RN PreOp PACU II

SCA Health•Sharonville, OH

About The Position

The Registered Nurse (RN) PreOp PACU provides preoperative and postoperative nursing care in the perianesthesia setting, supporting patient recovery and promoting SCA Health’s mission, vision, and values. The nurse assesses patients at intervals established by facility or organizational policies, develops and implements individualized plans of care, evaluates progress toward outcomes, and transfers care as needed. Care includes monitoring cardiovascular, respiratory, neurological, and hemodynamic status; airway management; pain and comfort needs; mental status; and information from noninvasive and invasive monitors. The nurse manages recovery following general, monitored anesthesia care, regional, and local anesthesia, supports patients with other comorbid conditions, and provides education to patients or their designated support persons. The role also involves protecting patient rights and privacy, documenting care, collaborating with other disciplines, participating in quality and safety activities, maintaining competencies, and pursuing professional growth.

Requirements

Graduate of an accredited school of nursing.
One year of preoperative or PACU experience required.
Medical/surgical nursing experience.
Current state licensure in good standing.
Current BLS or BCLS certification, or successful completion of the course within 90 days of employment.
Current ACLS certification, or successful completion of the course within 90 days of employment.
When pediatric care is included in the facility’s scope of services, current PALS certification or successful completion of the course within 90 days of employment.

Responsibilities

Promote SCA Health’s mission, vision, and values.
Assess preoperative and postoperative patient status at intervals according to facility or organizational policies, including cardiovascular, respiratory, neurological, and hemodynamic status; airway needs; pain and comfort; and mental status.
Interpret information from noninvasive and invasive monitors and describe relevant disease processes and the physiology of anesthesia techniques and surgical or procedural interventions.
Apply organizationally defined scoring systems and discharge criteria for patient transfer, such as Aldrete, Modified Aldrete/PARSAP, PADSS, or White scoring.
Develop and implement individualized perianesthesia plans of care, including managing recovery from general, monitored anesthesia care, regional, and local anesthesia.
Protect patients from injury related to positioning, thermal sources, and extraneous objects.
Communicate patient status throughout the perianesthesia continuum and provide accurate, concise, pertinent handoff reports.
Provide acute pain and comfort management and administer medications safely using the eight rights of medication administration.
Maintain wound integrity, tissue perfusion, body-system function, fluid and electrolyte balance, and normothermia as appropriate.
Implement infection prevention measures and manage comorbid conditions and prescribed fluids.
Assess patient or support-person knowledge and provide education about expected psychosocial responses, nutrition, medications, pain and comfort, wounds, and expected responses to procedures.
Involve patients or designated support persons in decisions about perioperative care and rehabilitation.
Protect patient rights, dignity, privacy, and confidentiality, and provide age-specific, culturally competent, ethical care within legal standards and organizational policies.
Evaluate patient progress toward outcomes and transfer care as needed.
Delegate tasks in accordance with applicable practice acts, laws, registration requirements, and job descriptions.
Document nursing care completely, accurately, and legibly.
Collaborate with other disciplines and participate in quality review, performance improvement, appraisals, team meetings, training, and daily safety huddles.
Use problem-solving and conflict-resolution skills to foster effective working relationships.
Maintain required competencies and pursue professional growth.
Demonstrate fiscal responsibility and perform other duties as assigned.