PACU Registered Nurse

Under the direction of the Director of Perioperative Services, the Registered Nurse collaborates with the interdisciplinary

team in the delivery of patient care, utilizing the nursing process. Provides professional nursing care to patients, including

conducting nursing assessments, assisting with exams and treatment, patient education, and documentation in the medical

record. In addition, the RN organizes a plan of care which includes organizing, evaluating, and delivering all aspects of

each patient’s care.

• Utilizes the nursing process to provide quality patient care according to established standards of care which includes planning, implementing, evaluating, and adjusting plan of care, and discharge planning based on expected patient outcomes.
• Admits, transfers, and discharges patients.
• Completes ongoing patient assessment and documents according to policy.
• Completes nursing assessment within department standard time of admission or designates reason for incompleteness. Reviews database and nutrition screen.
• Participates in the development of patient plan of care to include patient problems, goals, evaluation, and interventions.
• Reports symptoms and significant changes in patient’s condition to appropriate personnel.
• Assesses, collaborates, and coordinates patient’s discharge planning needs and readiness for discharge with other members of the care team.
• Demonstrates appropriate application of age specific standards, policies and procedures and guidelines in caring for child, adolescent, adult, and geriatric patients.
• Follows age specific standards in administering medications based on the patient’s age.
• Follows age specific standards of care during altered states of consciousness related to analgesia, conscious sedation, or anesthesia.
• Uses age specific standards, policies and procedures, and guidelines to perform treatments and procedures that are routine for unit/clinic based on patient’s age.
• Incorporates cultural and developmental needs into plan of care.
• In collaboration with the patient/family, and in a developmentally and culturally appropriate manner, implements the plan of care.
• Demonstrates competency in the provision of nursing care according to established standards of nursing practice and in a developmentally appropriate manner.
• Demonstrates critical thinking skills, ability to provide and delegate activities to staff based on patient assessment and the requirements to deliver care in a safe efficient manner maximizing positive outcomes for the patient.
• Provides documentation of patient care in the patient record according to established standards of nursing care.
• Collaborates and works cooperatively with physicians and other members of the multidisciplinary healthcare team in formal and informal teaching of patients and/or family about his or her disease process and wellness promotion plan and
• Assesses patient/family learning needs, abilities, preferences, and readiness to learn.
• Utilizes a collaborative interdisciplinary process to provide appropriate patient/family education.
• Utilizes available information to evaluate the effectiveness of teaching in producing the desired patient outcomes and adjusts in teaching as indicated.
• Assesses patient for pain and controls pain with alternative pain control methods and medication. Reassesses the patient for pain control and response to methods used. Communicates with the physician when pain is not resolved.
• Applies practice to meet the regulations, standards and laws required for excellent, safe patient care.
• Assesses the patient’s post-anesthesia condition, including all systems with emphasis of the respiratory and circulatory systems, wounds, dressings, and pain levels in a systematic and continuous manner.
• Demonstrates competency in management of airways. Collaborates and contacts anesthesiologist when necessary.
• Adequately assesses and reassesses pain. Utilizes appropriate pain management techniques and administers medications as ordered.
• Communicates with patient and family in an effective manner, explaining and educating the patient and family on information needed.
• Upon discharge, educates patient and family on discharge…