Overview
Join our dynamic healthcare team as a PACU RN (Post-Anesthesia Care Unit Registered Nurse), where you will play a vital role in providing exceptional recovery care for patients emerging from anesthesia. This energetic position offers the opportunity to work in a fast-paced, collaborative environment dedicated to patient safety, comfort, and optimal recovery outcomes. As a PACU RN, you will utilize your critical thinking and advanced nursing skills to monitor, assess, and support patients during their immediate post-operative period, ensuring smooth transitions from surgery to recovery.
Duties
- Greets patients and provide excellent customer services skills
- Escort and assist patient to the changing area
- Ascertain that the patient has adhered to all preoperative orders
- Obtain baseline vital signs, SA02, pain assessment and monitor ECG if indicated
- Check medical record for accuracy on: History and Physical, allergies are noted, consents are signed, and lab results are attached to chart
- Directs patient care and indirect patient care, medical record preparations and reviews for completeness
- Responsible for post anesthesia ambulatory nursing process
- Establishes, implements, and monitors patient care with framework of the standards of the Surgical Center
- Assesses and responds to individual, psychosocial, and spiritual needs of the patient
- Ascertain that the patient will be accompanied by a responsible adult upon discharge if receiving anesthesia
- Conducts narcotic counts in the specified manner with another registered nurse, if necessary
- Maintains inventory of narcotics and controlled drugs requisitioned by the anesthesiologist for the operating room
- Oversees drug inventory responsibilities for the Surgical Center
- Implements and ensures that physician orders are performed including but not limited to labs, radiology, and EKG
- Ensures Code carts are fully equipped, defibrillators are in operational readiness and that daily checks are completed
- Conducts patient postoperative follow up calls and completes all documentations within the defined timeframe
- Changes gas cylinders as necessary to maintain gas system integrity and communicates the need for tank replacement or system problems as they occur
- Monitor gas outlets for shutoff at the end of each day
- Prepares nursing and operative documentation for each patient
- Check all suction outlets and monitors to ensure they are functioning properly
- Administer ordered preoperative medications
- Ensure medication documentation is accurate
- Escort patient to operating room as needed
- Initiate patient teaching and discharge planning
- Maintain par level of supplies and medications, check for expiration dates on monthly basis, conduct narcotic counts in specified manner with another RN as requested
- Routing cleaning after each patient
- Check all suction equipment monitors, etc., to ensure they are all functioning properly
- Ensure stretchers and chairs are in locked position
- Ensure all equipment is clean
- Charge defibrillator/AED per manufacturer's instructions and ensure that it is in working order with all connections tightly secured and proper accessories available and on the cart
- Maintains knowledge of asepsis, infection control and universal/standard precautions
- Reduces changes of nosocomial infection by directing attention to infection preventing and control and environmental safety practices
- Conducts patient postoperative follow up calls and completes all documentations within the defined timeframe
- Perform daily/monthly code cart checks, per protocol as assigned
Requirements
● Candidate must have a New Jersey Registered Professional License (RN)
● Preferred CNOR from AORN; evidence of continuing education
● Current BLS and ACLS required (PALS if applicable)
● Recent Operating Room experience required
● Computer and keyboard proficiency
● Knowledge of medical terminology
● Excellent verbal and communication skills
● Detail oriented
● Excellent time management skills
● Ambulatory Surgical Center background experience preferred
● Multi-tasker
● Candidate should be familiar with EMR
Pay: $40.00 - $50.00 per hour
Work Location: In person
