Registered Nurse / RN PACU

PACU Staff

PACU staff provides care for patients recovering from general, regional, or local anesthesia. Unless complications occur, most patients only stay in the PACU for a few hours before returning home or to another department of the hospital.

Essential Activities

• Maintain monitoring of vital signs (heart rate, blood pressure, temperature and respiratory rate)
• Treatment of symptoms of postoperative nausea and vomiting (or PONV)
• Management of post-operative pain
• Treatment of post-anesthetic shivering
• Maintenance of monitoring of surgical site(s) for excessive bleeding, discharge, swelling, hematoma, redness, etc.
• Coordination of the delivery of care for post-anesthesia patients immediately following surgical procedures

Qualifications

• Current valid NJ State Professional Registered Nurse license or a valid multistate Registered Nurse License from the NCL required.
• 2 years minimum as OR, PACU, critical care or Same Day surgery experience
• BLS certification must be obtained within 14 days of hire or transfer into the role and prior to providing direct patient care.
• Advanced Cardiac Life Support certification (ACLS) by the American Heart Association (AHA) or the American Red Cross (ARC) required.
• Pediatric Advanced Life Support (PALS) by the American Heart Association (AHA) or the American Red Cross (ARC) required.

Preferred Qualifications

• CNOR or CPAN Certification in a specialty

Rate of Pay

Rate of pay is determined based on experience and education and may include other pay components such as differentials and call pay based on role.