Registered Nurse - Perioperative
What you'd do
The Perioperative (Pre-op, PACU, Endoscopy) Registered Nurse prepares patients for procedures, administers moderate sedation, monitors patients during procedures, and provides post-procedure care. The Registered Nurse is an expert nurse, responsible and accountable for all elements of the nursing process when providing and/or supervising direct patient care.
Major duties
The Perioperative (Pre-op, PACU, Endoscopy) Registered Nurse assesses, plans, implements, and evaluates care based on age specific components. The RN assumes responsibility for the coordination of care focused on patient education, self-management, and customer satisfaction throughout the continuum of care. The RN administers medications, completes procedures per established policies and guidelines, executes position responsibilities that demonstrate leadership, experience, and creative approaches to management of complex client care. The RN is expected to communicate timely and effectively with all members of the Interdisciplinary Team as well as relate courteously and appropriately to all internal and external customers. The RN is expected to work in a collaborative, team-oriented environment working as a patient advocate and build strong teams within multiple levels of interdisciplinary staff. The Perioperative Registered Nurse (RN), provides specialized care throughout the peri anesthesia continuum to include the pre procedure, post procedure Phase I, post procedure Phase II, and administers moderate sedation for Endoscopy and other procedures. The Perioperative Surgery RN possesses knowledge related to the physiology associated with various anesthesia techniques and surgical interventions. Procedural duties, include (but not limited to) nursing assessment of patients for procedures, readily recognizes contraindications for anesthesia and/or surgical intervention, verifies the presence procedural consents, H&P's, administration of intravenous fluids including venipuncture, assuring all lab work and other preoperative/ procedural testing is completed and communicated to team members, confirms surgical sites are prepared and marked, and the administration of medications as ordered. The Perioperative RN applies the appropriate post sedation scoring and assesses the patient's postoperative status to include cardiovascular and respiratory systems, airway management, neurological system, hemodynamic stability, pain, comfort needs, and mental status, implementing appropriate interventions to maintain or return all physiological systems to baseline or above. The Perioperative RN documents responses to interventions, findings, and reports any changes. Provides clear and concise preoperative teaching and reviews discharge instructions to patients and families with written and verbal communication. The Perioperative RN monitors post-operative patient's level of consciousness after the recovery of anesthesia/sedation. Closely observes signs of side effects of post residual anesthesia medications. The Perioperative RN maintains knowledge of current American Society of Peri Anesthesia Nurses (ASPAN) standards, VHA Directive, and service level standard operating procedures. The Perioperative RN is responsible for ensuring comprehensive documentation of all phases of care and is timely, complete, and accurate in the electronic health record. PRACTICE: Demonstrates expertise in professional practice using the nursing process (assessment, diagnosis, outcome identification, planning, implementation, and evaluation) with improved evidence-based and/or data-driven outcomes beyond the immediate practice setting. Expectations: 1. Leads and organizes delivery of care to ensure continuity of care and peer accountability for practice in alignment with the ANA Standards of Nursing Practice. 2. Applies advanced clinical knowledge/judgment to lead staff involvement in planning, decision-making, and evaluating outcomes beyond the immediate practice setting. 3. Applies nursing expertise to lead improvement, with demonstrated outcomes, beyond the immediate practice setting. 4. Performs appropriate nursing assessments, documents care, recognizes and reports 5. contraindications for surgery/sedation to the appropriate provider. VA offers a comprehensive total rewards package: VA Nurse Total Rewards Pay: Competitive salary, regular salary increases, potential for performance awards Paid Time Off: 50 days of paid time off per year (26 days of annual leave, 13 days of sick leave, 11 paid Federal holidays per year) Retirement: Traditional federal pension (5 years vesting) and federal 401K with up to 5% in contributions by VA Insurance: Federal health/vision/dental/term life/long-term care (many federal insurance programs can be carried into retirement) Licensure: 1 full and unrestricted license from any US State or territory Work Schedule: 6:30am - 5:00pm or 7:00am - 5:30pm, (10hr shifts available, 8 hour shifts can be considered, schedule based on the needs of the service) Monday - Friday schedule. Telework: Not Available Virtual: This is not a virtual position. Relocation/Recruitment Incentives: Not Authorized Permanent Change of Station (PCS): Not Authorized
What you need to qualify
