Categories

  • Get the Job
  • Get Ahead
  • Career Paths
  • Students
  • Job Descriptions
  • Salary Insights
Career Trend
Career Trend
  • Get the Job
    • Resumes and CVs
    • Applications
    • Cover Letters
    • Professional References
    • Interviews
    • Networking
    • Professional Licenses and Exams
  • Get Ahead
    • Get a Promotion
    • Negotiation
    • Professional Ethics
    • Professionalism
    • Dealing with Coworkers
    • Dealing with Bosses
    • Communication Skills
    • Managing the Office
    • Disabilities
    • Harassment and Discrimination
    • Unemployment
  • Career Paths
    • Compare Careers
    • Switching Careers
    • Training and Certifications
    • Start a Company
  • Students
    • Internships and Apprenticeships
    • Entry Level Jobs
    • College Degrees
  • Home »
  • Job Descriptions »
  • Healthcare Job Descriptions

A PACU Nurse's Job Description

By Jenny Molberg; Updated July 05, 2017
...
nurse chris image by John Keith from Fotolia.com

A PACU, or postoperative care unit, nurse is responsible for caring for patients after surgery. A PACU nurse should be very familiar with anesthesiology and be committed to the care of others. She holds a demanding job with a lot of responsibility.

Duties

...
stethoscope image by Hubert from Fotolia.com

Upon a patient’s arrival in the PACU, the nurse is informed on the patient's post-surgery condition and any complications that may have arisen. The PACU nurse is responsible for assessing the patient: checking vital signs, pain, the site of incision, temperature and respiration. The PACU nurse should have a thorough knowledge of pain medication and be able to use his own judgment of a patient’s pain. Duties of a PACU nurse include changing of dressings, turning a patient, breathing exercises and pain management.

Responsibilities

...
patient image by JASON WINTER from Fotolia.com

Even though a PACU nurse answers to a physician, the nurse should be able to make judgments and assessments when it comes to pain, vomiting or trouble breathing. A PACU nurse is responsible for knowing advanced cardiac life support and should be able to know what to do if a patient has cardiac issues. The PACU nurse is also responsible for rousing a patient from anesthesia after the patient has been admitted into the PACU. The patient is either discharged to go home after the PACU nurse has assessed his recovery status, the patient is kept in the PACU under the supervision of the nurse, or the patient is allowed to go to a hospital room.

Education Required

...
nurse image by astoria from Fotolia.com

To become hired as a PACU nurse, a nurse must have a degree from an accredited school of nursing and must be licensed as a registered nurse. The nurse should also be certified in BCLS and ACLS--basic and advanced cardiac life support.

Experience Required

...
surgery image by Clark Duffy from Fotolia.com

Most hospitals ask that a prospective PACU nurse have experience in post-anesthesia care and surgical nursing. The PACU nurse must have knowledge of pain medications, anesthesia and life support. He must be aware of surgical procedures and aseptic technique.

Other Qualifications

...
the nurse with a mask on face sits at a table image by Cosmic from Fotolia.com

A PACU nurse must be a quick thinker, able to stay calm in emergencies and be professional, as she may oversee other nurses. The PACU nurse must be organized and be able to prioritize issues with patients. A PACU nurse should be cheerful and personable.

References

  • Lippincott's Nursing Center.com: Wake up to a Career in PACU Nursing
  • Encyclopedia of Surgery: Postoperative Care
  • GrandTeton.net: PeriAnesthesia Nurse

Resources

  • Sample PACU Nurse Resume

Find a Job

Job Search by ZipRecruiter

About the Author

Jenny Molberg is a Texas native who has worked as an assistant editor at a literary magazine and her poems have been published in several nationally recognized journals. She holds a Master of Fine Arts in creative writing.

More Articles

  • How to Become an ER Nurse
  • How Long Does It Take to Get a Hospice Nurse Degree?
  • The Working Conditions For An Anesthesiologist
  • The Salary for a Nurse Anesthesiologist With a Bachelor's Degree
  • How Much Does a Beginner LPN Make?
  • Duties for a CNA in PACU

Continue Reading in Job Descriptions

Law Enforcement Job Descriptions
Administrative Job Descriptions
Healthcare Job Descriptions
Sales Job Descriptions
Fashion Job Descriptions
Education Job Descriptions
Industrial Job Tips
Restaurant Job Descriptions
Professional Job Descriptions
Technical Job Descriptions
Hospitality Job Descriptions
Cite this Article A tool to create a citation to reference this article Cite this Article
Choose Citation Style
Molberg, Jenny. "A PACU Nurse's Job Description." Career Trend, http://careertrend.com/about-6525101-pacu-nurse-s-job-description.html. 05 July 2017.
Molberg, Jenny. (2017, July 05). A PACU Nurse's Job Description. Career Trend. Retrieved from http://careertrend.com/about-6525101-pacu-nurse-s-job-description.html
Molberg, Jenny. "A PACU Nurse's Job Description" last modified July 05, 2017. http://careertrend.com/about-6525101-pacu-nurse-s-job-description.html
Note: Depending on which text editor you're pasting into, you might have to add the italics to the site name.

Related Content

Job Description for a Neurology Nurse
Job Description of an Outpatient Nurse

Related Occupations

Job Growth: +2.8% 2014-2016
EMTs and Paramedics $32,670
Job Growth: +14.6% 2014-2016
Podiatrists $124,830

Popular Articles

What Are the Duties of a Post OP Nurse?
How to Become a Registered Nurse
Get the Job
Resumes and CVs
Applications
Cover Letters
Professional References
Interviews
Networking
Professional Licenses and Exams
Get Ahead
Get a Promotion
Negotiation
Professional Ethics
Professionalism
Dealing with Coworkers
Dealing with Bosses
Communication Skills
Managing the Office
Disabilities
Harassment and Discrimination
Unemployment
Career Paths
Compare Careers
Switching Careers
Training and Certifications
Start a Company
Students
Internships and Apprenticeships
Entry Level Jobs
College Degrees
Career Trend
  • About Us
  • Terms of Use
  • Privacy Policy
  • Copyright Policy
  • Contact Us
  • Find a Job
Copyright 2018 Leaf Group Ltd. / Leaf Group Media, All Rights Reserved.
AdChoices