PRN PACU RN

Job Summary

Provide professional nursing care for assigned patients according to established standards and practices. Follow practices established by Perianesthesia Nursing Standards. Duties including assessment of patients, identifying the situation, developing a plan of care, and implementing the plan of care. Position requires a high quality of care in order to meet the Hospital's core mission.

• Associate Degree in Nursing from a state-accredited school required
• Bachelor's Degree preferred

• 1 year PACU, ER, or intensive Care nursing preferred

• Registered Nurse (RN) with current Georgia license, Basic Life Support (BLS) required
• Advanced Cardiac Life Support (ACLS) obtained within one year of hire
• Certified Post Anesthesia Nurse (CPAN) preferred

• Adapts to changes in the work environment.
• Manages competing demands.
• Changes approach or method to best fit the situation.
• Accepts criticism and feedback.
• Responds to requests for service and assistance.
• Commits to doing the best job possible.

• Demonstrates a competency in delivery of patient plan of care: provides, implements, directs, and coordinates nursing care in a competent manner
• Provides individualized nursing care
• Receives anesthetized patients from the OR, X-Ray, or OBOR.
• Checks the patient for patent airway and applies supplemental oxygen and appropriate monitors.
• Identifies patients, receives verbal report from anesthesia personnel, and/or the nurse, of the patient's status and the intra-operative care given during the procedure.
• Checks dressings and operative sites, urinary output, and IV status.
• If endotracheal tube is in place, follows Anesthesia MD/CRNA orders for extubation.
• Establishes and organizes priorities to meet the patient's condition
• Demonstrates ability to maintain adequate respiratory function.
• Administers oxygen to patient per face shield or nasal cannula.
• em demonstrates ability to position patients in a way that optimizes maximum safety, comfort, and maintenance of patent airway.
• Observes depth , rate, and quality of respirations.
• Encourages patients to deep breathe and cough.
• Demonstrates ability to suction as indicated, using proper and appropriate techniques.
• Demonstrates ability to maintain adequate circulation.
• Checks and records vital signs every (5) five minutes times (3) three, then every (15) fifteen minutes until discharge.
• Demonstrates knowledge of monitoring and recording cardiac rhythm.
• Demonstrates ability to check and record circulation, sensation, and mobility of surgical limb(s).
• Notifies physician and anesthesia personnel of any abnormal changes in the patient's condition.
• Demonstrates ability to discharge patients from PACU to the appropriate area.
• Patient must meet all written discharge criteria.
• Patient may be transported by bed, stretcher, or wheelchair.
• Notifies the receiving nursing unit before transporting patients.
• The PACU nurse gives receiving nurse a verbal report of the patient's status, intra-operative, and individual post-anesthesia nursing care.
• When the patient is discharged home, the PACU nurse gives verbal instructions with a written copy to the patient and/or significant other with verbal understanding demonstrated of the instructions noted in the chart.
• Demonstrates ability to provide for confidentiality of information and records.
• Demonstrates ability to evaluate the quality and effectiveness of nursing care given.
• Documents accurately and legibly, and includes date, time, and signature. Clearly states patient's progress/response/status at discharge.
• Follows proper procedure for admitting an outpatient to observation or in-patient status

• Collects data in a systematic and ongoing process
• Issues are identified and diagnoses are developed based on assessment data.
• Prioritizes data collection based on the patient's condition and needs.
• Identifies expected outcomes and plan based on diagnoses or issues.

• Provide professional standards in practicing nursing.
• Collects comprehensive data pertinent to the patient's health or the situation.
• Analyzes the assessment data to determine the diagnosis or issues.
• Identifies the expected outcomes for a plan individualized to the patient and the situation.
• Develops a plan that prescribes strategies and alternatives for expected outcomes.
• Implements the identified plan.
• Evaluates the progress toward attainment of outcomes.

• Documents and submits required information and data in a timely fashion.
• Clearly and accurately documents designated processes, policies, products, service offerings, etc.
• Ensures that documentation is tailored to expected readers / users.
• Uses correct terminology.
• Conforms to required style and format.

• Develops expected outcomes that provide direction for continuity of care.
• Involves patient/family and other disciplines to determine expected outcomes.
• Modifies expected outcomes based on changes in the assessment of…