Responsible for providing care to post-operative patients recovering from anesthesia, including general, regional, and local, until admitted to the inpatient unit or discharged from The Spine Hospital of Louisiana.
- Utilizes assessment skills and tools to identify problems, needs, and interventions.
- Recognizes patient's and family's need for instructions and initiates appropriate action.
- Set priorities for action based on problem-solving processes, common sense, and meeting patient care priorities.
- Recognizes and responds appropriately to signs and symptoms of health-threatening changes and reports abnormal results of diagnostic studies to the appropriate physician.
- Utilizes work assignments to develop individuals' unique abilities and meet the special needs of patients and significant others.
- Participates in reviewing and revising quality assessment improvement criteria and standards of care.
- Completes appropriate Competency Checklists annually.
- Admission, Assessment, and PACU of Pain Medicine, Myelogram, and IVC Filter patients.
- Admission, Assessment, Stabilization, and transfer of any emergency patients.
- Obtains a thorough medical history through a phone or personal interview of the patient or family member.
- Documents the medical history and communicates potential medical/surgical risks to the surgeon and anesthesiologist.
- Review preadmission guidelines with patient/family.
- Assist with the completion of the Health Questionnaire/Pre-Anesthesia Evaluation form.
- Reviews Preop instructions specific to surgical procedure and physician preference.
- Reviews Preop Do's and Don'ts instructions.
- Provides an overview of postoperative care and needs.
- Review daily surgery schedule for updates.
- Admits and prepares patients for procedures.
- Administers IV therapy according to Nursing Service Policies.
- Administers medications according to SHOLA Policies.
- Carries out physician's orders accurately and questions unclear orders.
- Performs treatments and procedures according to SHOLA Policies.
- Receives patients into PACU for monitoring and recovery post-procedure.
- Cost-effectively maintains adequate supplies and equipment in appropriate working conditions.
- Initiates nurse-physician communication as appropriate.
- Maintains a clean, safe, and quiet environment for patients and other personnel.
- Utilizes sound nursing judgment as evidenced by the ability to provide rationale for decisions.
- Detects early signs and symptoms of potential perioperative complications and report observations promptly to the proper physician.
- Always provides for patient privacy and confidentiality and maintains patient dignity.
- Provides preoperative and postoperative teaching to patients and significant family members with proper documentation.
- Recognizes potential benefits of selected new products and discusses with the Surgical Services Director for possible acquisition for use.
- Serves as a resource person for updating or improving patient care practices.
- Assists in facilitating the patient-physician-nurse communication process.
- Serves as a preceptor in the orientation of new employees.
- Assumes leadership role, acting as a role model.
- Assists in the development and implementation of departmental goals.
- Possesses a working knowledge of equipment used in the Preop area, Pain Medicine, and PACU.
- Assists in maintenance care and cleanliness of supplies, cost-effectively maintains adequate supplies and equipment in appropriate working condition with proper documentation.
- Report damaged equipment to the Surgical Services Director and follow the proper procedure for damaged equipment.
- Cross-trains and works in other departments as needed.
The statements mentioned above are intended to describe the essential functions of this position. However, they should not be considered a detailed description of all the work requirements that may be inherent in the position.
Education: Graduate of an accredited school of nursing.
Experience: Two (2) years of experience as a PACU Nurse preferred.
Licenses/Certificates: Currently licensed as a nurse by the Louisiana State Board of Nursing. Current ACLS and BLS certifications are required.
Special Skill: Strong critical thinking and problem-solving skills, excellent communication and interpersonal skills, and the ability to work collaboratively with a team and maintain composure under pressure.
Physical Requirements: Maintain physical tolerance (stand/walk/work on your feet for 8-12 hours at a time with minimal breaks).
Supervisor: Surgical Services Director
Positions reporting directly to this position: None
We are an equal opportunity employer, and all qualified applicants will receive consideration for employment without regard to race, color, religion, sex, sexual orientation, gender identity or expression, pregnancy, marital status, age, national origin, disability status, genetic information, protected veteran status, or any other characteristic protected by federal, state, or local law. Our company values diversity and inclusion, and we encourage all qualified applicants to apply for job openings.
