Registered Nurse

Registered Nurse

A. The registered nurse is a licensed professional who provides quality patient care using the nursing process, the medical plan of care, and organizational policies and procedures. Through assessment of individual patients and procedure activities they anticipate needs and provide services while maintaining an aseptic and safe environment. They participate in supervision and task delegation to operating room technicians, licensed professional nursing staff and nonprofessional operating room staff members.

B. The employee is required to follow the surgery center rules, policies and procedures, as well as any applicable laws and standards.

C. Supports the philosophy, objectives, and goals of the surgery center.

D. Supports and participates in quality improvement activities.

E. Must demonstrate knowledge of the principles of growth and development over the life span of patients, and possess the ability to assess data reflective of the patient¡¦s status. Interprets the appropriate information needed to identify each patient¡¦s requirements relative to his/her age-specific needs. Provides appropriate care needed by the patients in the groups identified below if applicable:

Check all ages that apply to the scope of services for this position
Infancy
0-1 year
Adolescence
12-17 years
Toddler
13 months to 2 years
Young Adulthood
18-40 years
Preschooler
3-5 years
Middle Adulthood
41-64 years
Elementary School
6-11 years
Late Adulthood
65 years and older

2. ESSENTIAL FUNCTIONS:
A. Interpersonal Skills
1. Maintains professionalism in behavior and appearance.
2. Communicates effectively and openly in a courteous manner.
3. Attends and participates in staff meetings and inservices.
4. Functions as a role model promoting good working relationships.
5. Demonstrates team approach and provides for continuity of patient care.
6. Receives and gives reports about patient care.
7. Channels suggestions, criticism and questions to appropriate personnel.
B. Critical Thinking
1. Reports variances in a timely and accurate manner.
2. May assume charge nurse duties as assigned.
3. Participates in development and implementation of departmental goals.
4. Observes cost containment practices with materials management.
5. Participates in orientation and mentoring of new personnel.
6. Ensures patient and staff member safety by following established policies and procedures and standards of care.
7. Maintains patient and surgery center confidentiality.
8. Demonstrates punctuality in arrival and departure, flexibility in scheduling and compliance with break and meal times.
9. Reviews departmental policies and procedures.
10. Responds appropriately during fire, disaster, emergency drills and events.
11. Removes unsafe equipment from use and reports it to supervisor.
12. Participates in quality assessment and evaluation.
C. Procedure-As applicable to work area.
-Opens unit and prepares for the days cases; performs narcotics count.
-Greets and identifies the patient, applies armband and initiates nursing documentation in the patient's medical record.
-Assures belongings are labeled and placed in patient locker.
-Interviews patient for allergies, last intake of food or drink, other pertinent data, and completes nursing record documentation.
-Verifies operative consent for correct procedure, physician's name, patient's signature, and date and time, and current completed H&P.
-Obtains vital signs, verifies laboratory work, EKG¡¦s, X-rays, etc. and notifies physician or anesthesiologist of abnormal values. Documents physician/anesthesiologist notification and time in patients¡¦ record.
-Verifies physician's orders and performs procedures as ordered.
-Administers medications per physician's orders.
-Prepares surgical site as designated by procedure and chart.
-Communicates with other team members any pertinent information, giving and receiving patient care reports, thoroughly and accurately.
-Conducts the pre-operative patient assessment.
-Assures patients¡¦ comfort and privacy, limiting exposure as applicable.
-May start intravenous lines in accordance with ASC standards.
-Maintains knowledge of medications used and is able to administer them safely and accurately whenever required to do so.
-Is familiar with supplies, equipment, and medications kept on the cardiac arrest cart, malignant hyperthermia cart, and airway cart and is able to assist effectively in the event of an emergency situation.
-Facilitates progression of surgical schedule through preparedness, timeliness, and organization.
-Initiates correct surgical site process with patient.
-Assists anesthesia personnel with procedures as needed.
-Distributes supplies and stocks storage areas.
-Provides IV Moderate Sedation and patient monitoring as needed.
-Gives all prescriptions to the appropriate person (i.e. patient, visitor).
-When patient meets discharge criteria, notifies anesthesia provider or surgeon to check patient or dismisses patient from unit per criteria.
-Discontinues intravenous and Foley catheters as applicable.
-Reviews, educates, and provides a copy of the printed discharge instructions to the patient.
-Discharges the patient either per wheelchair, assisting with ambulation or other appropriate method based on patient condition.
-Discharges patients in the company of a responsible adult.
Closes and secures facility according to protocol; narcotics count.
-Assists with pre and post-op phone calls.
-Provides communication between team members.
-Informs charge nurse of case progress and unusual circumstances.
-Obtains needed supplies and equipment for each specific procedure.
-Verifies suctions, lights, and other equipment for proper functioning.
-Arranges room for specific procedure.
-Opens sterile supplies using sterile technique.
-Assists scrub personnel in gowning and gloving as necessary.
-Assists in safe transportation of patient between areas.
-Assists anesthesia provider in transferring patient onto operating table, applying appropriate safety restraints and monitoring devices.
-Provides scrubbed personnel with any additional needed supplies.
-Performs and documents sponge, needle, and instrument counts.
-Positions or assists the physician in positioning patient safely.
-Adjusts operative lights and positions equipment as necessary.
-Performs patient hair removal and performs surgical site preparation.
-Initiates surgical time out according to center policy.
-Anticipates needs of surgical team and provides needed items.
-Receives specimen from scrub person, ensures appropriate container is used, labels properly, and accurately completes pathology slip.
-Assists physician or scrub person with dressing application and makes certain patient is clean and covered before leaving operating room.
-Returns promptly to operating room and assists scrub person in cleaning and preparing room for next procedure.
-Removes malfunctioning equipment/instruments from service and immediately reports it to supervisor.
-Performs scrub duties and other tasks as needed.

