Operating Room RN

Job Summary:

The Operating Room Registered Nurse is that professional who is directly responsible for coordinating intra-operative care of the patient and indirectly responsible through coordination and information sharing of both pre- and post-operative care.

Supervisory Responsibilities:

Does not oversee other staff.

Duties/Responsibilities:

• Proactively participates as a team member in support of the total surgical process
• Organizes time, equipment, supplies, and personnel to provide effective and efficient case management
• Supervises and directs patient care in the operating/procedure room
• Organizes nursing activities efficiently and effectively
• Delegates activities as appropriate to the abilities and licensed scope of practice of available staff members
• Considers cost containment by using supplies economically and by managing efficient turnover time
• Assists with supplies, drugs, and equipment inventories to maintain stock level and availability
• Addresses patient needs specific to the surgical procedure
• Transports patients to or from the operating/procedure room, as needed, observing policies, procedures, and safety requirements
• Using two patient identifiers, identifies the patient and correct procedure, according to policy and procedures, and communicates with the healthcare team
• Reviews patient’s medical record and needs, to provide continuity of care collaboratively, with other members of the healthcare team
• Provides comfort and reassurance to patient
• Maintains patient’s privacy and dignity
• Verifies planned procedure(s)with patient and discusses plan of care
• Works collaboratively with the healthcare team to prepare the operating/procedure room according to requirements of patient, physician, and procedure, to include but not be limited to, assembling and providing properly functioning equipment, supplies, and instruments
• Works collaboratively with the surgical/procedure team to verify sterility and/or high level of disinfection of instruments and supplies according to policy and procedure 
• Handles and logs tissue specimens correctly and accurately according to policy and procedures
• Works collaboratively with healthcare team to ensure physician preference cards are maintained and updated as needed
• Ensures the appropriate and safe positioning of the patient according to patient needs and planned procedure and monitors throughout procedure
• Administers medication(s) per order of physician, documents appropriately
• Monitors patient condition and maintains accurate documentation during procedure
• Accurately comprehends and interprets physician orders and direction, following policy and procedures
• Documents medical records and other forms accurately, legibly and in a timely manner, following policies and procedures
• Works collaboratively with the healthcare team to ensure safe continuity of patient care according to policy and procedures
• Confirms proper aseptic and sterile techniques are used according to accepted standards of practice
• Monitors and identifies breaks in sterile technique
• Verifies correct site, ensure all radiologic images are present, as applicable
• Performs time out prior to start of procedure, inflation of tourniquet, or incision
• Ensures a correct sponge, needle, sharps, and instrument count (as applicable to the procedure)
• Performs the surgical preparation
• Utilizes ALARA principles for patients undergoing surgical procedures utilizing radiology
• Adheres to the Nursing Scope of Practice 
• Promotes patient and physician satisfaction
• Adheres to safety policies and practices good body mechanics and ergonomics
• Follows all rules and regulations for PHI and HIPAA protections of patient information
• Follows all policies and procedures, including, but not limited to, attendance, timeliness, and safeguarding confidential information
• Reports incidents in a timely manner
• Promotes patient and employee safety and communicates concerns appropriately, following Chain of Command
• Attends in-service programs as requested
• Performs other related duties as directed

Required Skills/Abilities:

• Comprehensive knowledge of general nursing theory and practice, including basic disciplines, relating to nursing such as biological, physical, social and medical sciences and their application to patient care
• Current knowledge of nursing theory and perioperative nursing care in the freestanding ambulatory surgery unit
• Adequate understanding of a wide variety of medical/surgical pathophysiology, operative procedure and required patient preparations
• Thorough knowledge of and ability to implement principles of aseptic technique
• Understanding of proper positioning techniques
• Knowledge of surgical instruments and equipment to include the use, handling and care
• Knowledge of surgical procedures, techniques, symptoms and complications of surgery, anesthesia and consequent nursing interventions
• Knowledge of actions of pharmaceuticals and anesthetic agents
• Able to recognize emergency situations and assist in corrective actions
• Have a working knowledge of fluid and electrolyte balances
• Knowledge of the policies, procedures, philosophies, standards, goals and objectives of ambulatory surgery and especially those pertaining to the operating room
• Skilled in age-based competencies
• Knowledge of the underlying principles of treatment and nursing procedures
• Able to approach his/her responsibilities with a bio, psycho, social, and technical approach incorporating those theories with the learned principles underlying treatment and nursing care
• Able to organize and prioritize assignments, duties and responsibilities
• Must be organized, flexible and versatile with the ability to function effectively in stressful situations
• Ability to add, subtract, multiply, and divide in all units of measure, using whole numbers, common fractions, decimals, and percentages.
• Ability to understand, read, write, and speak English. Ability to effectively present information, respond to questions, and professionally interact with managers, employees, clients, vendors, and the general public.
• Ability to recognize and define problems, collect data, establish facts, draw valid conclusions, and correct errors. Ability to think critically using inductive and deductive reasoning.

Education and Experience:

• Graduate of an accredited school of nursing and currently licensed to practice in the State as a Registered Nurse 
• Must maintain BLS/ACLS/PALS
• Two (2) years’ experience surgical nursing preferred
• Scrub and circulating experience preferred

**Lifting more that 50lbs requires an assistive device and or additional physical assistance.