SUMMARY:

Provides nursing care to the patient during the perioperative experience. Performs nursing activities in the pre-operative, intra-operative and post-operative phases of care, where the RN is the patient’s advocate. Provides assessment, patient surveillance, and timely administration of physician’s orders to prepare patients for procedures. Interviews patients before scheduled procedures. Performs nursing assessment and activates preoperative orders for diagnostic tests. Answers patient needs by assisting the physician and anesthesia care provider. Provides continuous patient surveillance for early recognition and immediate response to medical or surgical complications that may arise in any surgical patient.

EDUCATION, TRAINING, AND EXPERIENCE:

• Graduate of accredited school of nursing.
• Current state licensure in good standing
• Operating room, PACU or Cath Lab experience.
• Basic Life Support (BLS).
• Advanced Cardiac Life Support (ACLS).
• Immediate judgment and response; occasionally in response to disasters or emergencies, actual events or drills.
• Ability to communicate effectively with patients, family, and medical staff
• English language skills adequate for high-level written and interpersonal communication.

MAJOR DUTIES AND RESPONSIBILITIES:

• Providing assessment, monitoring and intervention for cardiac procedures, such as coronary stents, Swan Ganz/right heart catheterization, angioplasty and pericardiocentesis
• Administering oral and intravenous medication to patients
• Operating cath lab specific devices, physiological recorders and printers for monitoring electrocardiogram data
• Managing patients under sedation to watch for adverse reactions
• Educating patients and their families regarding surgical site care, lifestyle, medications and other postoperative information
• Managing paperwork, including patient consent forms, charting, lab results, and procedure documentation
• Collaborating with other medical staff as needed

WORKING ENVIRONMENT:

• Category I exposure to blood borne pathogens.
• Frequent exposure to chemical hazards.
• May encounter radiation hazards.

PHYSICAL REQUIREMENTS:

• High-level visual and auditory acuity for timely response and patient care assessment activities.
• Ability to move quickly in response to physician and patient needs.
• To stand for long periods, occasional overhead and low reaching.
• To exert force up to 50 pounds occasionally, up to 20 pounds frequently, and/or up to 10 pounds constantly.
• Patient care activities require the ability to exert force of up to 30 pounds constantly, up to 40 pounds occasionally, and up to 100 pounds rarely.