Staff Nurse - Operation Theatre -Al Barsha Clinic

POSITION TITLE:              STAFF NURSE – Operating Room

POSITION SUMMARY:

A registered professional Nurse who:

• Provides direct patient care and coordinates patient care-related activities using the scientific process of nursing 
• Abides by AHD nursing standards of care and practice

DUTIES AND RESPONSIBILITIES:

• Demonstrates problem solving/critical thinking skills ensuring effective functioning of unit routine.
• Demonstrates current Nursing care and knowledge as per specialty with ability to recognize and apply basic pathophysiology in the disease process.
• Demonstrates the knowledge and skills required in recognizing potential emergency situation; Caesarean-Section code and other codes, emergency situations are managed competently. Actively participates in mock codes.
• Develops individualized care plans based on the medical, surgical nursing diagnosis, with updated revisions according to evaluation and re-assessment findings. Activities of daily living e.g. hygiene needs are considered in daily care planning.
• Sets priorities and plans implementation of patient care; implementation of care is completed in a timely, organized manner and follows AHD nursing standards and policy and procedure. Activities of daily living e.g. hygiene needs are supported. 
• Able to perform preoperative nursing assessment of patients to formulate appropriate nursing care plan.
• Provides accurate, complete and prompt reports on patient care conditions and response to treatment. 
• Collaborates effectively as a multidisciplinary team member with anaesthesia team in sign in process.
• Effectively communicates TIME OUT process and actively conducts correct patient identity, correct site and correct procedure as a multidisciplinary team member before first incision.
• Effectively communicates and conducts SIGN OUT process as a multidisciplinary team member to ensure counts, equipment and specimen checked and labelled. Discusses and reports Key concerns for recovery management.
• Nursing documentation is informative, complete, accurate, concise and legible. Documentation follows AHD and JCI standards and reflects the pre, intra, post-operative assessments and process. 
• Assists in other work areas within the unit (PACU, Holding bay,) when assigned.
• Maintains clinical and professional competency based on the latest research and established standards of practice. Completes all Core Competencies for nursing as well as applicable Unit Specific Competencies within prescribed timelines.
• Demonstrates awareness and knowledge of Infection Control, Pain Management and Wound Care practices and standards. Reports and documents as directed in the relevant policies and procedures.
• Demonstrates support of leadership. Encourages team decisions, cooperation within and across departments and assist in resolving differences of opinion.
• Demonstrates an understanding of cultural difference among customers and colleagues, demonstrates sensitivity and tolerance to cultural differences. 
• Demonstrates knowledge of, and the ability to, render care based on age, appropriateness and developmental needs of patients.
• Demonstrates proficiency in the use of medical equipment and surgical instruments available in operating room.
• Competent to perform “on call” duties.
• Uses supplies in economical manner.
• Demonstrates understanding and familiarity with Facility Management and Safety plan.
• Ensures and completes OR billing documentation after hour 1700hrs, to ER/PBS cashier .The process will follow according to ORP-006
• Ensures Pharmacy billing is complete and given to pharmacy to charge on same day of surgery.

Scrub Registered Nurse (when applicable):

• Proficient in maintaining standard precautions by Scrubbing, gowning, and gloving.
• Proficiency is demonstrated with maintaining integrity of sterile field and utilization of asepsis principles.
• Demonstrates competent technical scrub nursing skills; perform surgical counts, physicians are assisted with patient procedures in specialized surgeries.
• Proficient in prevention of retained surgical items, the use of Electro Surgical, laser and medication safety to ensure optimal patient outcome.
• Ensures specimen identification before and use sterile technique when transfers specimen from the sterile field in a manner that maintains its integrity.
• Proficient in handling of basic instrumentation /supplies and minimally invasive endoscopic and powered instruments/equipment.
• Follows the instructions in handling Surgical Implants (Synthetic, Biologic) on sterile field.
• Assists in the clean-up of the operating room after surgery, including proper disposal of used supplies and sharps, cleaning and decontamination of instruments, equipment and the operating room.
• Perform Infection Control Activities including observation of the Surgical Team activities to maintain aseptic technique.

