Registered Nurse: Operating Room

Under the general supervision of the Clinical Coordinator and Director of Surgical Services, is responsible for the delivery of safe, effective and quality patient/family centered care in Surgical Services.

Position Function and Duties:

Clinical Competency: 

• Assesses patients at intervals and communicates current status through the continuum of care
• Protects patient from injury caused by chemical, electrical, positioning, heat and/or extraneous objects
• Performs count procedure to protect patient from unintended retained foreign objects
• Performs "time out" procedure for every patient to ensure correct side, site and level prior to procedure
• Manages patient specimen according to hospital policy
• Administers medications appropriately - Performs interventions to maintain body systems, fluid, electrolyte, and acid-base balances, wound and tissue perfusion at or above baseline - Performs interventions to ensure patient is at or returned to normothermia at the conclusion of procedure
• Protects the patient from infection using handwashing and aseptic technique 
• Transfers care using hospital approved handoff
• Documents nursing care consistently, timely, and without omissions
• Delegates tasks as appropriate according to the state Nurse Practice Act and job descriptions
• Identifies and acts appropriately to an OR emergency situation.
• May have to lift more than 25 pounds

Patient Advocacy: 

• Protects the patient's rights, dignity, and privacy
• Establishes a compassionate environment by providing emotional, psychological, and spiritual support to patients, friends, and families
• Develops and/or implements and maintains an individualized plan of care, including developmental and cultural needs 
• Promotes patient's independence by establishing patient care goals; teaching patient, friends, and family to understand condition, medications, and self-care skills; answering questions
• Resolves patient problems and needs by utilizing multidisciplinary team strategies
• Utilize appropriate resources for non-English speaking patients, hearing and sight impaired individuals, and/or healthcare illiteracy 
• Takes proactive steps to recognize and report suspected abuse to your supervisor including child, geriatric, sexual, and spousal abuse

Quality: 

• Assures quality of care by adhering to therapeutic standards; measuring health outcomes against patient care goals and standards; making or recommending necessary adjustments
• Follows hospital and nursing division's mission, philosophies and standards of care 
• Participates in quality review and performance improvement projects

Professionalism: 

• Maintains professional and technical knowledge by attending educational workshops; reviewing professional publications; establishing personal networks; and/or participating in professional societies
• Demonstrates the accountability as a health care professional by recognizing each practitioner is individually responsible for his/her action

Quality & Professionalism:

• Ensures quality of care by adhering to therapeutic standards, measuring health outcomes against patient care goals and standards.  Making recommendations for adjustments in patient care as necessary
• Adheres to Infection Prevention standards, consistent in hand hygiene practice before and after each patient interaction. Adheres to infection prevention precautions.  Holds team members to IP and hand hygiene standards and room/patient IP precaution measures to prevent infection or the spread of infection
• Participates in quality review, performance improvement, survey readiness and patient satisfaction initiatives within the department such as hourly rounding, collateral duties, chart audits and nursing policy review/revisions as assigned
• Demonstrates ability to work independently and within a team environment
• Adheres to standards and applicable codes of conduct that govern behavior among peer and colleagues to create and environment promoting cooperation, respect and trust.
• Adheres to the standards of profession as outlined by the American Nurses Association
• Maintains professionalism by conforming to the Huggins Hospital dress code
• Continues professional growth by maintaining education hours for license renewals and participating in hospital committees, clinical council, and professional organizations

Patient Advocacy: