Job Title
Registered Nurse - Post-Anesthesia Care Unit (PACU)
Job Summary
Join a dedicated Post-Anesthesia Care Unit (PACU) team in Duluth, Georgia, providing critical care to patients recovering from a diverse range of surgical procedures, including general medical, surgical, cardiovascular, and diagnostic interventions. This role involves close monitoring, pain management, and stabilization of patients in the immediate post-operative phase.
As a PACU RN, you will play a vital role in ensuring patient safety and comfort, collaborating with a multidisciplinary team to facilitate smooth transitions from surgery to recovery. This is an excellent opportunity for experienced travel nurses seeking a dynamic environment focused on high-quality patient outcomes.
Key Responsibilities
- Perform comprehensive assessments of post-operative patients, monitoring vital signs, cardiac rhythm, and respiratory status.
- Administer medications, including pain management, and manage patient comfort levels effectively.
- Provide advanced airway management and ventilatory support as indicated.
- Assess and manage surgical sites, drains, and catheters, identifying and addressing potential complications.
- Educate patients and their families on post-operative care, recovery expectations, and discharge instructions.
- Collaborate effectively with anesthesiologists, surgeons, and other healthcare professionals to optimize patient care plans.
- Maintain accurate and thorough electronic health records in compliance with facility standards.
Required Qualifications
- Active Registered Nurse (RN) license in the state of Georgia or a compact state.
- Minimum of two (2) years of recent, acute care experience as a Registered Nurse in a Post-Anesthesia Care Unit (PACU).
- Current AHA Basic Life Support (BLS) certification.
- Current AHA Advanced Cardiovascular Life Support (ACLS) certification.
- Current AHA Pediatric Advanced Life Support (PALS) certification.
- Proficiency with Cerner electronic health record (EHR) system.
- Candidates must reside outside a 50-mile radius of Duluth, Georgia, to be considered for this travel assignment.
Preferred Qualifications
Not specified.
Skills & Competencies
- Clinical Skills: Advanced post-anesthesia recovery, pain assessment and management, airway management, cardiac monitoring and interpretation, critical care interventions, wound care, medication administration.
- Equipment Proficiency: Ventilators, cardiac monitors, IV pumps, PCA pumps, rapid infusers.
- Soft Skills: Exceptional critical thinking, strong communication and interpersonal skills, ability to make rapid clinical decisions, attention to detail, teamwork, adaptability in a fast-paced environment.
Shift Details
- Shift Type: 12-hour shifts.
- Days Per Week: 3 days per week.
- Schedule: Varies, typically between 10:30 AM and 11:00 PM.
- Contract Length: 16 weeks.
- Assignment Dates: September 14, 2026, to January 2, 2027.
- Call Requirements: Not specified.
- Weekend Rotations: Not specified.
- Holiday Requirements: Must work two (2) major holidays (Thanksgiving Day, Christmas Day, New Year's Day) and one (1) minor holiday (The Friday after Thanksgiving, Christmas Eve, New Year's Eve) during the assignment period.
Licensing Requirements
- Active Registered Nurse (RN) license in the state of Georgia or a compact state.
- AHA Basic Life Support (BLS) certification.
- AHA Advanced Cardiovascular Life Support (ACLS) certification.
- AHA Pediatric Advanced Life Support (PALS) certification.