POSITION SUMMARY

Provides nursing care to the patient by assessment, planning, treatment, and evaluation. Provides safe, knowledgeable, compassionate, educative, individualized, and goal-directed nursing care to all patients and their families. Oversees a safe atmosphere in the operating room to ensure that sterility is maintained for the duration of the surgical procedure.

MINIMUM REQUIREMENTS

Education:

1. Graduate of a registered nurse program.

Experience:

1. Previous RN experience required.
2. Operating room experience preferred.
3. If a suitable RN candidate with OR experience is not available, we will consider an RN applicant willing to fulfill on the job training.

Knowledge, Skills, Abilities:

1. Effectively functions as a team member and as a liaison between patient and staff.
2. Possesses basic computer skills.
3. Ability to work well with patients, families, physicians, visitors, and coworkers who are often under physical or emotional stress.
4. Able to maintain confidentiality of all records and information in the course of the work day.
5. Able to share knowledge, as in orienting new employees to the surgical center.

License/Certification/Registration:

1. Current state licensure as a Registered Nurse.
2. Meets the American Heart Association's standards for Healthcare Provider Basic Life Support (BLS) and renews BLS every two years.
3. After four months from the hire/transfer date, meets the American Heart Association's standards for Healthcare Provider Advanced Cardiac Life Support (ACLS) and renews ACLS every two years.
4. After six months from the hire/transfer date, meets the American Heart Association's standards for Healthcare Provider Pediatric Advanced Life Support (PALS) and renews PALS every two years

SUPERVISION RECEIVED

Receives general supervision from Manager / Nursing Supervisor Surgical Center.

SUPERVISION GIVEN

Leads the activities of the technicians.

ESSENTIAL FUNCTIONS

1. Assesses and responds to the individual physical, psychosocial, and spiritual needs of the patient through personal observation and interaction. Acts as a patient advocate.
2. Sets up operating room with appropriate sterile supplies, and equipment according to the assignments and schedule.
3. Works as a team with the scrub nurse/technician, anesthesia personnel, and surgeon to provide an organized, safe, and efficient environment of care.
4. Identifies patient and operative site, per policy. Transports patient safely, communicates information accurately to the surgical team, and charts it in a timely and accurate manner.
5. Constantly observes sterile field throughout surgical procedure.
6. Charts the required information on the patient record, checks the consent schedule, H&P for each surgical procedure, and performs the "time out" properly. Oversees sponge/needle/instruments counts before surgery, and reports the results to the surgeon after they are completed intraoperatively.
7. Provides the appropriate medications available for each case, labeled properly, and oversees their proper use and labeling on the sterile field.
8. Handles specimen correctly and safely.  Labels, records, and places specimens in proper containers, records the information on the couriers list according to the policy and transports to the lab.
9. Uses appropriate PPE when needed.
10. When functioning as float nurse/resource, maintains communication among all areas, relieves personnel for breaks and lunches in a timely manner, assists with checking case carts, maintains the flow of patients according to the OR schedule, and utilizes staff in a cost effective manner.
11. Reviews surgeon's preference cards periodically to ensure that specific supplies and equipment are available for the procedure.
12. Independently gains knowledge and familiarizes self with all equipment, procedures, supplies, and drugs, and is familiar with their storage locations.
13. Familiar with anesthesia supplies, location of crash cart, MH cart, anesthesia emergency carts, and locations of endotrach tubes, LMA's, endoscopes, and anesthesia medications.
14. Utilizes supplies, equipment, and resources to contain costs without compromising patient care. Participates in annual inventory counts. Decrements supplies accurately.
15. Assists with housekeeping duties as necessary, making beds, mopping floors between cases, disposing of trash, etc.
16. Participates in committee meetings, offers suggestions as improvements, seeks guidance and direction when needed.
17. Other duties as assigned.

NON-ESSENTIAL FUNCTIONS

Performs related and miscellaneous duties as assigned.