POSITION TITLE:  Pain Management Pre-Admission Testing (PAT) Nurse

FACILITY/DEPARTMENT: Nursing             

Position reports to: Clinical Nurse Manager

Position supervises: none

Interpersonal Relationships:  As a representative of this facility, all comments, attitudes, actions, and behaviors have a direct effect on the facility’s image and perceptions of quality service. Interaction with patients, families, physicians, referral sources, affiliating schools, visitors, teammates, managers, vendors, etc. must be in a manner that is friendly, supportive, courteous, respectful, cooperative, and professional. This behavior should promote an atmosphere of teamwork, which is congruent with center standards and guidelines to promote positive relations. 

Licenses or Certifications:

-          Graduate of an Accredited School of Nursing

-          Current state licensure to practice with good standings.

Education, vocational training, and experience:

-          One year of pre-op, PACU, and/or medical/surgical nursing experience preferred

-          Specialty certification in Perioperative or perianesthesia Nursing is preferred

Duties/Responsibilities:

• Describe the underlying pathophysiology of commonly encountered disease processes.
• Describe the physiology associated with various procedural interventions.
• Develop an individualized plan of care:

o   Evaluating the patient’s past medical history and surgical plan using the PAT protocols

o   Interviewing pre-operative patients to gather necessary data to assist for admission

o   Reviewing all preoperative test results and notifying physicians when results are outside normal limits or incomplete.

o   Serving as initial and primary contact for referral sources to direct screening and clearance of patients scheduled for, or potentially to be scheduled for procedures.

o   Conducting thorough chart review to determine ASC eligibility.

o   Understanding medications and their actions and educating the patient on which medications need to be held, prior to pain procedure.

o   Demonstrating safe operation of equipment and machinery and follows procedures for reporting and correcting an unsafe situation.

o   Speaking up with safety concerns acting as the patient’s advocate.

o   Managing patient’s other co-morbid conditions as applicable.

o   Assessing the knowledge level of the patient or designated support person.

o   Providing education regarding the expected psychosocial response, nutritional management, medical management, pain management, wound management, and expected responses to pain procedures.

o   Involving patient or designated support person actively in decisions affecting his or her perioperative plan of care and the rehabilitation process.

o   Protecting patient’s rights, dignity, and privacy.

o   Providing age-specific, culturally competent, ethical care within legal standards of practice; and

o   Complying with Universal Protocol and facility site validation and time-out policy.

• Provide hand-off report to other teammates that are accurate, concise and pertinent to the patient’s condition and response to care.
• Delegate tasks according to the state Nurse Practice Act (if applicable), state board of nursing or professional registration requirements, state laws, and job descriptions.
• Document episode of care completely, accurately, and legibly.
• Demonstrate effective communication and collaboration skills with members of the perioperative team and other stakeholders.
• Serve as a member of a multidisciplinary team in planning patient care.
• Participate in quality review and performance improvement projects.
• Participate in the performance appraisal process.
• Use problem-solving and conflict resolution skills to foster effective work relationships with team members.
• Maintain required competencies.
• Pursue professional growth.
• Act as a patient advocate and maintain privacy and confidentiality of individuals and health information.
• Comply with facility policies and procedures
• Actively participate in team meetings and trainings.
• Demonstrate fiscal responsibility.
• Perform all other duties as assigned.

Working Conditions/Physical Requirements:

·         Physically demanding, high-stress environment 

·         Pushing and pulling heavy objects  

·         Full range of body motion including handling equipment 

·         Manual and finger dexterity  

·         Hand eye coordination 

·         Sitting for extensive periods of time  

·         Lifting and carrying items weighing up to 50 lbs 

·         Corrected vision and hearing to within normal range 

·         Working irregular hours