Job Title: RN - PACU

Job Location - Brooklyn, NY

Job Duration - 13 Weeks

Job Mode - On Site

Pay rate - $98/hr

The Registered Professional Nurse is responsible and accountable for prescribing, delegating and coordinating all nursing care as defined by The New York State Nursing Practice Act. The perianesthesia patient is systematically assessed. A comprehensive plan of care is developed, individualized, and implemented to achieve optimal patient outcomes as the patient progresses through the perianesthesia continuum. The perianesthesia registered nursing roles during Phase I Level of Care focus on providing postanesthesia care to the patient in the immediate postanesthesia period and transitioning them to Phase II level of care and discharge, the inpatient unit, or ICU for continued care. This is achieved within the framework of the nursing process. The activities are carried out in collaboration with the care providers and other members of the healthcare team in response to patient and family needs. The PACU Registered Professional Nurse is responsible for care delivery and renders services to patients ranging from pediatric through geriatric.

DUTIES AND RESPONSIBILITIES

In accordance with professional nursing standards and practices, the PACU nurse will provide nursing care to all immediate postanesthesia and postprocedure patients .

Assessment:

• Assesses patient’s physical, social, behavioral, and mental status through direct observation, interview, and medical record review.

• Performs initial physical assessment upon admission to PACU and performs ongoing assessment and documents relevant data.

• Compares all assessment data to the patient’s previous condition and to established norms.

• Determines patient outcomes based on the patient’s health problems and surgical procedure toward which postanesthesia nursing care is directed.

• Includes assessment from history and data collection as obtained from the patient and/or care providers.

• Utilizes observational skills to assess patient’s needs.

• Documents a nursing assessment to include psychosocial, environmental factors, educational level, and needs.

• Obtains and reviews available data base and any data collected by other members of the health team (medical/surgical/other history, physical exam mental status, and physician referrals).

• Performs other duties as required.

Planning

• Develops an individualized plan of care in order to assist the patient to return to a safe physiological level after an anesthetic agent in the immediate postanesthetic phase.

• Identifies and addresses needs for admission based on acute medical/surgical diagnoses and presenting physical/psychological symptoms

• Identifies and addresses patient level of education and learning needs.

• Makes appropriate referral to other disciplines and documents same.

Intervention/Implementation

• Management of clinical skills in the provision of nursing care and management of the patient including but not limited to:

o Identification of symptoms

o Management of the disease entity

o Treatment modalities

o Administration of medications

• Monitors surgical site, drains, dressings, and patency of tubes, catheters, and intravenous lines

• Monitors, maintains and/or intervenes to improve respiratory and circulatory function.

• Maintains physiological homeostasis by continued awareness of patient’s changing condition during the postanesthesia period.

• Intervenes appropriately in emergencies utilizing crisis intervention.

• Utilities critical thinking in assessment of patients and in interventions

• Utilizes infection control procedures and protocols.

• Provides for psychosocial needs of all postanesthesia patients.

• Provides health teaching and medication instructions to patient/next of kin.

• Ensures that all procedures are performed based on established standards of care

• Demonstrates competency in performing all procedures within the scope of practice and in accordance with Interfaith Medical Center.

• Investigates and communicates all required information regarding unusual occurrences and patient care incidents.

• Acts as a patient advocate.

Evaluation:

• Revises the patient’s plan of care based on evaluation of interventions and expected outcomes in collaboration with other members of the health care team.

• Evaluates patient’s response to pain treatment. Provides additional therapeutic measures as indicated by reassessment to facilitate pain relief and comfort.

• Data collected and documented to evaluate the patient’s status for discharge and determine if discharge criteria is met.

• Reinforces /validates all patient education performed.