Basic Requirements: English Language Proficiency. In accordance with 38 U.S.C. 7403(f), no person shall serve in direct patient care positions unless they are proficient in basic written and spoken English. Graduate of a school of professional nursing approved by the appropriate accrediting agency and accredited by one of the following accrediting bodies at the time the program was completed by the applicant: The Accreditation Commission for Education in Nursing (ACEN) or The Commission on Collegiate Nursing Education (CCNE); OR Individuals attending a master's level bridge program in nursing who have completed coursework equivalent to a bachelor's level degree in Nursing may have opportunity to become registered as a nurse with a state licensing board prior to completion of the bridge program. Upon achievement of a State license, the individual may be appointed on temporary basis and later converted to a permanent appointment upon successful completion and graduation from the bridge program. (Reference VA Handbook 5005, Appendix G6); OR In cases of graduates of foreign schools of professional nursing, possession of a current, full, active, and unrestricted registration will meet the requirement for graduation from an approved school of professional nursing to warrant an appointment as a Nurse who has completed an associated degree/entry level Nursing education program. Credit for foreign nursing education higher that associate degree/entry level requires a formal degree equivalency validation from a recognized equivalency evaluation accepted by VA such as International Consultants of Delaware (ICD). Current, full, active, and unrestricted registration as a graduate professional nurse in a State, Territory or Commonwealth (i.e., Puerto Rico) of the United States, or the District of Columbia. Graduate Nurse Technician (GNT) Exception: Candidates who otherwise meet the basic education requirements, but do not possess the required licensure, may be appointed at the entry step of the grade and level applicable to the completed nursing education as a GNT on a 120-day temporary appointment while actively pursuing licensure (may be extended up to two years on a case-by-case-basis.) NOTE: Grandfathering Provision - All persons currently employed in VHA in 0610 series and performing the duties as described in the qualification standard on the effective date of the standard (1/29/2024) are considered to have met all qualification requirements for the grade held including positive education and licensure/certification. Grade Determinations: The following Scope, Education and Dimension criteria must be met in determining the grade assignment of candidates, and if appropriate, the level within a grade. The Dimension requirements (Practice, Veteran/Patient Driven Care, Leadership, Professional Development and Evidence-Based Practice/Research) are detailed for each grade and level within the online assessment: https://apply.usastaffing.gov/ViewQuestionnaire/13035734. Grade/Level Scope Education Nurse I, Level I Delivers fundamental, knowledge-based care to assigned clients while developing technical competencies. An Associate Degree (ADN) or Diploma in Nursing, with no additional professional nursing required. Nurse I, Level II Demonstrates integration of biopsychosocial concepts, cognitive skills and technically competent practice in providing care to clients with basic or complex. An ADN or Diploma in Nursing AND 1 year of specialized nursing experience equivalent to Nurse I, Level 1 ;OR a Bachelor of Science in Nursing (BSN) with no additional professional nursing experience required. Nurse I, Level III Demonstrates proficiency in practice based on conscious and deliberate planning. Self-directed in goal setting for managing complex client situations. An ADN or Diploma in Nursing AND 2 years of professional nursing experience in which one year is equivalent to Nurse I, Level 2; OR a BSN and 1 year of professional nursing experience equivalent to the Nurse I, Level 2; OR a Master's degree in nursing (MSN) and no additional professional nursing experience; OR a Master's degree in a *related field with a BSN and no additional professional nursing experience. Nurse II Demonstrates leadership in delivering and improving holistic care through collaborative strategies with others. A BSN with 2 years of professional nursing equivalent to Nurse I, Level 3; OR an MSN with one year of specialized nursing experience equivalent to Nurse I, Level 3; OR a Master's degree in a *related field with a BSN and one year of specialized nursing experience equivalent to Nurse I, Level 3; OR a Doctoral degree in Nursing with no professional nursing experience; OR a Doctoral degree in a *related field with a BSN with no additional professional nursing experience. Nurse III Executes position responsibilities that demonstrate leadership, experience and creative approaches to management of complex client care beyond the immediate practice setting. MSN and 2 years of specialized nursing experience, one of which is equivalent to Nurse II and meets all dimension requirements for Nurse III; OR a Master's degree in *related field with BSN and two years of specialized nursing experience, one of which is equivalent to Nurse II and meets all dimension requirements for Nurse III; OR a Doctoral degree in Nursing with and one year of specialized nursing experience equivalent to Nurse II and meets all dimension requirements for Nurse III; OR a Doctoral degree in a *related field with a BSN and one year of specialized nursing experience equivalent to Nurse II and meets all dimension requirements for Nurse III. *Note: Foreign education programs/degrees are not creditable as related degrees. Preferred Experience: 2-3 years of perioperative nursing experience with a focus in Pre-op, PACU, and/or Endoscopy. Moderate Sedation administration experience recommended but not required. Reference: For more information on this qualification standard, please visit https://www.va.gov/ohrm/QualificationStandards/. Physical Requirements: Heavy lifting 45 pounds and over, heavy carrying 45 pounds and over, straight pulling 1 hour, pushing 1 hour, reaching above shoulder, use of fingers, both hands required, walking 7 hours, standing 7 hours, kneeling 0.5 hours, repeated bending 7 hours, both legs required, ability for rapid mental and muscular coordination simultaneously, near vision correctable at 13" to 16" to Jaeger 1 to 4, Far vision correctable in one eye to 20/20 and to 20/40 in the other, ability to distinguish basic colors, ability to distinguish shades of colors, hearing without aid, mental and emotional stability, work with detergents and antiseptic solutions.
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