Registered Nurse

Who We Are:

People are our passion and purpose. Come work where you are appreciated for who you are not just what you can do. Ottumwa Regional Health Center provides a wide range of health services, including emergency medicine, critical care services, medical/surgical, acute rehabilitation, obstetrics, and pediatrics, as well as specialty services such as cardiac catheterization, diagnostic and therapeutic radiological services, wound care, pain clinic, sleep lab, pathology, and so much more.

Where We Are:

Ottumwa is a center for “cultural and commercial development” known for its low cost of living, abundant recreation and entertainment, and outstanding education and healthcare facilities. You’ll find something new and exciting to do every day in Ottumwa where there is always a new adventure awaiting on the other side of the bridge.

Why Choose Us:

• Health (Medical, Dental, Vision) and 401K Benefits for full-time employees
• Competitive Paid Time Off / Extended Illness Bank package for full-time employees
• Employee Assistance Program – mental, physical, and financial wellness assistance
• Tuition Reimbursement/Assistance for qualified applicants
• And much more…

Position Summary:

The RN is responsible for the delivery of safe, effective, and quality patient-family centered care in the operating room and other areas of perioperative services for all patient populations. The RN is responsible for meeting surgical standards of nursing practice. The RN will maintain skills in setting priorities, organizing workload effectively, changes in assignment, and integrating multiple assignments with multilevel personnel. The RN will act as a patient advocate and support the mission, vision, and values of the organization.

• Maintains own clinical skills by staying current with new equipment, technology and trends in nursing.
• Participates as a team member in support of the total perioperative process
• Organizes time, equipment, supplies, and personnel to provide effective and efficient case management
• Delegates activities appropriate to the abilities of available staff members for patient care in a single operating room
• Considers cost containment by using supplies economically and in effective turnover time
• Explains intra-operative phase of routine procedures and care to the patient
• Performs the circulating/scrub nurse’s role and functions following approved operating room procedures to meet the requirements of scheduled procedures
• Assembles and provides properly functioning equipment, supplies, and instruments before start of procedure and positions and adjusts equipment as required during the procedure
• Assists with the proper and safe positioning of the patient and prepares operative site as directed by established procedures
• Provides assistance and directs others in safely transferring the patient to and from the operating room.
• Provides continuity of patient care by communicating with other perioperative care personnel and documenting records accordingly
• Responds in a timely manner to meet the needs of the patient and physician

• Greets, interviews, and assesses patient to confirm identity, verifies operative site/marking, surgical procedure, NPO status, and any patient allergies with patient prior to going to the surgery suite.
• Identifies baseline skin condition, body mobility, sensory impairments, cardiovascular, and respiratory status.

• Evaluates and completes patient’s medical record for appropriate consents and data pertinent to their care (i.e., history and physical, lab, radiology reports, physician orders, etc.).(Pre-procedural checklist)
• Supports anesthesia personnel and assists during all methods of anesthesia.
• Prepares the surgical site according to established skin preparation procedures.
• Verifies identity, operative site, surgical procedure, physician, allergies, antibiotics and any other pertinent information prior to incision. (Time out process)
• Maintains a safe environment in the operating room for patient and staff. (including Traffic Control)

• Monitors sterile technique of team members and implements aseptic technique by creating and maintaining a sterile field.

• Anticipates needs of the surgical team, including anesthesia personnel, scrub nurse, and surgeon to facilitate progression of case.
• Anticipates emergency and unusual circumstances and initiates corrective actions.
• Verifies and implements intra-operative physician orders (i.e., blood, lab, x-ray, medications, etc.).
• Demonstrates thorough, concise and timely documentation. Records devices implanted during the operative or invasive procedure appropriately.

• Monitors physical status of patient, to administer drugs and solutions as prescribed.
• Monitors and controls the environment and considers all assessment information for the plan of care and demonstrates individual choice based on identified patient needs.
• Maintain correct count of sponge, needle, and instrumentation with the scrub staff in accordance to hospital policy and procedure. Assesses proper time for closing and final counts to the scrub tech and confirms the count, informs physician and takes appropriate actions if incorrect..

