Registered Nurse - Post Anesthesia Care (PACU)

Veterans Health Administration • Iowa City, IA

4d • Onsite

About The Position

The Department of Veterans Affairs Iowa City Health Care System is recruiting a Post Anesthesia Care Registered Nurse to guide Veterans through the peri-anesthesia journey by assessing, intervening, and educating to restore stability and comfort. The role supports the VA Midwest Health Care Network’s Whole Health System of care, which empowers Veterans to manage their health and well-being through personalized health plans, healing relationships, healing environments, and community connections.

The nurse is accountable for the nursing process and coordination of patient care, with a focus on education, self-management, and customer satisfaction throughout the continuum of care. The position provides specialized care across pre-anesthesia, post-anesthesia Phase I and Phase II, and extended care. The nurse assesses patients before procedures, identifies contraindications to anesthesia or surgery, evaluates postoperative status, provides interventions, administers medications and procedures, collaborates with the interdisciplinary team, documents care in the electronic health record, participates in quality improvement and customer service programs, and follows safety and infection-control procedures.

The work schedule is Monday through Friday, 11:00 a.m. to 7:30 p.m., with no weekends or holidays. 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, subject to the stated education and foreign-education provisions.
• Current, full, active, and unrestricted registered professional nurse license in a U.S. State, Territory, or Commonwealth, or the District of Columbia; a Graduate Nurse Technician temporary appointment exception is described for candidates pursuing licensure.
• Meet the applicable education, experience, and dimension criteria for the grade and level sought, as detailed in the posting.
• U.S. citizenship, except that non-citizens may be appointed when qualified citizens cannot be recruited in accordance with VA policy.
• Selected applicants must pass a pre-employment physical evaluation and complete required onboarding and background/security processes.
• Applicants tentatively selected for a testing-designated position must submit to urinalysis for illegal drug screening; refusal results in denial of employment.
• Registration with Selective Service is required for males born after December 31, 1959.
• Participation in the seasonal influenza vaccination program is required for VA Health Care Personnel.
• Applicants may be required to serve a probationary period and must complete application requirements listed in the announcement.

Nice To Haves

• Post-anesthesia and/or critical care experience preferred.

Responsibilities

• Provide and/or supervise direct patient care and remain accountable for all elements of the nursing process.
• Coordinate care, emphasizing patient education, self-management, and customer satisfaction throughout the continuum of care.
• Provide specialized assessment, planning, implementation, and evaluation across pre-anesthesia, post-anesthesia Phase I, post-anesthesia Phase II, and extended care.
• Assess and prepare patients for procedures and identify contraindications for anesthesia or surgical intervention.
• Apply appropriate post-sedation scoring and assess postoperative cardiovascular and respiratory status, airway needs, neurological status, hemodynamic stability, pain, comfort needs, and mental status.
• Implement interventions to maintain or return patient systems to baseline or above.
• Administer medications and perform procedures according to established policies and guidelines.
• Collaborate with the interdisciplinary team to influence care outcomes.
• Maintain knowledge of current ASPAN standards, VHA directives, and service-level standard operating procedures.
• Ensure timely, complete, and accurate documentation of all phases of care in the electronic health record.
• Participate in unit- or program-level quality improvement processes and customer service programs.
• Follow Life Safety Management procedures and report safety hazards, accidents, and injuries.
• Demonstrate infection-control practices, including hand washing, standard precautions, isolation procedures, and tuberculosis requirements and precautions.

Benefits

• Competitive salary
• Regular salary increases
• Potential performance awards
• 50 days of paid time off per year, consisting of 26 days annual leave, 13 days sick leave, and 11 paid Federal holidays
• Traditional federal pension with five-year vesting
• Federal 401(k) 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
• Education Level: Associate degree