Travel Nurse RN - Post-Anesthesia Care Unit (PACU) / Pre-Post Op - $2,150 to $2,210 per week in Great Falls, MT

Review patient medical history, allergies, lab results, and consents to ensure procedural readiness.

• Cath Lab Baseline: Verify antiplatelet/anticoagulant compliance, check renal labs (creatinine), and mark bilateral pedal pulses.
• Preparation: Start intravenous (IV) lines, initiate hydration protocols for contrast protection, and administer pre-medications per provider orders.
• Education: Educate patients and families on the surgical or cath lab process, anesthesia, and immediate recovery expectations.
  
  

  Receive detailed reports from OR and Cath Lab teams, noting intraoperative events, contrast volume, and medications.

  • Airway & Vitals: Continuously monitor airway patency, oxygen saturation, vital signs, and telemetry for arrhythmias or ST-segment changes.
  • Access Site Management: Monitor femoral, radial, or brachial access sites for bleeding, hematomas, or pseudoaneurysms. Apply manual atrial pressure in emergent situations, bleeding.
  • Hemostasis/Sheath Management: Perform sheath assessment, manage specialized vascular closure devices. Coordinate sheath removal with trained clinical staff. Previously established competency, preferred.
  • Post-Op Care: Enforce post-femoral bed rest protocols, manage emergence delirium or severe shivering, and push fluids to clear contrast dye per provider orders.
  • Discharge: Evaluate patients against strict discharge or transfer criteria and provide comprehensive caregiver instructions.

    Administer scheduled and emergent medications per provider orders via oral, IV, IM, and subcutaneous routes using strict barcode verification.

    • High-Alert Management: Safely prepare, verify, and administer high-alert medications, including sedatives, narcotics, paralytics, and antiarrhythmics per provider orders.
    • Infusion Titration: Manage and titrate continuous intravenous infusions (e.g., vasoactive drips, nitroglycerin, heparin) based on provider orders and hemodynamic parameters.
    • Dual-Verification: Perform independent dual-verification with another licensed RN for designated high-alert medications and pediatric dosing per policy.
      
      

      Complete mandatory two-nurse bedside verification of patient identity, blood type, unit number, and compatibility per policy.

      • Baseline Assessment: Obtain vital signs immediately before starting a transfusion and remain at the bedside for the critical first 15 minutes.
      • Reaction Interventions: Identify signs of transfusion reactions (e.g., hemolytic, anaphylactic, TRALI), immediately stop the infusion, and initiate emergency treatment as ordered.
      • Emergent Transfusions: Rapidly administer uncrossed blood products during massive hemorrhage events using rapid infusers and pressure bags per provider order.
      • Accurate Documentation: Maintain meticulous documentation of transfusion times, unit identification numbers, total volume infused, and patient tolerance.

      Maintain universal precautions and comply with all OSHA, clinic standards, and evidence-based safety guidelines.

      • Vascular Access: Proficiently initiate and maintain peripheral intravenous (IV) infusions to secure dependable vascular access per provider order.
      • Specimen Collection: Correctly collect and process blood, body fluids, and other diagnostic specimens according to policy and provider order.
      • Anesthesia Recovery: Systematically assist patients back to baseline physiologic status during post-procedural anesthesia recovery.
      • Symptom Management: Demonstrate advanced clinical capability to effectively monitor, evaluate, and control post-operative pain and nausea.
      • Cardiovascular Monitoring: Interpret electrocardiogram (ECG) telemetry rhythm strips and review diagnostic 12-lead ECGs to identify acute ischemic or arrhythmic events and notify provider.

        Demonstrate advanced verbal, written, and active listening skills to foster professional collaboration with patients, providers, and allied health staff.

        • Care Coordination: Collaborate actively with the House Supervisor, Charge Nurse, Cardiac Cath Lab and Operating Room personnel to facilitate seamless patient transitions and maintain efficient department workflow.
        • Clinical Documentation: Maintain clear, concise, and legally compliant electronic health records (EHR) detailing all care delivered across both the pre-operative and post-operative phases.
        • Regulatory Compliance: Utilize appropriate, standardized institutional forms and electronic health record.

          Demonstrate technical proficiency in the correct operation, maintenance, and clinical application of specialized patient care equipment, including:

          • • Diagnostic 12-Lead ECG machines, Capillary Blood Sampling (CBS) tools, and I-Stat point-of-care devices.
            • Urine pregnancy test kits and Bladder Volume Indicators (BVI).
            • Mechanical patient lifts, automated vital signs monitors, and suction systems.
            • Emergency defibrillators, crash cart components, and supplementary oxygen delivery equipment.