Preop/PACU, PRN

To act as patient advocate, providing continuity of care designed to meet individual patient needs through collaboration with other members of the healthcare team and supporting the philosophy, objectives, and goals of the facility. The PACU Nurse is responsible for assessing the needs of individual patients including but not limited to adult, pediatric, adolescent, and geriatric patients.

Current Wyoming RN License.

PALS or ENPC and ACLS or successful completion within 3 months of hire date.

1 year Perioperative Nursing experience

Occupational exposure

Category I exposure to blood borne pathogens, frequent exposure to chemical hazards and radiation hazards.

Responsibilities

• Consistently supports and maintains the Mission, Core Values and expected customer service behaviors of Summit Medical Center.

• Follows the guidelines related to the Health Insurance Portability and Accountability Act (HIPAA), designed to prevent or detect unauthorized disclosure of Protected Health Information (PHI)

• Promotes a culture of safety for patients and employees through proper identification, proper reporting, documentation, and prevention of medical errors in a non-punitive environment.

• Maintains competency and knowledge of current standards of practice, trends and developments in his/her related scope of practice by reading books, journals and other literature and attending related seminars, conferences and the like.

• Participates in ongoing quality improvement activities.

• Uses nursing process to provide all levels of patient care:

a. Assesses patient's condition based upon observation, examination, and/or interview, physician's diagnosis, laboratory findings, age-related issues and other pertinent information. Completes assessment in specified time frame. Identifies and consistently recognizes changes in normal and abnormal parameters in the patient's physiological, psychological, cultural, developmental and spiritual needs.

b. Implements nursing interventions to achieve progress toward expected patient outcomes or to stabilize a patient's condition and/or prevent complications.

c. Evaluates and documents patients' response to nursing care and modifies or revises treatment plans, and/or contacts physicians as circumstances require. Documentation reflects evaluation of patient response to nursing actions. Participates in interdisciplinary patient care planning in order to plan and evaluate patient care.

d. Provides and documents patient (family) education based on diagnosis, treatment plan or prescribed medical regimen in accordance with patient (family) readiness and ability to learn.

• Uses professional judgment and critical thinking to prepare, prioritize and execute the patient's plan of care consistent with patient assessment data and physician's treatment plans and professional standards of evidence based practice/care. Incorporates the patient's physiological, psychological, cultural, developmental and spiritual needs into the plan of care. Consistently follows patient care and facility guidelines and procedures in performance of one's duties.

• Directs and delegates support personnel in implementing patient's plan of care, provides supervision and guidance, and demonstrates methods, as necessary, to correct deviation from established standards.

• Renders professional nursing care including administering medications, starting intravenous fluids and blood products. Performs both complex and routine treatments as prescribed by physicians or as warranted by patient's condition. Is able to perform all technical skills required for unit patient population such as, but not limited to IV venipuncture, restraint application, sterile dressings, etc.

• Promotes good stewardship of hospital resources while ensuring quality patient care. Collaborates with hospital

• Departments in order to resolve operational problems.

• Implements measures to prevent exposure to infectious pathogens and communicable conditions.

• Supportive of the compliance program set forth by SMC and demonstrated by:

a. Upholds the Code of Ethics and Corporate Compliance.

b. Adheres to and helps to enforce all compliance policies relevant to his/her area.

c. Assures timely compliance education as requested by the Compliance Officer and/or through corporate initiatives.

• Sets an example to all staff in their daily activities.

• Attends all mandatory in services and participates in staff meetings.

• Assists in orienting and training new employees, Nurse Interns/new graduate nurses and vocational nurses, student nurses and contract personnel. Serves as a resource person for departmental employees in resolving patient care problems.

• May serve as Charge Nurse for shift as designated. Insures completion of patient care and functioning of unit, directs Nursing staff, facilitates movement of patients from one level of care to another.

• May be required to cross-train in other areas within Nursing Services.

• Other duties as assigned.

WORK

Experience

• Graduate of an accredited School of Nursing program, a valid license to practice in the State of Wyoming and a minimum of one-year clinical nursing experience in the area of expertise applied.

• Experienced nurses are defined as having the knowledge and skills commensurate with peers with similar training, and experience functioning on the unit.

License/registration/

Certification

• Work requires a general level of knowledge and clinical competencies as typically acquired through the completion of the education and training requirement below; and current RN permit or licensure issued by the Board of Nurse Examiners of the State of Wyoming to practice professional nursing.

• RNs are supported in obtaining certification in their specialty area.

• Current ACLS, and PALS or ENPC certification required. If not certified, must obtain certification within 3 months of hire.

Education & training

• Work requires a general level of knowledge and clinical competencies as typically acquired through the completion of an accredited school of nursing program resulting in an Associate Degree, Diploma or Baccalaureate degree in nursing.

Skills

• Technical, clerical, critical thinking and interpersonal skills relevant to total patient care/area in order to safely and efficiently treat patients.

• Good verbal and written communication skills necessary in order to be clearly and easily understood by patients, families, and members of the Health Care team.

Physical demands

• The physical demands described here are representative of those that must be met by an employee to successfully perform the essential functions of this job. Reasonable accommodations may be made to enable individuals with disabilities to perform the essential functions.

• While performing the duties of this job the employee is frequently required to sit, converse, and listen; use hands to touch, handle, or feel objects, tools, or controls; and to reach with hands and arms. Specific vision abilities required by this job include close vision and the ability to adjust focus.

• The employee must be able to lift and/or carry over 20 pounds on a regular basis and be able to push/pull over 25 pounds on a regular basis.

• The employee must be able to stand and/or walk at least five hours per day.

Work environment

• The work environment characteristics described here are representative of those an employee encounters while performing the essential functions of this job. Reasonable accommodations may be made to enable individuals with disabilities to perform the essential functions.