Post-anesthesia care unit nurse vs staff nurse

Differences between post-anesthesia care unit nurse and staff nurse duties and responsibilities

Post-anesthesia care unit nurse example responsibilities.

• Manage patients' pain relief and sedation by providing pharmacological and non-pharmacological interventions and monitoring patients' responses.
• Do preop teaching, draw labs and perform EKG's prior to surgery.
• Maintain and care for arterial/venous sheaths sites, as well as medication titration pre and post op.
• Provide leadership in improving and sustaining the quality and effectiveness of the care provide by PACU nursing and ancillary staff.
• Assess post-operative surgical patients for anesthesia complications
• Monitor for hemorrhagic changes and lingering affects of anesthesia.
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Staff nurse example responsibilities.

• Manage and further help stabilize elective and urgent care surgical patients in their post-operative/post PACU admission to the floor.
• Accomplish extensive critical care course with EKG interpretation and yearly critical care medication exam.
• Manage patient pain relief and sedation by providing pharmacological and non-pharmacological intervention, monitor patient response and record care plans accordingly.
• Participate in discharge planning including teaching family members and patients wind care and medication administration process after discharge.
• Provide direct nursing care to patients in a variety of settings with an emphasis in critical care and PACU settings.
• Prepare patients for surgery and endoscopy procedures including initiating intravenous lines, physical assessments and administering medications.
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