Staff Nurse - PACU

POSITION DESCRIPTION

 POSITION TITLE                : Staff Nurse - PACU

REPORTS TO                     :  Acting Director of Operating Room

POSITION SUMMARY:

Provides direct and indirect age-specific care for assigned patients in the Post-Anesthesia Care Unit (PACU) per scheduled shifts. Responsible for professional performance and safe patient care. The role encompasses nursing assessment, diagnosis, planning, intervention, evaluation, and care coordination for patients across the healthcare continuum involving families. Abides by the Joint Commission International (JCI) requirements, including but not limited to International Patient Safety Goals, and national and international standards.

DUTIES AND RESPONSIBILITIES: General:

• Provides age-specific patient-centered care utilizing the nursing process:
• Performs patientassessment using appropriate, problem-focused, and age- specific assessment techniques.
  • Performs continual critical care assessment of patient and family's physical and psychological needs.
  • Involves the patient, significant others, and health care providers in the plan of care when appropriate.
  • Collaborates with a multi-disciplinary team to provide patient care.
  • Coordinates and plans critical care/clinical pathway, and prioritizes care, based on individual needs. Revises the care plan as necessary.

• Initiates appropriate transfer plan.
• Recognizes subtle cues to anticipate potential problems.
• Documents all relevant data in the medical record according to hospital/departmental standards.
• Ensures availability and maintenance of supplies and equipment needed for the unit and patient care.
• Performs clerical duties when needed.
• Assumes responsibility for meeting Joint Commission International Accreditation (JCIA) required mandatory education (e.g. fire, safety, infection control and others).
• Participates in staff meetings and unit committees/projects.
• Participates in developing and achieving unit goals.
• Maintains a safe environment for patients and staff.
• Performs safe handling and administrating of Narcotic/Controlled and Semi- Controlled Drugs and documentation as directed by policies and procedures.
• Ensures completion of unit competencies i.e. pain management, and utilization of Emergency department devices.
• Maintains clinical and professional competency based on the latest research and established standards of practice.
• Completes yearly, the critical care nursing competencies (basic).
• Participates in unit-based Continuous Quality Improvement (CQI) activities (data collection, CQI teams, incident reporting, customer complaint reporting, medication error reporting etc.).
• Participates in ongoing educational activities.
• Maintains mandatory educational requirements.
• Performs additional duties when required.

Unit Specific:

• Performs nursing interventions/procedures per established standards of care (

Competency List "Green Book") policy and procedures including but not limited to:

• Provides General Patient Care in the PACU.
• Cares for Hypothermic Patients in the PACU.
• Implements Infection Control measures in the PACU.
• Provides Malignant Hyperthermia Patient Care in the OR and PACU.
• Manages Nausea and Vomiting in the PACU.

Preceptor's Responsibilities (when applicable):

• Completes the Preceptor workshop and meets the criteria indicators for the preceptor role on the unit.

• Plans, implements and evaluates the individualized competency-based orientation in collaboration with the orientee, nurse manager, and clinical resource nurse.
• Provides appropriate feedback on time to orientee and Nurse Manager.
• Provides objective documentation to the nurse manager utilizing the American Hospital Dubai's established standards of care (Competency List "Green Book and Blue Book").

QUALIFICATIONS & SKILLS:

• Bachelor's degree in nursing(minimum of three (3) years full-time course duration) or
• Degree in Nursing (minimum two (2) years course duration) and Registration as a Registered Nurse from Canada, USA, UK, Ireland, South Africa, New Zealand, and Australia.
• For UAE nationals graduates of UAE or non-UAE universities are exempted from the experience and clinical training requirements for the applied title. (UAE nationals must submit a copy of their birth certificate and the mother's family book).
• Non-UAE national graduates from UAE universities are required to successfully complete six (6) months of clinical training post-graduation in an APS health facility (except for Registered and assistant Nurse titles).
• Must hold a valid License/Registration to practice in their home country and/or country of last employment (where applicable).
• Must hold a minimum of a valid Basic Life Support (BLS)Certification or others according to the scope of practice.

PROFESSIONAL EXPERIENCE:

• Minimum of two (2) years of recent post-graduate experience in a Post-Anesthesia Care Unit (PACU) Nursing.
• Knowledge of and ability to render care and services based on age, appropriateness, and developmental needs of patients.
• Skills in the assessment of patient and family's physical and psychological needs.
• Skills in coordination and planning of care and prioritizing care based on individual needs.