Per Diem Pre-Op / PACU Registered Nurse

Responsibilities

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• Understands patients' rights, safety procedures, State and Local laws/regulations
• Identify and compassionately react to the emotional and physical needs of patients throughout their surgical journey
• Demonstrates and practices aseptic techniques
• Sets up sterile/clean operating room with the correct instruments and supplies
• Ability to concentrate and quickly respond to given directions from the team of surgeons/RN's/Admins
• Follows company policies, standards and keeps informed of changes through organizational participation
• Maintains and updates patient documents and patient progress
• Operates consistently with clinical knowledge and skills competencies to facilitate patient care in accordance with current standards of practice
• Actively participates in continuing education and welcomes new learning experiences
• Clearly communicates, collaborates and positively interacts with the team, patients and families
• Understands how to operate clinical/office equipment used for patient care
• Comprehends the need to be flexible and have the ability to adapt in order to meet the needs of patients and fellow co-workers
• Adheres to Quality Assessment Performance Program (QAPI), compliance program and safety/risk management program
• Must be able to work 2 Saturdays per month.

*Key Responsibilities*

*Pre-Operative Care (Pre-Op):*

• Conduct comprehensive patient assessments, reviewing medical history, medications, allergies, lab results, and confirming informed consent and operative site specific to the procedure
• Perform pre-op tasks like checking vital signs, starting IVs, administering eye drops for ophthalmology cases, or pre-op analgesics for pain management procedures; ensure compliance with NPO (nothing by mouth) guidelines.
• Educate patients and families on specialty-specific procedures and post-op expectations, such as activity restrictions or wound care.
• Assure all medical documents are completed and signed by patients and physicians prior to surgery.

*Post-Anesthesia Care (PACU):*

• Monitor patients recovering from anesthesia (general, regional, local, or monitored anesthesia care) tailored to the specialty, assessing vital signs, pain, nausea, and consciousness levels.
• Manage specialty-specific post-op complications, such as:
• mpartment syndrome, neurovascular status, or cast/splint issues after joint replacements or fracture repairs.
• *Podiatry*: Check for foot/ankle swelling, nerve block effects, or infection risks post-bunionectomy or reconstructive surgery.
• *Pain Management*: Evaluate pain relief efficacy and monitor for sedation or respiratory depression after epidural/spinal injections or nerve blocks.
• Administer medications (e.g., antiemetics, analgesics, or eye drops) and intervene promptly for complications like respiratory distress or bleeding.
• Document assessments, interventions, and patient responses in electronic health records (SIS); provide detailed handoff reports for discharge or unit transfer.
• Offer tailored discharge instructions, such as eye patch care (ophthalmology), crutch use (orthopedic/podiatry), activity limits (pain/vascular), or signs of complications to watch for.

*General

Duties

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• Advocate for patient rights and collaborate with multidisciplinary teams, including specialty surgeons and anesthesiologists, for seamless care.
• Participate in unit tasks like narcotic counts, equipment checks (e.g., ophthalmology microscopes or orthopedic traction devices), and quality improvement.
• Maintain infection control, safety protocols, and compliance with specialty-specific guidelines (e.g., sterile technique for vascular grafts).

*Required Qualifications and Skills*

• *Education and

Certification

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• Bachelor’s Degree in Nursing.
• Active New Jersey State Registered Nurse (RN) License
• Basic Life Support (BLS) & Advanced Cardiac Life Support (ACLS) certifications required

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Experience

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• Minimum 1-2 years in Pre-OP and/or PACU, experience in an Ambulatory Surgical Center
• Familiarity with specialty-specific procedures (e.g: pain management, GI, urology, podiatry, general, and OBGYN procedures).

*Skills and Abilities:*

• Knowledge of anesthesia effects, specialty-specific pharmacology (e.g., eye drops, anticoagulants), and emergency responses in high-acuity settings.
• Strong assessment skills for detecting complications unique to each specialty
• Excellen