About the role
Overview
The Perioperative Nurse performs circulating and scrubbing duties for operative procedures. He/she is responsible to the Nurse Manager, Surgery/GI Lab, and works closely with surgeons, anesthesiologists and other members of the operative team to prepare the patient and the operating room for the intended surgical procedure. The Perioperative Nurse is independently responsible for the welfare and safety of the patient during the surgical procedure. Contributes to the team spirit and cohesiveness of the unit and nursing department. Contributes to the unit and department problem solving and issue resolution. Contributes to positive unit and interdepartmental communications and relationships. Communicates effectively, including speaking English, as appropriate.Maintains a professional attitude, demeanor and appearance, wears prescribed departmental uniform, wears identification name badge. Arrives punctually, takes appropriate time for breaks, uses sick time appropriately. Adheres to the departmental and Medical Center policies on scheduling, overtime, sick time and time off. Through a process of ongoing self-assessment, plans and implements steps to improve knowledge and skills. Attends assigned classes and in-services, staff meetings, reads all departmental communications and assigned materials. Maintains a safe environment, prevents/corrects hazardous conditions, reports accidents promptly. Uses appropriate body mechanics for all work assignments. Knowledgeable of the Medical Center’s Environment of Care plans and programs. Appropriately responds to all safety and emergency signals and notifications. Contributes to cost containment through the wise use of both human and material resources. Participates in the unit, departmental and Medical Center’s Quality Improvement Program, as assigned. Follows all unit, departmental and Medical Center Policies and Procedures. Demonstrates excellent Customer Service in all interactions. Demonstrates a knowledge of and competence in age-related patient care, as defined and documented in department standards.
Responsibilities
Assessment1. Assesses and collects health status data that is documented, retrievable, continuous and communicated to all health care team members, focusing on the emotional, physical, spiritual, educational, and pyschosocial needs of the patient/resident. a. Interviews the patient/resident/family/significant others on admission, and as needed, and completes an appropriate, documented detailed patient/resident history (admission Database.) b. Identifies actual and/or potential discharge needs and initiates a plan in collaboration with physician(s), case manager, and other health care team members. c. Prioritizes data collection as determined by the patient’s/resident’s immediate condition or needs. d. Correlates findings from all body systems to determine additional signs/symptoms that should be assessed. e. Recognizes deviations in development/age-specific behaviors and plans interventions, as appropriate, towards a return in normalcy of the patient/resident.
Consistently and proficiently performs accurate patient/resident physical assessment, incorporating bio-psychosocial, age-specific, and spiritual needs, which are based upon clinical and theoretical knowledge.3. Interprets messages and subtle cues in patient/resident/family movements, gestures, physical appearances, facial expressions, etc., and validates their meaning with the individuals in a supportive/professional manner. 4. Identifies variables and relationships in data to assist in developing an individualized plan of care.5. Identifies effectiveness of patient’s/resident’s support systems.
Nursing Diagnosis1. Uses analytical and critical thinking skills to assess data, symptomatology, and age-specific needs related to pathophysiologic processes to formulate nursing diagnostichypothesis. 2. Formulates a plan of care within the established time frame to specific unit, based on the identified problems as documented on the plan of care for continuous individualized care. 3. Nursing diagnoses are validated with patient/resident/significant others, and health care providers, when possible.
Planning1. Develops a written individualized patient/resident plan of care using nursing diagnosis and establishes measurable expected outcomes in behavioral terms for planned nursinginterventions consistent with current scientific knowledge of disease, entities and human behavior.2. Develops realistic short-term goals for each problem, involving patient/resident/family, significant others, and health care providers, when appropriate with understanding of the developmental (age-specific) needs of the patient/resident. 3. Establishes priorities for care based on multi-disciplinary, teaching, discharge planning and age-specific needs.4. Outcomes: a.Are realistic in relation to the patient’s/resident’s present and potential capabilities. b. Are attainable in relation to resources available to the patient/resident. c. Include a time estimate for attainment. d. Provide direction for continuing care. e. Are documented.
Interventions
Orients patients/residents/families to physical environment and routines, ensures the documentation and safety of belongings, sets basic care priorities accommodating to changing needs, provides physical care/comfort measures, and assists with activities of daily living. 2. Processes or ensures timely processing of physicians’ orders, protocols, prescribed tests, procedures and treatments.3. Schedules and coordinates patient/resident care services (i.e., tests, therapies, procedures, etc.) to avoid delays in hospitalization, waste of resources and duplication of services. 4. Organized and priorities care based on individual needs and the overall activity of the unit.5. Prescribes, implements, and/or delegates, appropriate interventions (actions) to achieve stated or written measurable, expected outcomes to the identified problems in the plan of care. Delegation is based on consideration of health care team members competency, skills and abilities. 6. Coordinates the activities of team members in completing their diagnostic and therapeutic interventions. 7. Utilizes a variety of available resources (i.e. physicians, peers, other employees and administrative leaders), effectively and efficiently in providing care. 8. Performs general and specific nursing technical skills to individuals and groups of patients/residents utilizing equipment safely and properly and to avoid complications leading to additional services and/or prolonged hospitalization.9. Proficiently performs all procedures related to the area of practice. 10. Applies the principles of counseling, therapeutic communication, and teaching/learning in patient/resident interactions – demonstrating caring and compassionate behaviors. 11. Creates relationships that acknowledge and support patients’/residents’ rights to self-determination. 12. Identifies strategies in creating and maintaining positive patient/resident interactions while respecting their social/cultural values in therapy.13. Assess patients’/residents’ condition on an ongoing basis for changes and the appropriateness of the plan of care.14. Communicates significant changes in the patients’/residents’ condition to the appropriate health team members in a timely manner. Patient/Resident/Family Teaching1. Assesses patient/resident (and family if appropriate) learning (age-specific) needs, abilities, and readiness to learn and gives consideration to the patients’/residents’ family, cultural, religious, emotional, motivational, psychosocial, physical, cognitive and language status. 2. Assesses patient/resident and family interpretations of health and illness, in order to develop and appropriate teaching plan aimed at facilitating adaptation to illness/injury/limitations. 3. Provides an interpretation of conditions and gives rationale for procedures to pat