Registered Nurse- Post Anesthesia Care Unit

The Registered Nurse will demonstrate proficiency in practice based on conscious and deliberate planning. Self-directed in goal setting for managing complex client situations. Assesses, plans, implements, and evaluates care based on age-specific components. Assumes responsibility for the coordination of care focused on patient education, self-management, and customer satisfaction throughout the continuum of care. Administers medications and procedures per established policies and guidelines.

Duties are and not limited to: The Post Anesthesia Care Unit (PACU) Registered Nurse (RN) is responsible for providing competent, evidence-based care to patients. Integrates knowledge, skills, abilities, and judgment and is self-directed in goal setting for managing complex situations. Validates understanding of the rationale for care processes and decisions. Questions clinical practices for the purpose of providing evidence-based care. Demonstrates the ability to cope with and manage competing priorities. This nurse demonstrates competence in practice and decision making, deliberate planning, and critical thinking skills. Provides specialized care in the assessment, planning, implementing and evaluation of care throughout the peri anesthesia continuum to include the Pre anesthesia Phase, Post anesthesia Phase I, Post anesthesia Phase II, and extended care from sedation/analgesia and/or anesthesia for surgical, diagnostic, or therapeutic procedures. The PACU RN possesses knowledge related to the physiology associated with various anesthesia techniques and surgical interventions. The PACU RN assesses and prepare patients for procedures appropriately. Performs clinical assessment of the patient and readily recognizes contraindication for anesthesia and/or surgical intervention. The PACU RN applies the appropriate post sedation scoring and assesses the patient's postoperative status to include cardiovascular and respiratory systems and airway management needs, neurological system, hemodynamic stability, pain, and comfort needs and mental status, implementing appropriate interventions to maintain or return all physiological system to baseline or above. The PACU RN maintains knowledge of current American Society of Peri anesthesia Nurses (ASPAN) standards, Veterans Health Administration (VHA) Directives and service level standard operating procedures (SOPs). The PACU RN is responsible for ensuring comprehensive documenting of all phases of care and is timely, complete, and accurate in the electronic health record (EHR). May be required to perform on-call duties. The PACU RN encompasses the care of the patient and family/significant other along the Perianesthesia/Periprocedural continuum of care-Preanesthesia, Postanesthesia Phase I, Phase II, and Extended Care. The team provides care to all surgical service specialties, except for Trauma, Pediatrics, and Transplant. The PACU RN's tour times will alternate to reflect which phase of care they are assigned to and to meet the staffing needs of the unit. Call shifts will be required and can last up to 24 hours. Nurses must be proficient in the following: Validating existing information, eliciting additional information, or new information Reinforcing preoperative teaching Providing nursing care to complete preparation for surgery or procedure Providing Postanesthesia nursing care in the immediate post anesthesia period o Basic life-sustaining needs are of the highest priority Provide transitional care for Phase II, inpatient setting, or to an intensive care setting for continued care Review discharge and educational instruction Preferred Experience: RN with Med/Surgical Knowledge Familiar with Vascular/CT/Neuro surgeries Pay: Competitive salary, regular salary increases, potential for performance awards Paid Time Off: 50 days of paid time off per year (26 days of annual leave, 13 days of sick leave, 11 paid Federal holidays per year) Retirement: Traditional federal pension (5 years vesting) and federal 401K with up to 5% in contributions by VA Insurance: Federal health/vision/dental/term life/long-term care (many federal insurance programs can be carried into retirement) Licensure: 1 full and unrestricted license from any US State or territory Work Schedule: Full-Time, Days. Tour subject to change depending on the needs of facility. Telework: Not Available Virtual: This is not a virtual position. Relocation/Recruitment Incentives: Not Authorized Permanent Change of Station (PCS): Not Authorized