Registered Nurse (RN) - OR - PT

Job Title: Registered Nurse (RN)

Department: Surgery

Reports To: (OR) Surgery Supervisor

SUMMARY: The Registered Nurse (RN) working in the Surgery Department will be expected to perform in inpatient and outpatient surgery, endoscopy, PACU, and surgery admission. The RN is responsible for identifying patient needs and priorities for care through assessment, planning, intervention and evaluation. The RN will coordinate care between other professional disciplines as needed. Essential information is shared with health care team members and other unit customers through documentation and oral communication.

Essential Duties and Responsibilities:

This list includes the needs to be met every shift.

• All duties and responsibilities included in the Surgical Scrub Technician job description.
• Initiate assessment/admission based on the patient’s problems or needs, the physician’s medical diagnosis, and Physician orders.
• Assumes responsibilities to perform circulator and scrub duties per the Surgery policy / procedure manual.
  1. Collect key information from patient, family, laboratory and other medical records.
  2. Determine priorities for care with special consideration given to patient teaching, discharge planning and needs of the patient and family.
  3. Determine which standards of care and practice apply to the patient.
  4. Document assessment and care provided.

• Complete ongoing assessments according to policy and as determined by patient conditions or change of condition involving family or other significant individuals, as needed.
• Perform therapeutic nursing interventions:
  1. As ordered by the physician and/or other care providers.
  2. Consistent with scope of practice as defined by the Kansas State Board of Nursing.
  3. Consistent with primary and population specific standards of care and practice.
  4. Consistent with physician approved protocols, policies and procedures.
  5. With consideration given to knowledge gained from the initial / ongoing assessment of the patient.

• Determine impact of nursing interventions on the patient’s condition and recognizes patient’s progress towards meeting desired outcomes.
• Document care based on standards of practice, patient acuity, and/or surgical priorities for documentation:
  1. Assessment and ongoing assessment findings.
  2. Updated surgical priorities for documentation.
  3. Will maintain operating room clinical competence.
  4. Identify, label and report any problems or malfunctions of equipment and supplies to supervisor.
  5. Therapeutic nursing interventions with special attention to patient educational and discharge planning interventions.
  6. Patient’s response to interventions and progress towards outcomes.

• Maintains safe environment by recognizing, eliminating and/or reporting hazards.
• Meet or exceed customer needs in a caring, effective and cost-effective manner.
• Maintain levels of quality that meet or exceed customer expectations through process improvement and a team-oriented approach.
• Has pre and postoperative verbal and written communication with the floor charge nurse regarding care and transfer of the surgical patient.
• Will accept scheduled call time and be available for emergency procedures with a response time of 30 minutes or less.
• Maintain confidentiality in matters relating to patient/family and coworkers.
• Provide information to patients and families to reduce anxiety and convey an attitude of acceptance, sensitivity and caring.
• Initiate communication with peers about clinical priorities for care.
• Accept assignments based on patient census, acuity, needs and the qualifications and competencies of self and other staff members.
• Delegate work to other staff members as needed.
• Initiate problem solving and conflict resolution skills to foster effective work relationship with peers.
• Attend and participate in at least 50% of staff meetings. Completes all mandatory in-services/competencies during the specified times.

• Comply with the personnel policies, department policies and CHS Code of Conduct.
• Other duties may be assigned.