Job Title: Registered Nurse - Post Anesthesia Care Unit
Profession: Registered Nurse
Specialty: Post Anesthesia Care Unit
Duration: 13 weeks
Shift: 12-Hour Days
Hours per Shift: 36
Experience: Minimum of 2 years of recovery or ICU experience
License: Valid nursing license required
Certifications: BLS, ACLS, PALS preferred
Must-Have: CPAN or CCRN certification preferred
Description:
The unit consists of 15 cubicles.
Experience in both Phase 1 and Phase 2 recovery is required.
The nurse-to-patient ratio is 2:1.
Experience with EMR, specifically Cerner and Surginet, is preferred.
Charge nurses will be present for each unit.
Nurse aides will assist and should be able to draw blood and perform EKGs.
Weekend requirements are on a rotational basis; call may be required.
Holiday shifts are also on a rotational basis.
Travelers may need to take call during the week and over the weekend on a rotational basis.
Scrubs are navy, or may be supplied.
Telemetry is managed by GE Spacelabs, and nurses must be able to read and interpret their own strips and understand ABGs.
Experience working with ventilators and ICP monitors is necessary, although respiratory therapists will maintain the ventilators.
Intensivists and hospitalists are available 24/7.
The pharmacy is also available 24/7.
There is no IV team available.
Shifts may vary in start times, with notification given two hours prior to any changes.
Floating is not a requirement, but nurses should be able to function in Phase 2 and discharge patients home.
Common types of cases to recover include total joint replacements, hysterectomies, total shoulder surgeries, laparoscopic cholecystectomies, DNCs, spinal fusions, laminectomies, AV fistulas, and other elective procedures.
Note that open hearts are not recovered in this unit.
Both PACU nurses will stay together to recover any patients in PACU if they are on call.
If patients need recovery in the ICU, both on-call nurses will respond together.
Cancellations may occur up to four shifts for assignments lasting 13 weeks.
Charting will be done primarily using Cerner.