REGISTERED NURSE, RN - OPERATING ROOM

Independence Health System•Greensburg, PA

33d

About The Position

The Registered Nurse (RN) assesses, plans, implements, and evaluates care for a designated group of patients. The RN coordinates, directs, and participates as an effective member of the interdisciplinary health care team to support efficient unit operations and positive patient outcomes. In the operating room, the RN demonstrates knowledge of circulating and scrub nurse duties, prepares patients before surgery, verifies patient and procedure details and surgical site, positions patients while preserving skin integrity, and follows aseptic technique. The RN sets up instruments and equipment in coordination with physician preferences, updates preference cards, assists the surgeon, handles specimens, performs accurate OR counts, and adapts to changing surgical-team needs. The role may involve laser or radiation procedures and regular OR on-call coverage. The RN conducts the initial comprehensive assessment, interprets it to initiate the interprofessional plan of care, and oversees and delegates appropriate duties to designated care-team members. The RN may coach and mentor other departmental positions but has no direct supervisory responsibilities. Local travel between system locations may be expected. Scheduling is based on operational need and may include rotating shifts, standby, and on-call work.

Requirements

Graduate of an accredited nursing program.
Strong leadership ability and good organizational skills.
Independent and critical-thinking skills and sound judgment.
Knowledge of the legal aspects and liability of nursing practice.
Ability to communicate complex and/or controversial topics and concepts to a wide and diverse audience.
Current Pennsylvania Registered Nurse licensure.
Current Basic Life Support (BLS) certification through an American Heart Association-approved CPR and AED curriculum.
Act 33 clearance with renewal.
Act 34 clearance with renewal.
Act 73 FBI clearance with renewal.
A nursing refresher course may be required if the employee has not worked in an acute care setting during their most recent three consecutive years of professional employment.

Nice To Haves

Bachelor’s Degree in Nursing.
One year of medical/surgical, operating room, or surgical center experience.
CNOR certification.

Responsibilities

Assess, plan, implement, and evaluate care for a designated group of patients.
Coordinate, direct, and participate as a member of the interdisciplinary health care team.
Maintain professional and technical knowledge through continuing education, professional publications, networking, and participation in professional societies.
Ensure quality of care by following therapeutic standards, measuring outcomes against patient goals and care standards, and recommending or making necessary adjustments.
Follow infection-control, medication administration and storage, and controlled-substance policies and regulations.
Document patient care in patient and department records, and communicate actions, irregularities, and ongoing needs to nursing teams using Nurse Knowledge Exchange techniques.
Protect patient confidentiality and maintain patient confidence.
Identify patient care requirements through communication with patients and others who understand their care needs.
Provide emotional, psychological, and spiritual support to patients, friends, and families.
Promote patient independence by setting care goals, teaching patients and families about conditions, medications, and self-care, and answering questions.
Maintain a safe and clean work environment and obtain assistance from health care support personnel as needed.
Resolve patient problems and needs using multidisciplinary team strategies.
Communicate with health care teams, respond to requests, build rapport, and participate in continuous quality improvement and problem solving.
Complete related team duties as needed.
Maintain equipment by completing preventive maintenance, following manufacturer instructions, troubleshooting malfunctions, arranging repairs, maintaining inventories, and evaluating equipment and techniques.
Maintain nursing supplies inventory, anticipate needs, order and expedite supplies, verify receipts, and use supplies and equipment appropriately.
Perform circulating and scrub nurse duties, including preoperative preparation and patient, procedure, and surgical-site verification.
Position patients appropriately while preserving skin integrity and follow aseptic principles; report and correct breaks in aseptic technique.
Set up instruments and equipment for surgical procedures in coordination with physician preferences and update physician preference cards.
Assist the surgeon, handle specimens appropriately, and perform OR counts accurately, responding appropriately to incorrect counts.
Adapt to changing surgical-team needs and may perform laser or radiation procedures and take regular OR call.
Conduct the initial comprehensive assessment, interpret findings, and initiate the interprofessional plan of care.
Provide direct oversight of the GN, LPN, Technical Partner, ALS Technician, Nurse Extern, and Unit Clerks, including supervision of delegation within team members’ scope and capability.
Perform other related duties as assigned.