Registered Nurse, Perioperative Services Float

Heywood Hospital•Gardner, MA

About The Position

The Registered Nurse in Perioperative Services Float provides nursing care across perioperative services, including pre-admission testing and assessment, day-surgery care, and post-anesthesia recovery. The nurse assesses, plans, implements, and evaluates care; supports patient safety and dignity; provides education and emotional support; coordinates care with patients, families, and the health care team; and documents assessments, interventions, and patient responses. The role includes performing pre-admission testing for Surgical Day Care patients, coordinating ancillary testing such as blood draws and EKGs, reviewing preoperative orders and charts, and communicating abnormal results or missing information to the appropriate clinicians. The nurse monitors patients recovering from anesthesia, administers medications, IV therapy, and blood products as ordered, and provides continuity of care through communication and transfer reports. This per-diem position works day and evening shifts as needed and requires taking call according to the PACU rotation.

Requirements

Graduate of an accredited school of nursing.
At least 1 year of experience in Med/Surg, ICU, ED, or peri-operative services.
Current RN license in Massachusetts.
Current AHA ACLS certification.
Current AHA PALS certification.
Excellent communication, critical care, and critical thinking skills.
Must take call per PACU rotation.

Nice To Haves

At least 6 months of recent PACU, SDC, or radiology experience is preferred.

Responsibilities

Assess and reassess patients; plan, implement, and evaluate nursing interventions, plans of care, and patient goals.
Provide patient care in accordance with standards, protocols, policies, and procedures while respecting patients’ dignity.
Educate patients and families based on learning needs, readiness, and barriers; help prepare patients and families for discharge.
Delegate and supervise nursing interventions, prioritize care, seek assistance when appropriate, and recognize the need for emergency intervention.
Document pertinent data, interventions, and patient responses accurately and promptly; provide thorough reports to other health care team members.
Promote learning among colleagues and support personal professional development.
Identify patient-safety risks, report errors or incidents, and identify ethical issues and plans to address them.
Safely administer medications and intravenous therapy according to orders and established procedures; monitor and document patient responses.
Assess pain, reassess the effectiveness of pain control, notify physicians as needed, and document assessments and responses.
Obtain supporting information and complete medication-reconciliation documentation for the Attending MD.
Perform pre-admission testing and nursing assessments for Surgical Day Care patients, including blood draws and EKGs.
Review preoperative orders and consult with surgeons or anesthesiologists to ensure appropriate tests are ordered; review results and communicate abnormalities before surgery.
Verify preoperative chart completeness, including consent forms, history and physical, and laboratory results.
Provide emotional support to patients experiencing changes in body image or activity level due to surgery.
Initiate and document postoperative phone calls to Surgical Day Care patients.
Monitor post-operative patients during recovery from general or regional anesthesia, observing for complications and paying particular attention to oxygenation, ventilation, circulation, and temperature.
Implement the recovery plan of care; check dressings, watch for unusual bleeding, and administer ice packs as needed.
Communicate with perioperative team members and provide comprehensive patient summaries during transfers or temporary coverage.
Collaborate with surgeons, anesthesiologists, and nursing staff to support continuity of perioperative care.
Administer and monitor blood and blood products, observe and document patient responses, and document administration according to nursing procedures.
Take call according to the PACU rotation.