Description

OR/PREOP REGISTERED NURSE - FULL-TIME

JOB SUMMARY: This individual is responsible for treating and educating patients and providing support and care to patients and their family members throughout their surgical procedure. As preop educator, this individual will record patients' medical histories and symptoms, and participate in the assessment, planning, implementation, and evaluation of a patient in preparation for surgical procedures. This position is also responsible for teaching patients and their families how to manage their post-treatment home care needs. As an RN in the operating room, this individual will provide nursing care to the patient throughout the procedure. Responsibilities include preoperative care, intraoperative monitoring, administering treatment and medications, operating medical equipment, circulating and assisting the surgical team, and recovering the patient after the procedure. All duties are performed with the goal of maintaining the patient’s physiological processes in a safe, comfortable and effective environment.

RESPONSIBILITIES:

Preoperative Care:

• Interviews patient/family for pertinent health information and verifies and prepares patient for planned procedure.
• Collects health history, orders all required lab work, preop medications, ensures necessary paperwork is present, and organizes and prepares charts and consents prior to procedure.
• Completes necessary preoperative teaching to patient and family.
• Responsible for making sure due payments are collected at the end of the preop appointment.

Intraoperative Care:

• Preparing surgical suite.
• Preparing equipment for surgical case.
• Starting IV and giving IV sedation.
• Monitoring patient during surgery (EKG, BP, HR, RR SPO2)
• Circulate or scrub and assist surgeon.

Postoperative Care:

• Recovery of patient.
• Postop teaching of patient and family.
• Discharge of patient from Recovery Room.
• Dressing changes.
• Suture removal.
• Assist MD as needed.

Other duties:

• Maintain supply room.
• Maintenance of surgical equipment.
• Sterilizing supplies.
• Inventory and restocking OR, RR, exam rooms, crash cart and anesthesia cart.
• Maintain logbooks.
• Demonstrate flexibility in workload and hours as schedule demands.

ASSESSMENT:

• Assess the physical status of the patient through personal observation and interaction.
• Assess the individual psychosocial and spiritual needs of the patient and significant other.
• Demonstrate understanding and interpretation of diagnostic tests, i.e., lab work, chest x-ray, EKG, etc.
• Obtain an overview of the patient's status by reviewing patient's chart.

PLANNING:

• Plans for a safe, efficient, effective and clean environment for preoperative, intraoperative and postoperative care.
• Identifies problems and plans action to resolve problems.
• Identify goals for the patient's care and communicates these goals to others involved in the patient's care.
• Assures patient has necessary lab work, EKG, chest x ray, consents, treatment and instructions preoperatively.
• Assures the patient has appropriate discharge instructions postoperatively and is accompanied by a responsible adult upon discharge.

IMPLEMENTATION:

• Takes action to implement nursing care and resolve the problems identified for the individual patient.
• Utilizes supplies, equipment and resources to contain costs without compromising patient care.
• Reduces chances of nosocomial infection by directing attention to infection control and environmental safety practices.
• Reports and documents information accurately and in a timely manner.
• Utilizes professional nursing judgment in the delivery of patient care.
• Uses safe methods of handling equipment.

EVALUATION:

• Evaluates action taken to implement nursing care plan and resolve problems accordingly.
• Modifies intervention to achieve goals if previous intervention not effective.
• Evaluates own nursing practice and seeks ways of growing professionally.

INTERPERSONAL RELATIONSHIPS:

• Recognizes and uses appropriate lines of communication.
• Fosters cooperative efforts in meeting the goals of nursing by sharing workload.
• Communicates positive and caring attitude toward patients, peers, staff, and all other contacts.
• Seeks guidance, direction and assistance where needed.
• Conveys ideas, concepts and facts relative to patient care in a logical, understandable and concise manner.

ACCOUNTABILITY:

• Seeks appropriate learning opportunities.
• Demonstrates competence and expertise in nursing practice.
• Assumes responsibility for professional nursing practice within the law.
• Maintains confidentiality of all patients' and surgical center's documents and communication.
• Utilizes judgment in determining nursing actions.
• Acts as patient advocate in the coordination of patient care preoperatively, intraoperatively, and postoperatively.
• Maintains safety rules at all times.
• Has knowledge of equipment and supplies and is familiar with their location in the OR, RR, and exam rooms, i.e., emergency call system, oxygen, mechanical ventilator assistance equipment (ambu bag, airways, etc.), defibrillator, cardiac monitors, tracheotomy set, laryngoscopes and endotracheal tubes, suction equipment, emergency drugs, and supplies specified by the medical staff.
• Monitors emergency equipment.
• Has in depth knowledge of surgical equipment and instrumentation, anesthetic agents and their actions, emergency drugs, impending complications, and emergency treatment of complications should they occur.
• Follow center's policies and procedures.

Qualifications

EDUCATION AND EXPERIENCE:

• Graduate of an accredited school of nursing.
• Current RN licensure in state of California.
• Current ACLS and BLS certificates.
• One year current Preop/OR/Recovery nursing experience or similar

ESSENTIAL SKILLS AND ABILITIES:

• Committed to executing exceptional customer service and satisfaction.
• Ability to recognize and support the organization’s preferences and priorities.
• Excellent listening, oral and written communication skills.
• Strong administrative and time management skills.
• Strong organizational and critical thinking skills.
• Tactful, mature, and able to interact well with diverse personalities.
• Able to exemplify professional behavior in all aspects of position.
• Able to function independently as well as a team member.
• Computer literate with proficient Microsoft Office skills.
• Ability to operate basic office equipment such as a phone, fax, copier, printer etc.