JOB SUMMARY: Responsible for the delivery of safe, effective, and quality patient-family centered care in the OR and other areas of perioperative services for all patient populations.

SPECIFIC JOB DUTIES AND RESPONSIBILITIES:

Assesses patients at intervals as stated in policies and procedures.
Develops and implements an individualized patient plan of care by:

Protecting the patient from injury caused by extraneous objects and chemical, electrical, laser, mechanical, and thermal sources.
Performing accounting procedures to protect the patient from unintended retained surgical items.
Performing interventions necessary to ensure that the patient's procedure is performed on the correct site, side, and level.
Managing the patient's specimens according to organizational policy and procedures.
Communicating the patient's status to relevant parties throughout the continuum of care.
Administering medications safely and correctly.
Performing interventions to maintain the patient's wound and tissue perfusion at or above baseline levels.
Performing interventions to maintain the status of the patient's genitourinary, gastrointestinal, musculoskeletal, endocrine, respiratory, cardiovascular, and neurological systems and fluid, electrolyte, and acid-base balances at or above baseline levels.
Performing interventions to ensure the patient is at or returned to normothermia at the conclusion of the immediate postoperative period.
Performing interventions to protect the patient from surgical site infection.
Assessing the knowledge level of the patient or designated support person.
Providing education regarding the expected psychosocial response, nutritional management, medication management, pain management, wound management, and expected responses to the operative or invasive procedure.
Involving the patient or designated support person actively in decisions affecting his or her perioperative plan of care and the rehabilitation process.
Protecting the patient's rights, dignity, and privacy.
Providing age-specific, culturally competent, ethical care within legal standards of practice; and
Providing consistent and comparable care regardless of the setting.

Evaluates the patient's progress toward attaining outcomes.
Transfers care as applicable.
Delegates tasks according to the state Nurse Practice Act and job descriptions.
Documents nursing care accurately, completely, and legibly.
Collaborates effectively with other disciplines as applicable.
Participates in quality review and performance improvement projects.
Participates in the performance appraisal process.
Uses problem-solving and conflict resolution skills to foster effective work relationships with team members.
Acts as a patient advocate and maintain privacy and confidentiality of individuals and health information.

SUPERVISORY RESPONSIBILITY: N/A

EDUCATION, CERTIFICATION, LICENSURE, REGISTRATION:

Graduate from an accredited school of nursing.
Associate's degree or equivalent from two-year college program or technical school or nursing diploma.

Bachelor's degree, preferred.

Current registered nurse licensure in Arkansas.
Basic Life Support (BLS) certification and Advanced Cardiac Life Support (ACLS) certification.
Certified Nurse, Operating Room (CNOR) certification, preferred.

EXPERIENCE, KNOWLEDGE, SKILLS AND ABILITIES:

Two years perioperative services experience, preferred.
Basic computer skills (e.g., Microsoft® Word)

WORKING CONDITIONS/PHYSICAL REQUIREMENTS:

Physically demanding, high-stress environment
Exposure to blood and body fluids, communicable diseases, chemicals and other hazardous materials, 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
Lifting and carrying items weighing up to 50 pounds
Corrected vision and hearing to within normal range
Working under stressful conditions

REASONING ABILITY:

Ability to solve practical problems and deal with a variety of concrete variables in situations where only limited standardization exists.
Ability to interpret a variety of instructions furnished in written, oral, or schedule form.

INTERPERSONAL SKILLS:

Must interact and communicate both verbally and in written form.
Must interact and exchange information regarding patients with physicians and other departmental personnel, and outside agencies on a frequent basis while respecting the confidentiality of patient information.

PHYSICAL DEMANDS:
The physical demands described here are representative of those that must be met by an employee to successfully perform the essential functions of this job.

While performing the duties of this job, the employee is regularly required to talk or hear.
The employee regularly is required to stand, walk, sit, use hand to finger, handle or feel objects, tools, or controls; and reach with hands and arms.
Specific vision abilities required by this job include close vision and the ability to adjust focus.

WORK ENVIRONMENT:
The work environment involves potential exposure to blood and body fluids, communicable diseases, chemicals and other hazardous materials, radiation, and repetitive motions while performing the essential functions of this job. Team members are offered appropriate vaccinations and safety training.

COMMENTS:
This description is intended to describe the essential job functions, the general supplemental functions and the essential requirements for the performance of the job. It is not an exhaustive list of all duties, responsibilities and requirements of a person so classified. Other functions may be assigned and management retains the right to add or change the duties at any time. Reasonable accommodations may be made to enable individuals with disabilities to perform the essential functions of the job.

This position is a Safety Sensitive Position. The essential functions, physical demands, and mental competencies of this job require the employee maintain the ability to work in a constant state of alertness in a safe manner.