The Post Anesthesia Care Unit (PACU) Registered Nurse is specially trained in hemodynamic monitoring and therapeutic equipment necessary to provide specialized medical and/or surgical nursing care to acute or complex, post procedure/operative patients. Collaborates with interdisciplinary teams to develop and implement a plan of care for post-operative patients, ensuring the coordination of care between other disciplines, physicians, surgeons, anesthesiologists, and support staff.
Performing professional nursing duties that incorporate the psychosocial, psychomotor, and age-appropriate cognitive skills of the patient/family/significant other to assess, plan, intervene, and advocate for the patient on an ongoing basis throughout the continuum of care. Will reevaluate patient response and outcomes, effectiveness of plan of care, and readiness for discharge and revise plan or make referrals as necessary.
Acts as a role model and mentor to a variety of new graduate nurses, orientees, and support staff.
Responsibilities for Internal Candidates
PROFESSIONAL CLINICAL PRACTICE
Provides patient care, reviews and administers patient medications, including intravenous titrations, invasive and arterial lines, cardiac monitoring, ventilator management, treatments, and procedures in a safe, effective, and age-appropriate manner that meets the scope of practice and standards of nursing practice.
Recognizes change in patients clinical conditions, taking appropriate action and documenting intervention.
Appropriately responds and manages life-threatening and emergent situations in the perioperative setting.
Effectively collaborates with the healthcare team to intervene and advocate as necessary.
Intervenes appropriately in instances of abuse, assault, or neglect, or when adequate financial or social resources are not available.
Makes appropriate referrals to resolve patient issues effectively.
PLAN OF CARE
Develops long and short-term goals consistent with treatment plans, standards of practice, and the plan of care, incorporating patient preference and discussing plan of care with the patient.
Appropriately utilizes pain management resources and other interventions to provide pain relief.
Provides ongoing assessments and documents the patients physical and psychosocial condition, as well as response to care.
Reviews patient test results, identifies critical results, and communicates in a timely manner consistent with the condition of the patient and correlates information into the plan of care.
Consistently ensures nursing practice is evidence-based, within scope of licensure, and compliant with hospital-wide standards of nursing care, including core measures.
Ensures Infection Control procedures and HIPAA compliance.
COLLABORATION
Collaborates with staff, physicians, surgeons, anesthesiologists, and members of the healthcare team, ensuring the coordination of care between other disciplines and support staff.
Supervises, monitors, and delegates patient care activities to appropriate members of the healthcare team, provides effective leadership, and ensures that care is safe and of high quality.
Acts as a source of information and articulately responds to questions, providing resources, guidance, and education about treatment plan, plan of care, and medications.
Develops and implements accurate teaching and ongoing discharge plans for transition to an appropriate level of care.
COMMUNICATION
Empathizes with patient and patient support systems, expresses compassion and understanding for the situation, and demonstrates care that is appropriate for the age, cultural, religious, gender identity, or ethnic background.
Engages in caring behaviors, taking conscious ownership for work and taking deliberate/thoughtful actions regarding how to best carry out interactions with the patient, families, physicians, surgeons, anesthesiologists, and co-workers.
Qualifications for Internal Candidates
Required Qualifications:
Active, current, and unencumbered Licensure as a Registered Nurse in the State of California
Graduate of an Accredited Professional School of Nursing
AHA Basic Life Support
AHA Advanced Cardiac Life Support
Ability to read, write, and communicate effectively in English
Ability to work variable shifts, including evenings, nights, weekends, and holidays
Ability to maintain flexibility and composure in a constantly changing environment
One (1) year of critical care or PACU experience or completion of a 6-week critical care training course
Hospital Fire and Life Safety Card (Los Angeles City Employees only)
Preferred Qualifications
Bachelor of Science in Nursing
Bilingual skills to communicate effectively with patients and families
Certified Post-Anesthesia Nurse (CPAN)