Assistant Head Nurse-Operating Room

Duties & Responsibilities

Purpose of Position:
Under supervision, provides professional nursing care to patients/clients within an assigned unit. Diagnoses and treats responses to actual or potential health problems by means of nursing methods and techniques such as case finding, health teaching, health counseling and the provision of care supportive to and restorative of life and wellbeing. Serves as a team leader and assists Head Nurse in guiding and directing nursing personnel in nursing care activities.

• Performs major duties and functions as described in the Staff Nurse position description.
• Identifies and discriminates between physical and psycho-social signs and symptoms. Selects and performs those therapeutic measures which are essential for effective execution of the nursing regimen for assigned patients/clients.
• Develops, implements and continuously evaluates the nursing regimen for assigned patients/clients.
• Records and maintains nursing care plans and progress notes on patients/clients to ensure continuity of care.
• Interprets and reports responses of patients/clients to appropriate members of the health team.
• Participates with interdisciplinary health team members to plan a comprehensive patient care program.
• Determines and assigns those components of the nursing regimen which may be carried out by allied nursing personnel.
• Provides teaching, guidance and direction to allied nursing personnel in rendering patient care.
• Participates in defining, implementing, maintaining and interpreting standards of nursing practice.
• Participates in departmental and interdisciplinary conferences pertaining to policies and procedures affecting nursing practice.
• Participates in determining conditions, resources and policies essential to the delivery of nursing care services.
• Participates in development and maintenance of a system of evaluation of nursing care, practices and procedures, including evaluation of nursing personnel.

• Interprets philosophy and objectives of agency and Nursing Department to patients/clients, families and other groups.
• Maintains professional competence through participation in continuing education and other appropriate learning experiences.
• Performs other professional nursing activities as delegated by nursing service administration.
• Assists in coordinating, guiding and directing the development, implementation and continuous evaluation of the nursing regimen for assigned patients/clients and others within the unit.
• Conducts conferences to develop nursing care plans and to promote staff development.
• Performs other professional nursing activities as delegated by nursing service administration.

• A valid New York State license and current registration to practice as a Registered Professional Nurse in New York State; and
• Holds, or obtains through facility orientation, a valid and current certification in Basic Life Support (BLS) through the American Heart Association (AHA); and
• Six (6) months of experience as a registered nurse.