RN: Surgical Services Specialty RN

## Description

# **RN: Surgical Services Specialty RN**

**Department:** Pain Management & Surgical Services

**Status:** Full-Time | 1.0 FTE (40 hours/week)

**FLSA Status:** Non-Exempt

**Reports To:** Director: Surgical Services

**Location:** Pagosa Springs Medical Center – Pagosa Springs, Colorado

## **🏥 Position Highlight**

**Help build and grow PSMC’s specialty surgical service lines while serving as a clinical expert, patient navigator, educator, and trusted advocate throughout each patient’s surgical journey.**

## **Position Summary**

Pagosa Springs Medical Center (PSMC) is seeking an experienced **RN: Surgical Services Specialty RN** to join our growing Pain Management and Surgical Services team.

This unique role combines advanced clinical nursing with patient navigation, care coordination, and specialty program development. Working closely with specialty physicians, surgeons, nurse anesthetists, medical assistants, schedulers, clinic staff, and surgical leadership, the Specialty RN coordinates seamless patient care from the initial clinic consultation through surgery, recovery, and follow-up.

The Surgical Services Specialty RN serves as the primary clinical resource and nurse navigator for assigned specialty service lines. This position helps ensure exceptional patient experiences, timely coordination of care, patient and family education, and continuity across clinic and surgical settings. The RN also follows up daily on outstanding patient orders, referrals, and prior authorizations.

## **Why Join PSMC?**

• Help develop and grow specialty surgical services in a progressive rural healthcare organization
• Build lasting relationships with patients throughout their care journey
• Work collaboratively with surgeons, anesthesia providers, clinic staff, and hospital leadership
• Enjoy a diverse role combining direct patient care, care coordination, education, and leadership
• Help shape the future of specialty surgical care in a growing Critical Access Hospital
• Practice in a beautiful mountain community with an exceptional quality of life

## **Key Responsibilities**
### **Specialty Patient Navigation**

• Serve as the primary nurse navigator for assigned specialty service lines
• Coordinate patient care from the initial consultation through surgery, recovery, and follow-up
• Ensure continuity of care across clinic and surgical settings
• Follow up daily on referrals, prior authorizations, test results, and outstanding patient orders
• Coordinate communication between patients, providers, and multidisciplinary care teams
• Ensure patients’ follow-up appointments are scheduled appropriately
• Monitor patient portal, telephone, and departmental message queues and respond in a timely manner

### **Clinical Nursing Care**

• Perform comprehensive nursing assessments and ongoing patient evaluations
• Develop and implement individualized nursing care plans
• Initiate and direct treatments within the RN scope of practice
• Administer medications safely and document care accurately
• Monitor patients for changes in condition and communicate abnormal findings promptly
• Perform patient triage, medication reconciliation, and comprehensive electronic health record documentation
• Assist with specialty procedures, surgical preparation, and post-procedure care
• Maintain medical and surgical asepsis and create sterile fields when appropriate
• Apply age-specific nursing principles throughout the continuum of care

### **Patient and Family Education**

Educate patients and families regarding

• Medical conditions and diagnoses
• Treatment plans
• Diagnostic and surgical procedures
• Pain management
• Medications
• Durable medical equipment
• Post-procedure and postoperative care
• Rehabilitation goals and recovery strategies

Reinforce provider instructions, assess patient understanding, and develop teaching plans based on identified learning needs.
### **Care Coordination**

• Collaborate with surgeons, specialty providers, nurse anesthetists, clinic staff, and Surgical Services leadership
• Coordinate referrals, imaging, laboratory testing, and specialty consultations
• Review chart preparation, orders, insurance authorizations, and required testing
• Complete medication and procedure-related prior authorizations
• Monitor authorizations to prevent expiration during treatment
• Submit booking requests for procedures, injections, and surgeries
• Complete required durable medical equipment documentation
• Retrieve outside medical records as needed to support continuity of care
• Reconcile patient charges for accuracy and completeness
• Promote timely, coordinated, and patient-centered care

### **Leadership and Team Support**

• Serve as a clinical resource for providers and support staff
• Mentor and provide guidance to Medical Assistants and LPNs
• Assist with oversight, training, education, and leadership of clinical support staff
• Participate in the orientation and training of new clinical employees
• Provide appropriate input regarding Medical Assistant performance
• Assist with the development of clinical workflows, policies, and evidence-based practices
• Support quality improvement, regulatory compliance, and patient safety initiatives
• Help maintain exam and procedure rooms, supplies, and department readiness

## Qualifications
### **Education**

• Graduate of an accredited Registered Nursing program required
• Bachelor of Science in Nursing preferred but not required

### **Experience**

• Five years of outpatient and/or hospital nursing experience preferred
• Experience in surgical services, pain management, perioperative nursing, orthopedics, ambulatory surgery, or specialty clinic care strongly preferred
• Previous patient navigation or care coordination experience highly desirable