Circulate Registered Nurse (when applicable):

• Assists in setting up and performance of cases by opening of sterile packs, instruments and supplies according to sterile technique.
• Demonstrates competent technical nursing skills; performs surgical counts with scrub nurse and documents in legal records according to policies and procedures.
• Able to operate minimum invasive endoscopic/powered equipment outside sterile field.
• Ability to plan the availability of the needed positioning equipment and maintains handling in a safe manner according to manufacturers’ instructions.
• Actively participate in safely patient positioning under direction of and in collaboration with surgeon and anaesthesia team and assesses patient’s body alignment, tissue perfusion and skin integrity.
• Ensures specimen containers are labelled to communicate patient, specimen and preservative information. Identification of specimen and labelling confirmed among surgical team during sign out process.
• Ensures safe medication practices used when transferring medication to, handling medication on, to sterile field.
• Assists in the clean-up of the operating room after surgery, including proper disposal of used supplies and sharps, cleaning and decontamination of instruments, equipment and the operating room.
• Perform Infection Control Activities including observation of the Surgical Team activities to maintain aseptic technique.

Post Anesthesia Care Unit Registered Nurse (when applicable):

• Ensures SIGN OUT process and key concerns monitored and measured effectively.
• Demonstrates competent technical nursing skills; medications are administered safely and according to policies and procedures, physicians are assisted with patient examinations and specialized procedures, proficiency is demonstrated with IV therapy.
• Demonstrates current post-operative care nursing knowledge with ability to recognize and apply basic pathophysiology in the disease process.
• Assesses patient on admission to PACU: airway patency, respirations, vital signs ,level of consciousness etc.
• Uses appropriate devices to assist patient respirations and maintain optimum blood oxygenation saturation.
• Assesses surgical site for bleeding and reinforces dressing and informs surgeon if increased bleeding.
• Assesses and controls post-operative pain.
• Assesses patient needs to provide care and plan/discharge completed in timely manner considering best practices.
• Provide nurse from patient’s unit with an accurate history of care given in PACU using the SBAR format.

Specialty lead Registered Nurse Responsibilities (when applicable):

• Coordinates service specific instrumentation, equipment and OR consumables use. Coordinates the surgical services in collaboration with the OR Manager.
• Develops and ensures surgeons’ preference cards are accurate and up to date.
• Communicates and collaborates with the Material Management department (MMD): Ensures OR consumables are available in line with Surgeon’s preference and OR schedule.
• Communicates and collaborates with CSSD Supervisor/ OR Manager to ensure instruments  are available in line with OR schedule
• Collaborates with Biomedical Engineering in relation to medical/surgical equipment’s functionality.
• Reviews OR schedule daily with OR Manager to recognize equipment and instruments usage conflicts/overlapping.
• Promotes and demonstrates high standards of clinical practice that meets or exceeds (AORN) Association Perioperative Registered Nurses standards and AHD policies and procedures.
• In collaboration with multidisciplinary teams coordinates effectively with outside vendors for any special loaner items required by the surgeon.

Team Leader Responsibilities (when applicable):

Liaises with and updates the Nurse Manager about the following:

1. Operating rooms are cleaned, restocked and ready to receive patients in turn over time and at the end of each working day.
2.  Operating room and PACU are prepared fully prior to surgery commencement.
3. Manages resources in service to ensure all equipment’s/items are available for use in line with assigned operating room.
4. Significant changes in patient status.
5. Staffing issues.
6. Administrative issues.

Completes Team Leader Orientation and meets the criteria indicators for the Team Leader role on the unit.

Facilitates unit’s work flow, assignments of tasks and follows up on staffing issues. 

Completes all specific unit duties as per the Allocation Book.

Preceptor’s Responsibilities (when applicable):

• Completes the Preceptor workshop and meets the criteria indicators for the preceptor role on the unit. 
• Precepted new staffs.
• Demonstrates ability to impart knowledge in critical thinking to new employees and colleagues.
• Plans, implements and evaluates the individualized competency based orientation in collaboration with orienteer, nurse manager, clinical resource nurse.
• Provides appropriated feedback in a timely manner to orient and Nurse Manager. 
• Provides objective documentation to the nurse manager utilizing the AHD orientation package.

QUALIFICATIONS:

• Bachelor Degree in Nursing (duration not less than three years) or
• Diploma in Nursing (not less than three academic years in nursing only) or
• Diploma in Nursing and Midwifery (not less than three academic years)
• Post graduate diploma in operating room preferred

PROFESSIONAL EXPERIENCE:

• Current license to practice nursing in country of origin and with the DHA
• BLS certification
• ACLS certification preferred
• At least 2 years of experience in perioperative nursing setting
• Private hospital experience preferred