Careers
RN- Pre-Op Full – Time & PRN
Status/Type: Non-Exempt
Department: Pre-Op
Shift: Days
Reports: Director of Pre-Op/PACU
Original Date: 14/04/2025
Revised Date:
Reviewed Date:
General Summary
Responsible for smooth and uneventful preoperative care. Assists in general housekeeping duties and maintenance and care of equipment. Employee is responsible for making sure that the pre-operative experience is efficient, clinically correct and that all patient needs and understanding of the operative process are relayed to the patient.
Duties and Responsibilities
- o Utilizes assessment skills and tools to identify problems, needs and intervention.
- o Recognizes patients and families need for instructions and initiates appropriate action.
- o Sets priorities for action, based on problem-solving process, common sense, and meeting patient care priorities.
- o Recognizes health threatening changes in signs, symptoms, and results of diagnostic studies, responding appropriately.
- o Utilizes work assignment to develop special abilities of individuals and meet special needs of patients/significant others.
- o Participates in reviewing and revising quality assurance improvement criteria and/or standards of care.
- o Completes PreOp Nurse Competency Checklist
- o Obtains a thorough medical history through interview of patient or family members with pertinent information documented and communicated to surgeon and/or Anesthesiologist.
- o Administers parenteral therapy and blood and blood products according to Nursing Service Policies.
- o Administers medications according to CPSH Nursing Policies.
- o Carries out physician's orders accurately and questions unclear orders.
- o Participates in bedside procedures as necessary after conducting an appropriate time out
- o Performs treatments and procedures according to CPSH Nursing Policies.
- o Cost effectively maintains adequate supplies and equipment in appropriate working condition.
- o Initiates and carries out appropriate emergency procedures.
- o Initiates nurse-physician communication as appropriate.
- o Maintains a clean, safe, and quiet environment for patients as well as other personnel.
- o Utilizes sound nursing judgment as evidenced by ability to provide rationale for decisions made.
- o Detects early signs and symptoms of preoperative complications and report observations promptly to proper physician.
- o Provides for patient privacy and confidentiality at all times, allows patient dignity to be maintained.
- o Provides preoperative, postoperative phase 2 teaching to patient and significant family member with proper documentation.
- o Documents in writing the specifics of performance during codes and conveys this information to Pre-op/PACU lead.
- o Serves as resource person for updating or improving patient care practices.
- o Assists in facilitating patient-physician-nurse communication process.
- o Serves as preceptor in orientation of new employees.
- o Assumes leadership role, acting as a role model especially in crisis situations.
- o Assists in development and implementation of departmental goals.
- o Possesses a working knowledge of equipment used in the Pre-op and PACU.
- o Assists in maintenance care and cleanliness of supplies - cost effectively maintains adequate supplies and equipment in appropriate working condition with proper documentation.
- o Reports damaged instruments to the Pre-op/PACU Lead and follows proper procedure for damaged instruments and/or equipment.
- o Documents all the necessary information to communicate the patient's progress based on the established plan of care.
- o Selects and initiates appropriate forms at appropriate time(s).
- o Reviews and implements changes in physician's orders throughout patient care.
- o Accepts the responsibility when designated as charge nurse utilizing the unit's "Charge Nurse Job Description" as a guideline.
Education/Qualifications
- o Graduation from an accredited nursing program and a valid Registered Nurse license issued by the Louisiana State Board of Nursing
- o 1 year experience preferred
- o Must have current BLS which follows the American Heart Association guidelines. ACLS must be obtained within (3) months of date of hire. PALS must be obtained within (3) months of date of hire for Full and Part Time Employees. PALS is not required for PRN Nurses.
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