Registered Nurse - Pre-Operative / Post-Anesthesia Care Unit (Pre-Op/PACU)
Job Title
Registered Nurse - Pre-Operative / Post-Anesthesia Care Unit (Pre-Op/PACU)
Job Summary
We are seeking an experienced and dedicated Registered Nurse (RN) for a contract assignment in the Pre-Operative and Post-Anesthesia Care Unit (Pre-Op/PACU) at an ambulatory care facility in Puyallup, Washington. This role is integral to providing high-quality, patient-centered care for individuals undergoing surgical procedures.
The successful candidate will manage the perioperative nursing process, encompassing comprehensive assessment, planning, implementation, and evaluation of care for patients before and after surgery. This includes preparing patients for procedures, monitoring their recovery from anesthesia, and ensuring a safe transition through the various phases of surgical care.
This position requires a commitment to patient safety, excellent clinical judgment, and the ability to collaborate effectively within a multidisciplinary healthcare team to achieve optimal patient outcomes in a fast-paced ambulatory setting.
Key Responsibilities
- Conduct comprehensive patient assessments, considering physical, psychological, social, spiritual, educational, developmental, cultural, and post-operative planning needs.
- Review patient history, physical examinations, diagnostic results, and laboratory data, reporting abnormal findings to physicians and the healthcare team.
- Develop, implement, and individualize patient-centered plans of care, including discharge planning, in collaboration with the patient, family, and multidisciplinary team.
- Provide direct patient care in accordance with physician orders, established nursing plans, organizational policies, and professional standards of care.
- Coordinate, delegate, and supervise the activities of other healthcare team members to ensure continuity and quality of care.
- Evaluate patient and family responses to care and teaching, revising the plan of care as necessary to reflect changing patient status.
- Maintain accurate, timely, and legible documentation of all aspects of the nursing process in the patient record.
- Participate in patient, family, and staff education, role development, orientation, and mentorship activities.
- Contribute to quality improvement initiatives and uphold standards that lead to excellent patient outcomes.
- May provide relief charge duties for the department as needed.
Required Qualifications
- Associate’s Degree or Diploma in Nursing, or higher.
- Minimum two (2) years of recent, licensed Registered Nurse experience in Pre-Operative or Post-Anesthesia Care Unit (Pre-Op/PACU).
- BLS (Basic Life Support) certification.
- ACLS (Advanced Cardiovascular Life Support) certification.
- PALS (Pediatric Advanced Life Support) certification required within 90 days of start date if assigned to pediatric ambulatory surgical services.
Preferred Qualifications
- Bachelor of Science in Nursing (BSN).
- Previous experience in an Ambulatory Surgery Center (ASC) setting.
Skills & Competencies
- Clinical Skills: Proficient in perioperative nursing care, patient assessment, care planning, medication administration, pain management, airway management, and emergency response.
- Equipment: Not specified.
- Soft Skills: Strong critical thinking, problem-solving, effective verbal and written communication