What are the responsibilities and job description for the Registered Nurse position at Advanced Spine and Pain?
GENERAL STATEMENT OF DUTIES
Provides safe, quality patient care in Ambulatory Surgical Center and Clinic Environment. Accountable for the assessing, planning, implementing, and coordinating patient care from admission to discharge.
ESSENTIAL FUNCTIONS
- Assesses patient status on admission to the preop area, the operating room and/or the post-op area, and on a continuing basis.
- Provides safe, therapeutic quality care to patients by utilizing the nursing process and nursing diagnosis in a timely manner and by setting appropriate priorities. Coordinate’s nursing interventions to enhance achievement of expected outcomes and to ensure readiness for discharge. Document’s interventions and patient’s responses.
- Ensures provision of patient care in an organized and timely manner.
- Utilizes nursing care standards when planning and implementing patient care.
- Communicates appropriate information regarding patient conditions to those who require the information
- Safely carries out physician’s orders correctly and promptly, documenting all activities.
- Initiates and participates in patient and family education. Assesses learning needs according to patient’s level of understanding and readiness to learn.
- Displays an understanding of each patient’s cognitive, physical, emotional, and chronological maturity in assessments, treatment, and care.
- Makes sure regulation is followed when administering medication. Providing clear documentation: medication, dosage, oral or injection, site of injection or IV Push. Ensure that a physician’s order prior to medication administration.
- Takes part in pre- and post-op phone calls and communicates any problems to the appropriate person.
- Maintains competencies to function in RN role within specific area. (Ex. OR circulator – Identification, counting and care of instrumentation and sponges, skin preparation of surgical site).
- Circulates in the operating room when needed.
- Administers IV conscious sedation when needed.
- Counts narcotics at the beginning, midday, and end of shift.
- Maintain competencies in conscious sedation administration and monitoring of sedated patient. Including airway protection, assessment, and support of sedated patients.
- Protect sedated and anesthetized patients by identifying safety hazards such as electrical, equipment, pressure points and by minimizing exposure to maintain privacy and body temperature.
- Expertise in safety principles, asepsis, sterile technique, and universal precautions.
- Assesses, anticipates, and implements appropriate care throughout the surgical process.
EDUCATION
- Graduate of accredited school of nursing; current Arizona State R.N. License
- RN degree BSN preferred
EXPERIENCE
- Minimum of 3 years professional nursing experience, clinic, Ambulatory Surgery Center, and pain experience is preferred
REQUIREMENTS
- Must have excellent interpersonal and communication skills.
- Demonstrates an ability to generate creative and innovative approaches to solve problems.
- Stable and capable of performing in emergency situations making immediate decisions and setting priorities
- Current ACLS and BLS certifications. Certification must be renewed within 30 days of expiration date
KNOWLEDGE
- Knowledge of professional nursing theory, regulations, and practices to give and evaluate patient care
- Knowledge of EMR computer charting and is proficient with documentation.
- Knowledge of pain management/medical/surgical best practices.
- Knowledge of narcotic counting and use of a narcotic log.
- Knowledge of medical offices and ambulatory surgical center’s policies and procedures related to infection control, environmental safety, and patient confidentiality.
SKILLS
- Provides general nursing care to patients in the clinic and ASC. Administers medications per standing orders / medications written by physician. Practices within the Registered Nurse scope.
- Maintains exam rooms, preoperative, operative, and postoperative for necessary supplies and materials.
- Prepares equipment and assists physician during treatment and examination of patients.
- Have a thorough knowledge of aseptic technique
- Trained, supervised and able to start IV’s using aseptic technique.
- Observes, records and reports change in patient’s medical condition, informs physician immediately, and follows through accordingly. Educates patient/family about procedures and medications.
- Ensures patients displaying a change in medical condition are given immediate attention and priority.
- Maintains/reviews patient records, charts, and other pertinent information. Ensures pre-op phone calls are made to patients and that these patients fully meet protocol for procedure scheduled.
- Responds to /refers incoming patient treatment-related phone calls. Instructs patient and family regarding medications and treatment instructions.
- Monitors patient’s condition and reaction to drugs and treatments to physicians.
- Demonstrates knowledge and expertise in the recovery of patient’s post procedures.
- Demonstrates clinical expertise and professionalism when responding to emergency situations.
- Maintains privacy, confidentiality, and integrity of patient and organizational data.
ABILITIES
- Ability to interact with management, physicians, and teammates at all levels and effectively communicating with teammates and management both in oral and written form.
- Ability to work in an environment that frequently produces a high level of stress and mental fatigue.
- Ability to be comfortable performing multiple projects in conjunction with day-to-day activities and utilizing time effectively and self-directed.
ENVIRONMENTAL WORKING CONDITIONS
- Indoors in a climate-controlled environment.
- Patient care environment with potential exposure to unpleasant odors, to blood and body fluids.
- Occasional exposure to outdoor climate.
PHYSICAL/MENTAL DEMANDS
- Good visual acuity, accurate color vision.
- Ability to lift/transfer patients in excess of 100 pounds, which may require pushing, pulling and essentially utilizing a full range of body movement.
- Ability to stand, walk, stoop, kneel, crouch and/or crawl. Possession of fine sensory and motor skills.