Department Overview

The 6A South Perianesthesia Care (SPACU) department provides direct and indirect professional nursing care to patients in the Pre-operative, Recovery and Post-operative areas of Oregon Health & Sciences University. The SPACU is a department within Perioperative Services in the Nursing Division. There are 25 operative suites within the surgical department that function at all times. Our goal is to balance care for individual clinical and psychosocial patient/family needs with cost-conscious utilization of resources while promoting quality outcomes. This position requires the potential to work/float to a variety of units within the perioperative services unit.

Function/Duties of Position

SPACU RNs assess patients upon admission for baseline medical conditions, the patient's understanding of risks/benefits of indicated procedures, and peri-operative community resources. The SPACU RN develops and implements nursing interventions based on data collected and provides education and emotional support to patients and families. Following the indicated procedure, they provide perianesthesia critical nursing care to patients emerging from anesthesia including but not limited to airway management, hemodynamic stability and cardiac rhythm changes. Once criteria is met, the SPACU RN focuses on preparing patients for discharge home, to an acute care or intensive care bed, or for a stay in the extended care environment.

They engage in transfers of knowledge between multidisciplinary team members prior to patient arrival in the operating room, while in the operative suite and following arrival to the recovery area of the unit. The SPACU RN is responsible for coordinating family and visitor presence at bedside prior to and following the patient's time in the operating room. Using established criteria to determine propriety for designated phase of care (i.e. Phase 1, Phase 2, Extended Care), the SPACU RN collaborates with multidisciplinary team members to identify and manage patient conditions as they move through the peri-operative care continuum. Using their clinical inquiry, SPACU RNs determine propriety of phase of care transition through the practice of fiscal stewardship while upholding high-quality patient care, optimal resource utilization and sustainability of healthcare systems.

SPACU RNs frequently coordinate multidisciplinary and family conversations involving complex care situations. They contribute to meeting OHSU's strategic plan of exceptional staff and patient experience through engagement in quality and safety initiatives.

SPACU RNs care for adult patients from every unit in the hospital. Each nurse has a workstation near the patients they are assigned to. Communication factors: SPACU RNs are available by Vocera, unit telephone, Epic Secure Chat, and e-mail.

Required Qualifications

• Minimum one (1) year of Critical Care Nursing (ED, ICU or other pre/post-op) experience in the last 5 years.

• BSN Graduates: Baccalaureate Degree in Nursing from a program accredited by Commission of Collegiate Nursing Education (CCNE), Accreditation Commission for Education in Nursing (ACEN) or Commission for Nursing Education Accreditation (CNEA) 30 days before start date.

• ADN Graduates: Associate Degree in Nursing from an accredited program 30 days before the start date.

• Associate degree Nurses required to enroll in BSN program within 3 years of hire and complete within 5 years of hire

• Current, unencumbered Oregon State Registered Nurse License

• BLS from AHA required.

• Must be able to perform the essential functions of the position with or without accommodation

Preferred Qualifications

• Minimum two (2) years of clinical nursing experience in the last 5 years.

• Certified Post Anesthesia Nurse Certification (CPAN) or Certified Ambulatory Perianesthesia Nurse Certification (CAPA); Pre-/Post Anesthesia Care Experience.

• Proficiency with managing difficult and sensitive family and provider care conferences.

• Progressive leadership positions within a nursing unit, examples include: Charge nurse, UBNPC Chair/Member, Shared Governance councils.

Additional Details

Length of Orientation - Experienced Nurse

• External candidates: OHSU & Nursing New Employee Orientation (NEO) for two days

• Experienced Nurse Orientation for 3 days-26 weeks depending on the care area. An employment service agreement may apply.

This position also comes with great benefits! Some highlights include:

• Comprehensive health care plans. Covered at 100% of the cost for full-time employees and 88% for dependents.
• $50K of term life insurance provided at no cost to the employee
• Two separate above market pension plans to choose from
• Vacation - 192 to 288 hours per year depending on length of service, prorated for part-time
• Holidays - up to 64 holiday hours per calendar year (employees accrue .0308 holiday hours for each hour paid - included in vacation accruals)
• Sick Leave - 96 hours per year, prorated for part-time
• Substantial public transportation discounts (Tri-met and C-Tran)
• Tuition Reimbursement
• Innovative Employee Assistance Program (EAP) including extensive wellness resources