D. Equipment
1. Reports need for service/repair to supervisor.
2. Demonstrates competency.
3. MARGINAL FUNCTIONS:
A. Computer skills. Stocking supplies
4. EDUCATION:
A. Graduate of an accredited nursing program.
5. EXPERIENCE:
A. Progressive work experience in the OR, PACU, Endoscopy, or Pre-op area of no less than one year preferred.
6. SKILLS AND ABILITIES:
A. Must be able to organize and prioritize work.
B. Demonstrates good guest relations with others.
C. Performs registered nurse duties in all patient care areas; pre-op, OR, PACU, endoscopy, and charge nurse duties, as assigned.
D. Good interpersonal skills and ability to perform a variety of tasks.
E. Operate equipment, ability to work under time constraint and emergencies.
F. Mental and physical health sufficient to meet the demands of the position.
7. CERTIFICATION ETC:
A. Current licensure in the State of Nebraska as a registered nurse.
B. Certification in specialty area preferred; CNOR, CPAN, etc.
C. BLS and ACLS certification required, PALS certification desirable.
8. PHYSICAL DEMANDS:
A. Stands or walks seven hours per day, sits up to one hour per day.
B. Must be able to work entire scheduled shift.
C. Lifts patients, instruments, supplies, equipment, pushes/pulls carts.
D. Visual acuity and manual dexterity required.
9. WORKING CONDITIONS:
A. Patient care area; exposure to blood and body fluids, contagious diseases, hazardous chemicals, dangerous fumes, radiation and medical gasses.
B. Must be adaptable to changes in normal work hours.
C. Must be able to adapt to cool or warm and noisy working conditions.
D. Able to lift/carry up to approximately 30 pounds.
10. PROMOTIONAL OPPORTUNITIES:
A. Any job you can meet qualifications of.
The registered nurse is classified as a non-exempt employee and is eligible for overtime pay according to the provisions stated in the surgery center¡¦s personnel policies. The above statements are intended to describe the general nature and level of work being performed by people assigned to this job. This document is not intended to be an exhaustive list of all responsibilities, skills and working conditions for the persons so classified. An employee may be assigned or requested to perform other related duties.