Registered Nurse - PACU

Baptist Health Care; Gulf Breeze (FL); On-site; USD 68,000 - 90,000; Full time

Job summary

Baptist Health Care is seeking a Registered Nurse in the PACU to deliver goal-directed, primary-nursing care within surgical services. You will work to ensure high-quality patient outcomes through careful assessment, timely intervention, and collaboration with surgeons and anesthesia teams.

The role requires strong critical thinking, excellent communication, and proficiency in electronic health records. Evening, weekend, and on-call coverage may be required to support postoperative care.

Qualifications

• Must have post-anesthesia and postoperative nursing skills.
• Ability to assess and respond to changes in patient condition.
• Experience in PACU or acute care settings preferred.
• Strong teamwork with surgical team and anesthesia staff.

Responsibilities

• Performs comprehensive post anesthesia nursing assessments—including monitoring airway, breathing, circulation, neurological status, pain level, and surgical/procedural sites and provides individualized nursing care, implementing appropriate interventions to promote patient safety, comfort, stabilization, and recovery.
• Demonstrates critical thinking and clinical judgment to recognize changes in patient condition, initiate timely nursing interventions, and escalate care appropriately.
• Develops, implements, and evaluates plans of care based on patient needs, surgical/procedural factors, and anesthesia considerations.
• Administers medications and therapies as ordered, monitoring patient response and documenting outcomes in accordance with policy.
• Collaborates with anesthesia providers, surgeons, and interdisciplinary team members to coordinate care, transitions, and patient disposition.
• Provides patient and family education, including postoperative expectations, discharge instructions, pain management guidance, and follow up care.
• Maintains accurate, complete, and timely documentation of nursing assessments, interventions, patient responses, and communications.

Skills

Post-anesthesia care

Critical thinking

PACU patient care

Communication skills

EHR documentation

On-call eligibility

Education

Technical Diploma/Certificate Nursing

Associates Degree in Nursing

Bachelor's Degree in Nursing (Preferred)

Job description

Job Description

The Registered Nurse manages individualized, goal directed nursing care through use of the nursing process and the principles of primary nursing in accordance with departmental and hospital policies and procedures. This position provides care and education for the patient based on their illness, symptoms, and courses of treatment. This position is responsible for the delivery of quality care in designated areas of surgical services while meeting standards as set forth by the state, regulatory agencies, and facility policies and procedures. This position performs technical skills and provides assistance to surgeons, anesthesia personnel, and other professionals in the facility. This position maintains knowledge and skills required to perform as a professional registered nurse as well as those specific surgical services departments. This position promotes teamwork with all surgical team members and other departments. This position manages supplies and equipment effectively.

Job Description

The Registered Nurse manages individualized, goal directed nursing care through use of the nursing process and the principles of primary nursing in accordance with departmental and hospital policies and procedures. This position provides care and education for the patient based on their illness, symptoms, and courses of treatment. This position is responsible for the delivery of quality care in designated areas of surgical services while meeting standards as set forth by the state, regulatory agencies, and facility policies and procedures. This position performs technical skills and provides assistance to surgeons, anesthesia personnel, and other professionals in the facility. This position maintains knowledge and skills required to perform as a professional registered nurse as well as those specific surgical services departments. This position promotes teamwork with all surgical team members and other departments. This position manages supplies and equipment effectively.

Responsibilities

• Performs comprehensive post anesthesia nursing assessments—including monitoring airway, breathing, circulation, neurological status, pain level, and surgical/procedural sites and provides individualized nursing care, implementing appropriate interventions to promote patient safety, comfort, stabilization, and recovery.
• Demonstrates critical thinking and clinical judgment to recognize changes in patient condition, initiate timely nursing interventions, and **escalate** care appropriately.
• Develops, implements, and evaluates plans of care based on patient needs, surgical/procedural factors, and anesthesia considerations.
• Administers medications and therapies as ordered, monitoring patient response and documenting outcomes in accordance with policy.
• Collaborates with anesthesia providers, surgeons, and interdisciplinary team members to coordinate care, transitions, and patient disposition.
• Provides patient and family education, including postoperative expectations, discharge instructions, pain management guidance, and follow up care.
• Maintains accurate, complete, and timely documentation of nursing assessments, interventions, patient responses, and communications.

Qualifications

Minimum Education

• Technical Diploma/Certificate Nursing Required or
• Associates Degree Nursing Required
• Bachelor's Degree Nursing Preferred

Minimum Work Experience

• 2 years acute care nursing experience Required or
• 1 year critical care or emergency department nursing experience Required

Licenses and Certifications

• Registered Nurse Licensed State of Florida or eligible compact state Upon Hire Required
• BLS for Healthcare Providers (BLS) American Heart Association Upon Hire Required
• ACLS Provider (ACLS) American Heart Association Upon Hire Required
• National Institutes Of Health Stroke Scale (NIH) within 90 Days Required
• PALS Provider (PALS) American Heart Association within 6 Months Required

Required Skills, Knowledge And Abilities

• Demonstrated proficiency in post anesthesia and postoperative nursing care.
• Strong critical thinking skills with the ability to recognize and respond to changes in patient condition.
• Ability to prioritize care and function effectively in a fast paced PACU environment.
• Effective communication and collaboration skills with anesthesia providers, surgeons, nursing staff, and interdisciplinary team members.
• Proficiency in electronic health record documentation and clinical systems.
• Ability to participate in assigned on call rotation and respond to PACU call back needs, including the ability to return to the hospital within 30 minutes when assigned to call.
• Flexibility and reliability to meet scheduling needs, including evenings, weekends, holidays, and emergency call back as required.

About Us

Baptist Health Care is a not-for-profit health care system committed to improving the quality of life for people and communities in northwest Florida and south Alabama. The organization includesthree hospitals, four medical parks,Andrews Institute for Orthopaedic & Sports Medicine, and an extensive primary and specialty care provider network. With more than 4,000 team members, Baptist Health Care is one of the largest non-governmental employers in northwest Florida.

Baptist Health Care, Inc. is an Equal Opportunity Employer. BHC maintains and enforces a policy that prohibits discrimination against any workforce members or applicants for employment because of sex, race, age, color, disability, marital status, national origin, religion, genetic information, or other category protected by federal, state or local law. Certain positions may require a Level 2 Background check through AHCA. Additional information about this requirement can be found here: Florida Care Provider Background Screening Clearinghouse