Senior Specialist Nurse – Post-Anesthesia Care Unit (PACU)

Job Overview

The Senior Specialist Nurse Post Anesthesia Care Unit will support the safe recovery of patients following anaesthesia and surgical interventions. The role involves continuous monitoring of heart rate, blood pressure, respiratory status and oxygen saturation, with prompt recognition of airway obstruction, hypoxia, haemorrhage and cardiovascular instability.

In addition to providing specialist patient care, the post holder will act as a clinical leader in the PACU, mentor junior nurses and support staff, promote recovery protocols, and help maintain a safe, calm and efficient clinical environment. The role also contributes to evidence-based practice, research, clinical audits, quality improvement and the ongoing development of PACU services.

Job Details

• Employer: African Medical Centre of Excellence (AMCE)
  Job Type: Full Time
• Recruitment platform: Deloitte SmartRecruiters
• Qualification: Registered Nurse (RN) with a valid nursing licence; degree in nursing or current enrolment in a nursing degree programme; requirements for registration with the Nursing and Midwifery Council of Nigeria; specialised training or certification relevant to the role, such as ICU or PACU.
• Preferred Qualification: Advanced degree, such as a master’s in nursing, or relevant specialty certification.
  Experience: At least seven years of experience after registered nurse qualification, including at least five years of significant clinical experience in the relevant specialty; experience with advanced procedures and patient care in the relevant area of expertise.
• Job Field: Nursing
• Location: Abuja, Federal Capital Territory, Nigeria
• Application deadline:Not specified
• Salary:Not specified

About the Organization

The African Medical Centre of Excellence in Abuja is a multi-specialty healthcare institution developed by Afreximbank in partnership with King’s College Hospital London. The partnership supports specialist clinical services, training, research and professional development.

AMCE focuses on areas including oncology, haematology, cardiovascular care and general healthcare. The institution was developed to expand access to advanced medical services in Africa and reduce the need for patients to seek specialised treatment abroad.

Responsibilities

• Conduct thorough PACU assessments, including airway management, pain assessment and monitoring for complications.
• Continuously monitor patients and administer prescribed medications, fluids and interventions during recovery.
• Provide patient and family education on post-operative care, pain management, wound care and signs of complications.
• Safely transfer patients from the PACU to other care units or discharge areas, maintaining continuity of care and effective communication.
• Lead, guide and mentor junior nurses, healthcare assistants and other PACU support staff.
• Participate in staff orientation, recruitment, induction, performance appraisals, training needs assessments and development planning.
• Lead post-operative debriefings and contribute to multidisciplinary meetings and case discussions.
• Support the development and implementation of evidence-based recovery protocols and guidelines.
• Participate in research, clinical audits, incident reporting, risk management and quality improvement initiatives.
• Ensure compliance with hospital policies, infection-control requirements, patient-monitoring standards, medication-management procedures and national post-anaesthesia care standards.
• Maintain accurate and comprehensive documentation in line with professional and legal standards.
• Collaborate with anaesthetists, surgeons, operating-room staff, surgical wards, intensive care units and other healthcare professionals.
• Support the PACU Nurse Manager with staffing levels, shift scheduling and team coordination.
• Represent the PACU on hospital committees and working groups covering patient safety, clinical governance and quality improvement.
• Support hospital accreditation and compliance processes and report to the PACU Nurse Manager or Head of Perioperative Services.
• Support the development of high-potential employees through structured mentoring and development.

Required Qualifications

• Registered Nurse with a valid nursing licence.
• Nursing degree or current enrolment in a nursing-degree programme.
• Ability to meet Nursing and Midwifery Council of Nigeria registration requirements.
• Relevant ICU or PACU training or certification.
• At least seven years of experience after RN qualification.
• At least five years of significant clinical experience in the relevant specialty.
• Experience with advanced clinical procedures, complex cases and specialised equipment

Desirable Qualification

• Master’s degree in Nursing or another relevant advanced specialty certification.

Leadership and Management Competencies

• Ability to provide visible and effective clinical leadership.
• Strong communication skills and ability to engage people at different organisational levels.
• Strategic thinking and practical problem-solving.
• Ability to build and lead clinical teams.
• Strong influencing, negotiation and partnership-building skills.
• Resilience and ability to manage conflict and ambiguity.
• Results-focused approach to improving patient care.
• Understanding of budgets, performance management and contract management.

Quick Eligibility Check

• Professional status: Registered Nurse with a valid nursing licence
• Education: Nursing degree or current enrolment in a nursing-degree programme
• Registration: Must meet Nursing and Midwifery Council of Nigeria requirements
• Specialist training: Relevant ICU or PACU training or certification
  Experience: At least seven years after RN qualification, including five years in the relevant specialty
• Location: Abuja, FCT, Nigeria
• Employment type: Full Time
• Core capability: Managing complex post-anaesthesia cases and specialised clinical equipment
• Preferred qualification: Master’s degree in Nursing or relevant specialty certification

Application Readiness Checklist

• Make the required qualification easy to verify in the education or certification section of your CV.
• If applicable, make the preferred qualification easy to verify in the education or certification section of your CV.
• Show evidence of the required experience through relevant roles, dates and measurable responsibilities.
• Tailor your CV to the verified responsibilities and Nursing skills stated in this vacancy.
• Confirm that the vacancy is still open before submitting your application.
• Clearly list your current nursing licence, NMCN registration status and relevant ICU or PACU certifications.
• Use your CV to demonstrate post-anaesthesia patient monitoring, airway management, emergency response, clinical leadership and staff-mentoring experience.

Application Safety

Apply only through the official employer channel provided on this page. Do not pay anyone to submit or process your application, and verify unexpected recruitment messages directly with the employer.

Vacancy Verification

AfriJobSpace rechecked this vacancy on September 21, 2026 against Deloitte’s official SmartRecruiters page for the African Medical Centre of Excellence. The vacancy remained available at the time of review. The employer did not publish an application deadline. View the official vacancy source.

Before You Apply

AMCE welcomes applications from qualified candidates across Africa. However, applicants must meet the stated Nursing and Midwifery Council of Nigeria registration requirements. Candidates should clearly document their nursing licence, ICU or PACU training, relevant specialty experience and work with complex post-anaesthesia cases. The employer did not publish a salary or application deadline.

How to Apply

Interested and qualified candidates should submit their application through Deloitte’s official SmartRecruiters platform using the Apply for Job button on this page. Deloitte is managing the recruitment process for the African Medical Centre of Excellence.