Operating Room (OR) Nurse

Job Classification: Full-time, Non-Exempt

Reporting Relationship: Reports to OR Supervisor

Primary Accountability: 

The OR Nurse will be responsible for the provision of care to patients who present for surgical services in the perioperative area which includes: preoperative care, intraoperative care, and postoperative care.

Major Duties:

• Prepares patients for and assists the physician with procedures or surgical care.
• Provides patient education by explaining procedures, medications, and giving instructions at a level the patient can understand as well as addresses patient’s questions and concerns.
• Provides surgical patients with perioperative care in recovery, procedure, and operating rooms.
• Stocks operating rooms with sterile surgical equipment, linens, and supplies.
• Function as circulator, scrub or instrument tech/nurse, and recovery nurse as directed.
• Ensures all appropriate consents and pre-authorizations are complete.
• Develops and implements nursing care plans for surgical patients.
• Demonstrates effective communication, consultation, negotiation, and collaboration skills with members of the perioperative team and other stakeholders.
• Acts as a patient advocate and maintains privacy and confidentiality of all appropriate information.
• Prepares patients for surgery by cleaning and disinfecting areas to be operated on.
• Prepares patient care area and assures sterile instruments, equipment, or supplies are available and inventory levels are maintained.
• Monitors patients’ physical and emotional well-being throughout the care continuum.
• Demonstrates sensitivity to patient’s comfort and privacy and expresses interest in their progress.
• Maintains a safe, comfortable, and therapeutic environment for patients/families in accordance with hospital standards.
• Applies sterile techniques in handling medical instruments and equipment pre-, during, and post-surgery.
• Collaborates with surgical teams and other medical professionals on patient medication and post-surgery care.
• Assist circulating nurse and anesthesia personnel as needed before, during, and after procedures.
• Completes required intraoperative charting and patient documentation.
• Updates patient files and medical records.
• Assists with the ordering, maintenance, and safe storage of surgical equipment and supplies.
• Provides patients with post-surgery care instructions and answering questions.
• Prepares and wraps packs of sterile supplies and instruments, dressings, and treatment trays, etc., according to established procedures.
• Ensures that all items sterilized are marked with date sterilized, sterilization load number, ID number of person responsible for sterilization, and other required information.
• Follows isolation precautions and procedures on designated patients and follows standard precautions on all patients in all areas.
• Ensures a clean and safe environment for personnel in the decontamination room.
• Ensures the sterilizer is working correctly and checks each load for proper sterilization.
• Must take call, be able to respond, and arrive at the hospital within a 30-minute timeframe.