Job Description

The PreOp RN III is a proficient-level clinician who provides advanced pre-surgical care and serves as a mentor and resource for nursing and interprofessional staff. In addition to performing direct patient care, this RN leads initiatives that improve care delivery, supports education, and actively contributes to unit-based and organizational improvement strategies. The RN III promotes excellence in surgical readiness and patient experience at UT Health San Antonio Multispecialty & Research Hospital. Responsibilities may include, but are not limited to, leading unit and shared governance activities, serving as charge nurse as needed, assessing the unit's needs related to practice and improvement opportunities, serving as a clinical resource for both unit and hospital staff, and coordinating unit and hospital-wide education in partnership with management.

• Provides expert nursing care to patients in the preoperative phase, ensuring surgical readiness and patient safety.
• Leads assessments, documentation, and medication reconciliation for complex patients requiring additional preparation.
• Mentors and coaches nursing staff in IV insertion, pre-op education, consent validation, and EMR utilization.
• Assists in onboarding, training, and preceptorship of new staff, students, and float nurses in PreOp workflows.
• Coordinates with anesthesia, OR teams, and case scheduling to resolve readiness issues and minimize delays.
• Collaborates with the interdisciplinary team to ensure individualized preoperative care plans are developed and communicated.
• Conducts or leads chart reviews and documentation audits to ensure compliance with safety and quality standards.
• Participates in shared governance councils and PreOp-focused workgroups; drives evidence-based changes.
• Leads or supports departmental quality improvement initiatives tied to readiness metrics and patient flow.
• Guides patient and family education regarding surgical expectations, NPO compliance, and post-op instructions.
• Supports checklist compliance and proactively addresses any incomplete or missing elements before surgery.
• Provides input into department supply needs and assists with readiness of specialty equipment or surgical tools.
• Participates in huddles and shift briefings, sharing insights and recommendations for improving team efficiency.
• Assists in maintaining staff morale and engagement by role-modeling professionalism and collaborative communication.
• Promotes cultural competence and inclusive practices within PreOp patient education and care delivery.
• Supports nurse-sensitive indicators, such as timely case starts, handoff communication, and throughput goals.
• Acts as relief charge nurse when needed and contributes to workload balancing across preoperative bays.
• Performs other job-related duties to enhance patient care, clinical outcomes, or unit operations.

• Expert knowledge of PreOp protocols, including patient education, consent verification, and IV initiation.
• Strong organizational, prioritization, and problem-solving skills in high-volume settings.
• Uses EMR to support documentation, teaching, and care coordination.
• Uses therapeutic communication to collaborate with patients, families, and surgical teams.
• Mentors and coaches staff on clinical and professional practice.
• Strong time management and ability to lead shift-based initiatives.
• Uses critical thinking and clinical judgment to intervene and prevent patient risk.
• Acts as a change agent, supporting evidence-based practice and workflow innovation.
• Familiar with shared governance principles and unit-based performance improvement.
• Function independently and exercise judgment in interactions with physicians, interprofessional care team, patients, and their families.
• Critical thinking skills and clinical judgment to work autonomously as defined by the Nurse Practice Act
• Working knowledge of Microsoft Office applications.
• Ability to serve as a preceptor and a mentor by fostering a teaching environment. Position eligible for preceptor premium pay with completion of preceptor education and leader approval.

Education:

• Bachelor's of Science in Nursing required

Certification/Licensure:

• Current Texas Board of Nursing (or Compact State) RN license; Or a Temporary Texas RN License (Permanent TX license within 90 days upon hire).
• American Heart Association Basic Life Support (BLS) certification, within 7 days of hire.