Job Summary
Registered Nurse, Post Anesthesia Care Unit (PACU). This position provides perioperative nursing care during the pre-anesthesia, post-anesthesia Phase I, and post-anesthesia Phase II stages of the surgical experience. The role includes patient assessment, recovery monitoring, medication administration, education, care coordination, and supervision of assigned personnel in a fast-paced healthcare environment.
Job Details
- Schedule: Day shifts, 12-hour shifts, with a minimum of 36 hours per week. Regular on-call rotation for the Post-Anesthesia Unit may be required.
- Required Qualifications: Associate of Applied Science in Nursing; current Registered Nurse license in the State of Oregon; Basic Life Support (BLS), Advanced Cardiovascular Life Support (ACLS), Pediatric Advanced Life Support (PALS), and Trauma Nursing Core Course (TNCC) certifications; one year of critical care experience or two years of medical-surgical experience.
- Preferred Qualifications: Bachelor of Science in Nursing; previous day surgery, Post Anesthesia Care Unit (PACU), pre-admission services, or ambulatory surgery center experience; Conscious Sedation certification; Certified Post Anesthesia Nurse (CPAN) certification; Certified Ambulatory Perianesthesia Nurse (CAPA) certification; Ultrasound-Guided Intravenous certification; and CRASE training. Critical care and medical-surgical experience are preferred specialties.
- Responsibilities: Perform preoperative and postoperative assessments; admit patients; initiate and manage intravenous access; monitor vital signs, oxygen saturation, respiratory status, and level of consciousness; use the Aldrete scoring system; maintain airways and respiratory function; administer medications and evaluate effectiveness; manage pain and postoperative nausea; assist with nerve blocks; maintain surgical site integrity and normothermia; provide patient and caregiver education; develop individualized peri-anesthesia care plans; collaborate with interdisciplinary teams; delegate tasks according to Oregon State Board of Nursing guidelines; document accurately in the electronic medical record; maintain required competencies; protect patient privacy; and follow infection prevention, fall prevention, medication safety, and other applicable safety protocols.
- Additional Information: The position requires the ability to respond to changing patient conditions and emergency situations, communicate effectively with patients, caregivers, and healthcare team members, and perform continuous walking and standing. Duties may include frequent pushing, pulling, carrying, repositioning, and patient transfers using appropriate lifting techniques, mechanical aids, or team assistance. Personnel may be assigned to other departments when qualified to provide patient care. If the assignment extends beyond six months, CRASE training will be required.
Benefits
- Private housing or generous housing allowance
- Comprehensive health insurance with prescription coverage
- Dependent health insurance with prescription coverage
- Competitive salaries
- Referral bonuses
- Travel reimbursement
- 401(k) retirement plan
- Direct deposit/free checking
- Unlimited free CE credits