Surgery Center PACU Nurse

Surgery Center PACU Nurse (2600017M)

• Minimum Education:
  
  BSN graduate from an approved nursing school (Preferred)
• Minimum
  
  Work Experience:
  
  2 years PACU experience or comparable clinical nursing experience in a critical care or pediatric ED setting (Required)
• Required Skills/Knowledge:
  • Successfully complete hospital and nursing orientation at Children’s National
  • Strong skills in airway management and knowledge of anesthetic agents
  • Excellent organizational skills, ability to adapt to changes, and to complete assignments on time
  • Model critical‑thinking skills by problem‑solving patient‑care and unit/system issues
  • Demonstrate collegial and respectful relationships with peers, physicians, and other departments
  • Incorporate best practices based on evidence within the literature
• Required Licenses and
  
  Certifications:
  • Registered Nurse in District of Columbia (Required)
  • Cardio‑Pulmonary Resuscitation (CPR) (Required)
  • Pediatric Advanced Life Support (PALS) (Required)
  • Certified Pediatric Nurse (CPN) (Preferred)
  • Certified Post Anesthesia Nurse (CPAN) (Preferred)

• Post‑Anesthesia Clinical Care Activities
  • Evaluate and manage patient’s airway post‑operatively, including breakthrough laryngospasms; apply knowledge of physiological changes to the airway post‑operatively as a consequence of anesthesia and surgery.
  • Perform manual intermittent positive pressure ventilation (IPPV).
  • Be aware of risk factors that contribute to the condition and make decisions when caring for patients and families.
  • Monitor cardiopulmonary function, airway patency, and oxygen saturation.
  • Provide prompt care to minimize the incidence of emergence delirium; maintain a safe environment while the patient experiences emergence delirium.
  • Evaluate and treat post‑operative pain in a timely manner with appropriate intervention.
  • Manage epidural administration of local anesthetics and opioids.
  • Manage patients with central neuraxial and peripheral nerve blocks.
  • Monitor complications associated with the administration of analgesics and act promptly to minimize adverse incidents.
• Transformational Leadership
  • Contribute to Magnet re‑designation by leading committees, task forces, and/or community outreach.
  • Communicate development of plan of care and advocate to meet patients’ needs; make suggestions for resolution of system issues.
  • Model procedures for escalation of issues and utilize chain of command.
  • Demonstrate proper use of identified hand‑off processes and follow up on inconsistent practice related to handoff.
  • Take the lead in implementing change and support management decisions.
  • Model empathy, concern, and a desire to help others.
• Structural Empowerment
  • Independently maintain regulatory requirements such as license and BLS.
  • Initiate professional activities to enhance nursing practice.
  • Engage in active review of peers, giving constructive feedback through timely participation in evaluations.
  • Model adherence to national safety standards and service excellence standards; champion advancement of education and certification.
  • Orchestrate involvement of the healthcare team and model professional behavior and teamwork with co‑workers.
  • Serve as a resource as needed and know when to elevate to the next level.
• Exemplary Professional Practice
  • Analyze assessment data gathered from patient and family to ensure completion of database and plan of care within identified time frames.
  • Model excellent clinical skills with complex patients; care reflects analysis of patient status and appropriate interventions.
  • Prioritize and organize for complex patients with rapidly changing needs.
  • Documentation exemplifies adherence to the highest standards of practice.
  • Proactively plan for educational needs and verify with patient and family throughout the hospital/outpatient stay and prior to discharge.
  • Model care in all encounters with patient and family as evidenced by feedback from parents and increased patient satisfaction scores.
• Safety
  • Speak up when team members exhibit unsafe behavior or performance.
  • Continuously validate and verify information needed for decision making or documentation.
  • Stop in the face of uncertainty and take time to resolve the situation.
  • Demonstrate accurate, clear, and…