Position Summary:

Under the leadership of the department's Director of Surgical Services and the Manager of Same-Day Surgery, the Preparation Nurse Same-Day-Surgery is an active member of the department that collects data, provides comfort measures and care for pre-operative patients. The Preparation Nurse Same-Day-Surgery is responsible for providing care that is appropriate for the patient’s developmental age and is culturally sensitive. The Preparation Nurse Same-Day-Surgery formulates an appropriate plan for care and analyzes the effectiveness of interventions while effectively interacting with patients, family’s and other health team members. The Preparation Nurse Same-Day-Surgery maintains standards of professional nursing.

Basic Qualifications:

• Education:

Requires an Associate’s degree in Nursing from an accredited school of nursing or completion of a degree from an accredited nursing school.

• Experience:

Requires up to one year of work-related experience, or any equivalent combination of education, training and experience.

• Licensure, Registrations & Certifications:

Requires a current state license as a Registered Nurse and is listed in good standing with the state’s Department of Professional Credentialing.

Requires a current certificate in Basic Life Saving (BLS). (If BLS verification is not current upon hire, it must be obtained within three (3) months of hire.) PALS, and ACLS within one (1) year of hire.

Essential Job Responsibilities:

• Assesses patient’s condition (i.e., physical, emotional, age, etc.), documents findings, collaborates with other members of the patient care team, and in conjunction with the medical notes, prepares a suitable peri-operative plan of care for the patient, and modifies the plan of care as appropriate given changes in the patient condition.
• Performs basic nursing skills and treatments as prescribed by the physician or as indicated by the patient’s condition effectively and consistently.
• Greets the patients in the waiting area and escorts them into the SDS pre-operative area, requests they change out of their clothing and into a hospital gown, and secures their clothing and personal processions.
• Confirms with the patient their personal information, emergency contact information and verifies the surgical procedure that is to be performed.
• Confirms with the patient that they have a ride home and reviews with them instructions about post-surgical limitations, anticipated recovery times, and cautions about signing legal documents immediately after surgery.
• Obtains and witnesses the signing of the OR consent and their acknowledgement about understanding the procedure to be performed and potential side effects and complications.
• Checks and verifies all the paperwork, surgeon's history and pre-op physical and lab work is within the required time limits.
• Ensures the physician marks the surgical site where the surgical procedures will be performed, if applicable.
• Starts an IV and reviews with the patients the anesthesia to be used, any known allergy or allergic reactions to anesthesia, other medications, or antibiotics.
• Reviews the surgeon’s orders and the surgical protocol, prepares initial antibiotics, preps the area for surgery, cleaning of surgical area and clipping per guidelines if necessary.
• Coordinates the Anesthesiologist and Surgeon’s pre-surgical meeting and review of documents with the patient.
• Renders professional nursing care, including the administration of medicine and drugs, monitoring IV's, EKG rhythms, and other measures as requested.
• Uses professional judgment in treating patients and modifies the treatment and/or contacts the physician as appropriate.
• Provides patients and family members with post-surgical care instructions to help mitigate fears and to educate during the recovery process.
• Maintains records and charts of patients, reports to proper person pertinent information regarding the patient’s pre-surgery condition, medications given, and treatments administered.
• Participates actively as a member of the healthcare team by attending all mandated in-services, as well as departmental staff meetings as determined by the department director.
• Remains current on innovations, developments, new procedures, and techniques in nursing care to provide quality nursing care services.
• Assumes responsibility for safety, infection control and performance improvement as part of CRHS’s efforts to provide quality care and services. Performs all associated duties, responsibilities, and tasks.
• Presents a professional image to CRHS’s nursing co-workers, clinical and medical staff members, patients, families, and visitors.
• Participates in performance improvement studies and integrates performance improvement standards into patient care activities.
• Performs other related job duties as assigned.

Standards of Performance:

• Prepares patients for SDS procedures and confirms with the patient their personal information, emergency contact information, and verifies the surgical procedure that is to be performed.
• Obtains and witnesses OR consent, checks and verifies all the paperwork is within the required time limits.
• Starts an IV and reviews with the patient the anesthesia to be used, any known allergy or allergic reactions to anesthesia, other medications, or antibiotics.
• Reviews the surgeon’s orders and the surgical protocol, prepares initial antibiotics, and preps the area for surgery, cleaning of the surgical site and clipping per guidelines if necessary.
• Coordinates the Anesthesiologist and Surgeon’s meeting and review of documents with the patient.
• Performs all assigned patient care duties in a timely and accurate manner as measured by logs, charts, and observation.
• Complies with all safety and infection control policies and practices in the delivery of direct patient care as measured by feedback and observation from nursing, medical and management staff.
• Demonstrates reliability as measured by compliance with the CRHS Time and Attendance policy.
• Demonstrates professional conduct and adherence to all safety, confidentiality, and HIPAA standards.
• Promotes teamwork with the entire staff, as well as other contacts within the department, as measured by observations of manager and co-workers.
• Adheres to the CRHS Standards of Behavior as measured by observations of staff, as well as outside and other inside customers.
• Verbalizes all core competencies of the unit and department.
• Complies with all regulatory requirements including the National Patient Safety Goals as observed by peers, supervisor, and all members of the healthcare team.

• Actively participates as a member of the healthcare team by attending all mandated in-services and a and staff meetings as determined by the department director.