SUMMARY AND ESSENTIAL FUNCTIONS:Position Summary:Nurses working as a Pre-Procedure RN will work with patients in their pre- procedure experience. The job involves patient assessment, coordination of services prior to surgery, and pre op teaching for all types of surgery. This person also is responsible for review of charts and resolution of any diagnostic test issues prior to surgery. The pre-procedure nurse communicates effectively with physicians, surgical services staff, and the anesthesia department on a daily basis.Primary Responsibilities:Pre-op phone assessment/visit with patient includes:
- Verification of surgery date and procedure
- Obtaining a thorough health history of the pre-procedure patient
- Providing education on generalized pre-op instructions
- Communicating any individualized instructions pertinent to patient's surgery or history
Responsible for obtaining items/test results missing from the chart:
- Consults with surgeon and Anesthesia on any special needs depending on health history
- Notifies patient and surgeon/PCP of any pre-op lab or EKG needs, coordinates with surgeon's office and patient's PCP to obtain necessary lab results and documentation before admission
- Communicates any potential patient care issues with anesthesia and pre-op staff
- Will check daily to ensure that all scheduled patients have a pre-op visit or phone call appointment.
REPORTS TO: Same Day Surgery Clinical Supervisor, OR Clinical Supervisor, Director Perioperative Services, VP Patient Care Services, CEOSUPERVISES: A registered nurse directs, by licensure, all nursing activities performed by ancillary staff assigned to the unit. Numbers supervised varies. INTERNAL AND EXTERNAL CONTACTS: Patients and families, hospital personnel, physicians, physician offices, volunteers, and co-workersQUALIFICATIONS:Experience/Specialized Skills:
- PreOp/PACU experience preferred
- Excellent verbal and written communication skills
- Basic computer skills required, previous experience with McKesson and One Medical Passport systems is preferred
- Competently performs EKG and vital signs interpretation
Required Education/Course(s)/Training:
- Graduate from an accredited school of professional nursing
Preferred Certification/Registration:
- Current RN license in the state of New Hampshire, BLS certification
PHYSICAL DEMANDS/WORK ENVIRONMENT:
- Physically demanding, high stress environment
- Exposure to blood and body fluids, communicable diseases, chemicals, radiation, and repetitive motions
- Pushing and pulling heavy objects
- Full range of body motion including handling and lifting patients
- Manual and finger dexterity
- Hand and eye coordination
- Standing and walking for extensive periods of time
- Must be able to sit for long periods of time and to handle high volume of phone calls daily
- Lifting and carrying items weighing up to 50 pounds
- Corrected vision and hearing to within normal range
- Working irregular hours including call hours