PACU Registered Nurse
Lexington, Kentucky
Baptist Health Lexington

Job Opportunity: PACU Registered Nurse

Location: Lexington, Kentucky
Employment Type: Travel/Contract
Contract Length: 13 weeks

Job Description

• Work hours: 1100-2030 with on-call responsibilities (2 weeknights per 6-week schedule)
• Provide post-anesthesia care in the PACU setting
• Manage patient recovery from various anesthesia types including conscious sedation, epidural, general, local, MAC, nerve blocks, and spinal anesthesia
• Experience with recovering patients from bariatric, vascular, ENT/eyes, GI, GYN, ortho, neuro, and trauma surgeries
• Skills required:

  • Dysrhythmia interpretation
  • Ventilator management
  • Pain management (narcotics/analgesics)
  • RASS (Richmond Agitation-Sedation Scale)
  • Arterial and central line management
  • Blood product administration
  • IV drips including vasopressors
  • Use of reversal agents
  • PCA pump management
  • Computerized documentation

Required Experience

• Minimum 1 year of PACU or ICU nursing experience (highest stated requirement)

Required Certifications & Licenses

• Registered Nurse (RN) license valid in Kentucky
• BLS (Basic Life Support) - AHA only
• ACLS (Advanced Cardiac Life Support) - AHA only
• PALS (Pediatric Advanced Life Support) - AHA only
• NURSYS verification required for RN license
• Additional certifications may be required based on unit (e.g., NIH Stroke Certification, CPI)

Prior Travel Experience

• No explicit requirement for prior travel experience stated

Background & Compliance Requirements

• 7-year criminal background check within 1 year of start, updated annually
• Education verification matching specialty required prior to start (diploma or transcript acceptable if verification unavailable)
• Drug screening: Negative 9-panel urine drug screen within 90 days of start
• Physical exam within 1 year of start (not required by facility but required by agency standards)
• Fit mask test annually (with waiver process if failed)
• Immunizations and health screenings required:

  • Tdap within 10 years
  • Negative TB test or chest X-ray within 1 year, updated annually
  • MMR (Measles, Mumps, Rubella) - 2 vaccines or IgG titer required
  • Varicella - 2 vaccines or IgG titer required
  • Hepatitis B surface antibody titer, series, or declination required
• Seasonal flu vaccination or approved medical/religious exemption required during flu season (Oct 1 - Mar 31)
• COVID-19 vaccination or approved exemption required

Additional Requirements

• 2 professional references required
• Unit-specific skills checklist and competency exams required, updated annually
• Dysrhythmia/EKG competency exam required and must be updated annually
• Medication/pharmacology competency exam as applicable
• Photo for badge with specific guidelines (clear, no filters, solid background)

Summary

This is a 13-week travel contract for a PACU Registered Nurse in Lexington, KY. The role requires at least 1 year of PACU or ICU experience, current RN licensure in Kentucky, and certifications including BLS, ACLS, and PALS. Candidates must meet comprehensive background, health, and competency requirements, including immunizations and drug screening. Prior travel experience is not explicitly required. The position involves working day shifts with on-call responsibilities and managing post-anesthesia patient care across a variety of surgical specialties.