Pre/Post RN FT

Job Summary: The PreOp/PACU RN provides quality patient care using the nursing process, the medical plan of care, and organizational policies. The PreOp/PACU RN provides safe, effective, and quality patient-family centered care in the perioperative services for all patient populations.

Pre-operative:

• Manage patients’ admission processes to preoperative department
• Assess the status of patients’ health in pre-op and ensure accuracy of identification wristband
• Ensure that operative and informed consents are in order
• Determine the surgeon and procedure being carried out
• Take and record vital statistics of patients to ensure readiness for surgical procedure
• Initiate IVs and ensure that patients are informed about the procedure and attending medical staff

Post-operative:

• Assess patients’ condition after a surgery has been performed
• Ensure that all vitals are within normal range
• Log all findings in patients’ files
• Answer patients’ questions and ensure that they are kept comfortable
• Make sure that all relevant IVs are in check
• Develop individualized care plans based on each individual patient’s condition
• Ensure that the all nursing activities are carried out in accordance to individual patient care plan
• Monitor patients for condition changes and report any changes to the doctor
• Initiate patient education programs to ensure that both patients and families are educated on procedures and medications
• Determine when patients are ready to be moved to their rooms
• Perform intervention duties in cases of post-operative emergencies
• Record sedation levels and body temperature
• Manage blood and fluid transfusions and draw specimens
• Ensure that the post-operative space is clean and sanitized
• Change bandages and dress surgical wounds

• Graduate of an accredited school of nursing
• Current New Jersey Nursing License
• Current BLS, ACLS and PALS
• Minimum of 2 years experience in Pre-Op/PACU
• Strong knowledge of surgical procedures and management of the surgical patient
• Understand principles of aseptic technique and their implementation
• Ability to care for patients from infancy to geriatrics
• Knowledge base to recognize, evaluate, solve problems and correct errors
• Ability to quickly adapt to changing condition of the patient when needed
• Excellent teaching skills
• Excellent communication and organizational skills
• Demonstrate strong professional and ethical behavior
• Ability to establish and maintain effective working relationships with patients, physicians and fellow employees. 
• Strong customer service skills
• Demonstrate accountability, creativity, innovation and be receptive to change
• Possess basic knowledge of Performance Improvement ideology