Registered Nurse(PACU)-VA

Overall Purpose of The Job

This position will support the US Department of Veterans Affairs Critical Staffing Program.  The person in this position will represent International SOS and provide the services outlined below.   

PACU Nurse is a direct care provider whose scope of practice includes providing nursing care for pre- and post-operative Veterans prior to discharge home and medical infusions and procedural patients. 

Key Responsibilities

Key Responsibilities:

• Provides care for patients recovering from general, regional, or local anesthesia. 
• Performs nursing care for the Veteran in the immediate post-operative/post-anesthesia period, assessing and documenting patient status upon arrival to the PACU. 
• Provides nursing care to meet the needs of the Veteran related to the surgical or medical procedure and type of anesthesia received. 
• Monitoring the patient and observing for potential complications to be addressed to anesthesia or the surgeon/provider. 
• Accountable for adhering to established policies, standards of care, and standards of practice of the American Society of Peri-anesthesia Nurses (ASPAN). 
• Accountable for a defined group of Veterans during their stay. 
• Performs pre/post-procedural care for blood product administration, intravenous infusions, pain clinic procedures, dental, peripherally inserted central catheter (PICC), bronchoscopy, and cardiovascular patients. 
• Performs pre/post-procedural phone calls with instructions pre/post follow up post procedure to assess recovery and documents appropriately in the Veteran's record. 
• Demonstrates technical and operational knowledge and can apply these skills in the clinical setting. 

Key Responsibilities

• Collaborates with providers and ancillary services; provides Veteran/family teaching as appropriate. 
• Accountable for adhering to established policies, standards of care, and standards of practice of the ASPAN, Infusion Nurses Society (INS), and Society of Gastroenterology Nurses and Associates (SGNA). 
• Responsible and accountable for all elements of the nursing process when providing and/or supervising direct Veteran care. 
• Assesses, plans, implements, and evaluates care based on age and cultural-specific components. 
• Assumes responsibility for the coordination of care focused on Veteran transition through the continuum of care, Veteran, and family education, Veteran self-management after discharge, and supporting factors that impact customer satisfaction. 
• Provides care and counseling of persons or in the promotion and maintenance of health and prevention of illness and injury based upon the nursing process that includes systematic data gathering, assessment, appropriate nursing judgment, and evaluation of human responses to actual or potential.
• health problems through such services as case finding, health teaching, health counseling; provision of care supportive to or restorative of life and well-being; and executing medical regimens including administering medications and treatments prescribed by a licensed or otherwise legally authorized provider. 
• Considers all characteristics of the individual, including age and life stages, state of health, race and culture, values, and previous experiences. Administers medications and procedures per established policies and guidelines. 
• Provides cross coverage to other areas as assigned by management. 
• Influences care outcomes by collaborating with members of the interdisciplinary team. 

Job profile

Experience/Certification Required:  

• 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.  
• Current ACLS and BLS certification.  Current American Heart Association Basic Life Support (BLS) is preferred. 
• Prior ER Experience  
• CEN Preferred 

Physical Requirements: 

• Work is normally performed in a typical interior/office work environment. 
• Work involves sitting and standing for prolonged periods of time. 
• May require bending, stooping and lifting to 15 lbs. 

Other Special Qualifications: 

• US Citizen or Permanent Resident Card is required.   
• Must relocate to project site for the duration of the contract.  
• Pass/possess VA Public Trust Clearance  

Education required

• Graduate of a school of professional nursing approved 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). The approving official may authorize a waiver of the requirement for ACEN or CCNE accreditation of any degree in nursing provided the college or university has regional accreditation from an accrediting body recognized by the Department of Education at the time of the candidate's graduation and the composite qualifications of the applicant warrant such consideration. In cases of graduates of foreign schools of professional nursing, possession of current, full, active and unrestricted registration will meet the requirement of graduation from an approved school of professional nursing. OR The completion of coursework equivalent to a nursing degree in a MSN Bridge Program that qualifies for professional nursing registration constitutes the completion of an approved course of study of professional nursing. Students should submit the certificate of professional nursing to sit for the NCLEX to the VA along with a copy of the MSN transcript. (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. 
• Current BLS certification.  Current American Heart Association Basic Life Support (BLS) is preferred 
• Preferred: Prior ER Experience