Description

Job Summary

Provides direct and indirect patient care in the surgical setting. Communicates with physicians/Nurse Manager/co-workers, as appropriate about changes in patient’s clinical condition including results of diagnostic studies and symptomatology. Addresses the psychosocial, physical and general aspects of care related to the surgical environment. Communicates with surgeon and anesthesiologist continuously and as needed about patient condition. Assists with the maintenance of surgical equipment and inventory. Assesses operating room for equipment functioning and readiness, obtains supplies for individual cases and ensures all appropriate needs of surgical operating team are met. Monitors, positions and assists patient during procedure. Is able to respond quickly and accurately to changes in condition or response to treatment. 

Duties and Responsibilities

• Knowledge of medications and their correct administration based on age of the patient and their clinical condition.
• Follows the seven (7) medication rights and reduces the potential for medication errors.
• Ability to monitor hemodynamic status of patient and correctly interpret the results.
• Ability to perform a head-to-toe assessment on all patients and reassessments as per policy. This includes neonate, pediatric, geriatric and the general patient population.
• Ability to adequately assess and reassess pain. Utilizes appropriate pain management techniques. Educates the patient and family regarding pain management.
• Ability to interpret results of waived tests; take appropriate action on waived tests results.
• Performs all aspects of patient care in an environment that optimizes patient safety and reduces the likelihood of medical/health care errors.
• Ability to formulate an individualized plan of care, revise plan as indicated by the patient’s response to treatment and evaluate overall plan daily for effectiveness.
• Formulates a teaching plan based upon identified learning needs and evaluates effectiveness of learning, family is included in teaching as appropriate.
• Demonstrates knowledge of cardiac monitoring identifies dysrhythmias and treats appropriately based upon ACLS protocol.
• Provides care to patients with compromised nutritional/metabolic status.
• Provides care to patients requiring extensive fluid and electrolyte management.
• Communicates appropriately and clearly to charge nurse, co-workers and physicians.
• Consults other departments as appropriate to provide for an interdisciplinary approach to the patient’s needs.
• Provides care appropriate to disease condition and age of the patient.
• Coordinates and supervises patient care as necessary.
• Demonstrates an ability to assist physicians with procedures both in the Critical Care Unit and other departments.
• Demonstrates an ability to be flexible, organized and function well under stressful situations.
• Treats patients and their families with respect and dignity. Identifies and addresses psychosocial, cultural, ethnic and religious/spiritual needs of patients and their families. Functions as a liaison between administration, patients, physicians and other healthcare providers.
• Demonstrates knowledge of the principles of growth and development over the life span and the skills necessary to provide age appropriate care to the patient population served. Able to interpret data about the patient’s status in order to identify each patient’s age specific needs and provide care needed by the patient group.
• Interacts professionally with patient/family and involves patient/family in the formation of the plan of care.
• Maintains a good working relationship both within the department and with other departments.
• Documentation meets current standards and policies.
• Ability to assess and care for patients in the post anesthesia period both in the PACU and Critical Care.
• Participates in performance improvement activities.
• Completes annual education requirements.
• Maintains regulatory requirements, including all federal, state, local regulations and accrediting organization standards.
• Maintains patient confidentiality at all times.
• Represents the organization in a positive and professional manner.
• Actively participates in performance improvement and continuous quality improvement (CQI) activities.
• Approaches patient in a kind, gentle and friendly manner.
• Responds to patient’s inappropriate behavior in a therapeutic manner.
• Takes appropriate actions and documents in response to manifested anxiety or distress. Requests Social Service/Pastoral Care, as appropriate.
• Gives patient explanations and verbal reassurances consistently.
• Adapts nursing procedures to meet the needs for treatment of individual neonate, pediatric, adolescent, adult and geriatric patients.
• Identifies physical symptoms and changes and takes appropriate actions in a timely manner.
• Demonstrates ability to assess cardiorespiratory systems for changes in pediatric to geriatric patients and is able to treat appropriately.
• Ability to adequately assess and reassess pain. Utilizes appropriate pain management techniques. Educates the patient and family regarding pain management.
• Performs all aspects of patient care in an environment that optimizes patient safety and reduces the likelihood of medical/health care errors.
• Supports and maintains a culture of safety and quality.
• Demonstrates knowledge of the principles of growth and development over the life span and the skills necessary to provide age appropriate care to the patient population served. Able to interpret data about the patient’s status in order to identify each patient’s age specific needs and provide care needed by the patient group.
• Directs and assists in maintenance and handling of special equipment and instruments.
• Observes behavioral and physiologic changes due to medications, takes appropriate actions and documents.
• Adjusts expectations of patient behavior and acts according to the effect medication has on patient.
• Positions patients safely; pads and protects bony prominences.
• Preps and drapes patients correctly for all procedures.
• Carries out medical and surgical asepsis during all procedures.
• Treats patients and their families with respect and dignity. Identifies and addresses psychosocial, cultural, ethnic and religious/spiritual needs of patients and their families.
• Demonstrates competence in preparing and cleaning of OR suites before and between cases and after terminal case, based on patient’s infection class.
• Carries out established techniques for safe administration of medications and parenteral fluids, as per hospital policies and procedures.
• Coordinates and supervises patient care; provides patient and family with teaching/education, as necessary.
• Supervises licensed practical nurses and surgical technologists in the operating room.
• Demonstrates knowledge of anesthetic drugs, actions and side effects.
• Protects patient’s sensitivities and right to privacy.
• Demonstrates knowledge of arterial lines, Swan-Ganz, spinal and epidural catheters and how to document appropriately.
• Is able to open sterile supplies and set up for procedure.
• Demonstrates thorough knowledge of location, care and operation of all surgical equipment.
• Accurately records, handles and labels specimens; demonstrates care of specimens.
• Ensures Pre-op Checklist is complete (H&P present, informed consent signed, test results present, surgical site identified, etc.) before patient is taken into surgical suite.
• Is consistently ready and prepared for assigned cases and has patient in the surgical suite 15 minutes before the scheduled time.
• Appropriately responds to the patient in an emergency or physically distressful situation.
• Assessment and reassessment of the patient is clearly and concisely communicated in charting. Documentation meets current standards, policies and procedures and is completed within shift.
• Effectively communicates with the physician in accounting for all sponges, needles and instruments during and after the procedure and documents in the appropriate area.
• Communicates Clinical Laboratory/Imaging Services reports to the surgeon during the procedure.
• Ability to perform waived testing (point-of-care testing) per Clinical Laboratory’s and the patient care unit’s policies and procedures.
• Ability to interpret results of waived tests; take appropriate action on waived tests results.
• Gives thorough report of patient’s intraoperative condition to PACU nurse.
• Establishes and maintains effective communication and good working relationships with coworkers for the patient’s benefit.
• Counts narcotics at beginning and end of all shifts with another RN, per hospital policy.
• Demonstrates thorough knowledge of instrument processing, sterilization and biological monitoring. Actively participates in instrument processing, as schedule allows.
• Makes decisions reflecting knowledge of dysrhythmias, followed by appropriate treatment.
• Is able to perform all duties of circulating and scrub nurses.
• Utilizes initiative; strives to maintain steady level of productivity; self-motivated; manages activity and time; does not waste time.
• Complies with all organizational policies regarding ethical business practices.
• Communicates the mission, ethics and goals of the hospital, as well as the focus statement of the department.
• Actively engage in quality improvement activities.
• Perform other duties as assigned.