• Manages culture/specimen collection, handling, and disposition according to hospital policy and procedure.
• Demonstrates flexibility and adaptability to changes in nursing practice and responds in a positive manner to constructive criticism.
• Exercises safe judgment in decision making and demonstrates tact and understanding when dealing with patients, team members, members of other disciplines, and the public.
• Perform interventions to ensure the patient is at or returned to normothermia at the conclusion of the immediate postoperative period.
• Accompanies patient to ODS/PACU and gives post-operative report to unit staff.
• Using the physician preference sheet to verify, selects supplies and instruments for each surgery.
• Opens and/or assists in opening the instruments, packs, and supplies using proper sterile technique.
• Handles and disposes of contaminated supplies and linen using appropriate technique.
• Assists with clean-up of the room and assures return of instruments to Sterile Processing.
• Assist with QI projects/ special projects and unit changes
• Follows ORHC infection control policies and procedures at all times
• Conveying QI, risk and safety concerns to Director or designee in a timely manner
• Completes variance reports or statements of concern appropriately and in a timely manner
• Minimizes the length of invasive procedure by planning care: anticipates needs for equipment and supplies and selects in an organized and timely manner.
• Uses supplies and equipment within safe parameters by ensuring all equipment is functioning before use and removing malfunctioning equipment from use.
• Uses supplies and equipment in a judicious and cost-effective manner and documents utilization.
• Completes required education requirements, (Health streams) and identifies own learning needs
• Completes required competencies and training within signed timeframe
• Attends 100% of mandatory education. and 85% of staff meetings
• Other duties as assigned

Minimum Qualifications:

• In-depth knowledge and skill related to surgical patients, population, supplies, documentation, equipment, and patient care requirements, etc.
• Must have a caring, calm and compassionate attitude
• The ability to deal with patient’s fear and doubts
• Ability to work within the guidelines established by the organizational structure.
• Working/Reference knowledge of policies/procedures/standards.
• Participate in and contribute to committees, teams and projects in keeping with the organization’s strategic goals.

EDUCATION

• Graduation from an accredited school of nursing.

EXPERIENCE

• Prefer prior experience in perioperative nursing
• CNOR preferred
• Position requires the knowledge and skills necessary to provide nursing care appropriate to the patient population assigned, considering client age and diagnosis
• Willing to accept responsibility and accountability to prescribe, delegate, and coordinate nursing care provided on his/her unit as required.
• Verbal ability to present information and ideas related to nursing theory and practice.
• Ability to function in stressful situations.
• Willingness to cross train and float between OR, PACU, ODS and Endo units.

CERTIFICATE/LICENSE

• Current Active Iowa Registered Nurse Licensure
• ACLS /BLS required, PALS preferred but not required

EEOC Statement:

Ottumwa Regional Health Center is committed to providing Equal Employment Opportunities for all applicants and employees and complies with all applicable laws prohibiting discrimination against any employee or applicant for employment because of color, race, sex, age, religion, national origin, disability, genetic information, gender identity, sexual orientation, veterans' status or any other basis protected by applicable federal, state or local law.

Equal Opportunity Employer/Protected Veterans/Individuals with Disabilities

The contractor will not discharge or in any other manner discriminate against employees or applicants because they have inquired about, discussed, or disclosed their own pay or the pay of another employee or applicant. However, employees who have access to the compensation information of other employees or applicants as a part of their essential job functions cannot disclose the pay of other employees or applicants to individuals who do not otherwise have access to compensation information, unless the disclosure is (a) in response to a formal complaint or charge, (b) in furtherance of an investigation, proceeding, hearing, or action, including an investigation conducted by the employer, or (c) consistent with the contractor's legal duty to furnish information. 41 CFR 60-1.35(c)

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