### **Licensure and Certifications**

• Current Colorado Registered Nurse license in good standing
• Current AHA BLS certification for Healthcare Providers
• Current ACLS certification or successful completion of the next available course within three months of hire

### **Skills**

• Excellent clinical assessment and critical-thinking skills
• Strong organizational and care coordination abilities
• Outstanding communication and patient education skills
• Ability to manage multiple priorities in a fast-paced environment
• Ability to work independently while collaborating across multiple departments
• Proficiency with electronic health records
• Cerner EHR experience preferred
• Knowledge of Microsoft Office applications
• Strong judgment, initiative, accountability, and attention to detail

## **What We’re Looking For**

The ideal candidate

• Is passionate about delivering exceptional patient-centered care
• Enjoys building relationships with patients throughout their healthcare journey
• Thrives in a collaborative, multidisciplinary environment
• Demonstrates strong leadership, accountability, and initiative
• Is highly organized and excels at coordinating complex patient care
• Remains calm, professional, and effective while managing competing priorities
• Embodies PSMC’s WISER values of **Wholeness, Integrity, Stewardship, Excellence, and Respect**

## **Compensation & Benefits**
### **Education**

• Graduate of an accredited Registered Nursing program required
• Bachelor of Science in Nursing preferred but not required

### **Experience**

• Five years of outpatient and/or hospital nursing experience preferred
• Experience in surgical services, pain management, perioperative nursing, orthopedics, ambulatory surgery, or specialty clinic care strongly preferred
• Previous patient navigation or care coordination experience highly desirable

### **Licensure and Certifications**

• Current Colorado Registered Nurse license in good standing
• Current AHA BLS certification for Healthcare Providers
• Current ACLS certification or successful completion of the next available course within three months of hire

### **Skills**

• Excellent clinical assessment and critical-thinking skills
• Strong organizational and care coordination abilities
• Outstanding communication and patient education skills
• Ability to manage multiple priorities in a fast-paced environment
• Ability to work independently while collaborating across multiple departments
• Proficiency with electronic health records
• Cerner EHR experience preferred
• Knowledge of Microsoft Office applications
• Strong judgment, initiative, accountability, and attention to detail

## **What We’re Looking For**

The ideal candidate

• Is passionate about delivering exceptional patient-centered care
• Enjoys building relationships with patients throughout their healthcare journey
• Thrives in a collaborative, multidisciplinary environment
• Demonstrates strong leadership, accountability, and initiative
• Is highly organized and excels at coordinating complex patient care
• Remains calm, professional, and effective while managing competing priorities
• Embodies PSMC’s WISER values of **Wholeness, Integrity, Stewardship, Excellence, and Respect**

## **Compensation & Benefits**

• **Base Compensation Range:** $33.25 - $51.40 hourly, based on 0-22 years of relevant experience. "Relevant experience" means relevant to the employee's responsibilities set forth in the job description as determined by the HR Manager, CAO, applicable department manager/director and applicable senior leader.
• **Benefits:** Benefits include generous paid time off, separate sick leave, health, dental, vision, life and AD&D insurance, long-term disability and option for short-term disability, and retirement plan with employer contribution.
• **Job Type:**Full-time
• **Anticipated End Date for Posting:** July 31, 2026. The deadline may close sooner due to an unanticipated business necessity, such as an incumbent vacating the role earlier than anticipated. You are encouraged to apply well in advance of the deadline.

**Pagosa Springs Medical Center is an Equal Opportunity Employer.**All qualified applicants will be considered for employment, and we will not discriminate against any person on the basis of race, color, national origin, disability, age, sex, religion, creed, ancestry, sexual orientation, marital status, or any other characteristic protected by law. Offers of employment are contingent upon successful completion of a pre-employment health and drug screen and background check.

## **About Pagosa Springs Medical Center**

Pagosa Springs Medical Center is a Critical Access Hospital serving Pagosa Springs and Archuleta County in southwest Colorado. Our Surgical Services team is committed to expanding access to high-quality specialty care close to home, allowing patients to receive exceptional treatment without traveling long distances.

Located in the beautiful San Juan Mountains, Pagosa Springs offers an unmatched quality of life with world-class hiking, skiing, fishing, mountain biking, rafting, hunting, and the world’s deepest geothermal hot springs. At PSMC, you’ll join a collaborative team guided by our WISER values: **Wholeness, Integrity, Stewardship, Excellence, and Respect**, where every team member plays an important role in improving the health of our community.

## **Apply Today**

If you’re an experienced Registered Nurse who enjoys specialty care, patient advocacy, care coordination, and building lasting relationships with patients, we’d love to hear from you. Join Pagosa Springs Medical Center and help shape the future of specialty surgical care while making a meaningful difference in the lives of our patients and community.