Requirements

Minimum Requirements

• Associate’s Degree in from an accredited institution in Nursing.
• Current Registered Nurse Licensure in the State of Idaho.
• Current BLS certification.
• Current ACLS certification.
• Able to communicate effectively in English, both verbally and in writing.
• Basic computer knowledge.

Preferred Requirements

• Ability to speak additional languages.
• Current ACLS certification.
• BSN from an accredited educational institution.

Skills/Competencies

• Read, write, and comprehend simple instructions, short correspondence, and memos in English.
• Effectively present information in one-on-one and small group situations to customers, clients, and other employees of the organization.
• Add, subtract, multiply, and divide in all units of measure, using whole numbers, common fractions, and decimals.
• Basic computer knowledge.
• Compute rate, ratio, and percent and to draw and interpret bar graphs.
• Apply commonsense understanding to carry out instructions furnished in written, oral or diagram form and deal with problems involving several concrete variables in standardized situations.

Physical Requirements

Perceive the nature of sounds by the ear, express or exchange ideas by means of spoken word, perceive characteristics of objects through the eyes, extend arms and hands in any direction, seize, hold, grasp, turn, or otherwise work with hands, pick, pinch, or otherwise work with fingers, perceive such attributes of objects or materials as size, shape, temperature, or texture; and stoop, kneel crouch, and crawl. Must be able to lift 50 pounds maximum with frequent lifting, carrying pushing, and pulling of objects weighing up to 25 pounds. Continuous walking and standing. Must be able to identify, match, and distinguish colors. Rare lifting of greater than 100 pounds.