Job Classification: Non-Exempt

Reporting Relationship: Reports to Surgical Services Supervisor

Primary Accountability: 

The Surgical Services Nurse is responsible for delivering high-quality patient care in the Surgical Services Department. This includes pre, intra, post-operative and clinic nursing responsibilities, collaboration with patient care teams, and ensuring adherence to hospital standards and patient safety policies and protocols.

Major Duties:

· Prepares patients for surgical, procedural, and clinic care, ensuring physical readiness and providing emotional support.

· Assists providers before, during and after surgical procedures and outpatient clinic visits.

· Provides perioperative care in pre-op, intra-op, and post-anesthesia recovery areas.

· Provides clinical care required for Surgical Services patients.

· Monitors and documents patients’ physical and emotional conditions across the care continuum.

· Educates patients and families about procedures, medications, and post-operative/visit care needs, ensuring understanding and addressing any concerns.

· Develops, implements, and evaluates individualized nursing care plans for Surgical Services patients.

· Maintains patient privacy and confidentiality and serves as an advocate for patient needs.

· Functions in multiple roles as assigned and trained, including circulator, scrub tech, instrument tech/nurse, and recovery nurse.

· Ensures all necessary consents, required forms and pre-authorizations are obtained prior to procedures.

· Completes patient charting, updates medical records, and maintains logs accurately and timely.

· Sets up and stocks Surgical Services department with required instruments, equipment, and supplies, maintaining accurate inventory levels.

· Applies sterile technique in the handling of instruments and equipment throughout the surgical process. 

· Prepares surgical suites and maintains a sterile environment in accordance with infection control standards.

· Follows all GCMC policies and protocols to ensure regulatory compliance and standards of care.

· Maintains a clean, safe environment in the decontamination and sterile processing areas. 

· Assists with the ordering, maintenance, and safe storage of surgical equipment and supplies.

· Demonstrates effective communication, teamwork, and collaboration with the perioperative team and other departments.

· Takes on-call shifts and must be able to respond and arrive at the facility within 30 minutes when on call.

Qualifications:

· Must be licensed as a Registered Nurse (RN) in the state of Kansas.

· Must be BLS certified.

· Must have or complete ACLS, PALS and NRP certification as soon as possible upon hire and no later than within one (1) year of employment.

Physical Demands: 

· Eye/Hand, Eye/Foot and Hand/Foot Coordination.

· Normal eyesight, with or without corrective lenses.

· Normal hearing, with or without hearing aids.

· Motor coordination and manual dexterity. 

· The ability to bend, stoop, crawl, and kneel.

· The ability to exert 50 to 100 pounds of force occasionally, and/or 25 to 50 pounds of force frequently, and/or 10 to 20 pounds of force constantly. 

Work Environment:

· Well-lit work area.

· Working under stressful conditions – physically demanding, high stress environment.

· Working irregular hours including after hours and on call. 

· May be exposed to blood and bodily fluids, communicable diseases, chemicals, radiation, and repetitive motions. 

· Work with people under all conditions. 

· Requires judgement/action, which could prevent the death of a patient.

Additional Duties:

Additional duties and responsibilities may be added to this job description at any time. The job description does not state or imply that these are the only activities to be performed by the employee holding this position. Employees are required to follow any other job-related instructions and to perform any other job-related responsibilities as requested by their Supervisor or assigned charge personnel.