs can be carried into retirement.

What This Job Offers

• Job Type: Full-time
• Career Level: Entry Level
• Education Level: Associate degree