The OR Circulating Nurse provides quality patient care by coordinating communication, managing surgical supplies, and assisting the surgical team during procedures. Responsibilities include performing safety 'time outs', documenting operative records, and ensuring the safe transfer of patients to recovery.
Requirements summary
Candidates must hold a current unrestricted Registered Nurse license in Virginia or a Compact State and have at least one year of progressive OR experience. BCLS certification is required, while ACLS and PALS certifications are preferred within six months of hire.
The OR Circulating Nurse is a Registered Nurse who provides quality patient care using the nursing process, the medical plan of care, and organizational policies. The Circulating Nurse reports to the Clinical Coordinator.
Responsibilities
Provides communication between team members in the operative areas and persons outside the operating areas.
Obtains needed supplies and equipment for each specific procedure.
Ensures that adequate amounts of surgical and anesthetic supplies are in the operating room.
Verifies suctions, lights, and other needed equipment are available properly functioning.
Arranges room for specific operative procedure.
Assists with opening sterile supplies as needed.
Assists in transporting patient from pre-operative area to operating room after greeting and identifying patient.
Assists anesthesiologist/CRNA in transferring patient onto operating table, if necessary, and applying appropriate safety restraints. The Circulating Nurse never leaves the patient unattended.
Performs and adequately documents “Time out” prior to procedure start time.
Assists CRNA/Anesthesiologist in applying EKG leads, pulse oximeter, and blood pressure cuff as needed.
Assists CRNA/Anesthesiologist during anesthesia induction and emersion, and other crucial periods during the operative procedure.
Performs sponge, needle, and instrument counts (as appropriate) with the Scrub Nurse before, during and after procedure as needed.
May start intravenous lines in accordance with Center standards.
Maintains knowledge of drugs used and can administer drugs safely and accurately whenever required to do so.
Is familiar with supplies, equipment, and medications kept on Emergency Cart and can assist effectively in the event of a medical emergency.
Positions or assists the physician in positioning patient appropriately and safely for specific procedure.
Places conductive pad on patient, if cautery is to be used, after patient is anesthetized.
Adjusts operative lights, shave preps if requested, and performs wash prep.
Connects cautery, suctions, and any other pertinent equipment and positions sponge buckets for the Scrub Nurse.
Completes operative record in a timely manner.
Remains in room, leaving only when necessary.
Anticipates needs of surgical team and provides needed items to sterile field.
Receives faulty instruments from the scrub nurse and marks appropriately before returning them to workroom.
Prepares as much as possible for following case by checking supplies, doctor's preference cards, instruments, and any additional equipment.
Receives specimen from scrub nurse, ensures appropriate container is used, labels properly, completes pathology slip, and ensures specimen is picked up by lab courier.
Opens dressings onto sterile field after final count is completed.
Provides for safe transfer of patient from operating table to stretcher if necessary.
Transports patient with CRNA/Anesthesiologist to the recovery room and completes operative record by recording all pertinent times and events in the medical record.
Returns promptly to operating room and assists scrub nurse in cleaning the room.
May assist with decontamination of surgical instruments and equipment using detergents and disinfectant solutions.
May assist with sterilizing instruments, equipment, and supplies using ultrasonic cleaner, steam sterilizer, and/or other sterilization equipment.
Tags and removes malfunctioning equipment from the OR Suite and reports to the Clinical Director/ Coordinator as soon as possible.
May assist with routine cleaning of ultrasonic unit, sterilizers, etc.
Distributes supplies and stocks sterile storage areas.
Rotates sterile supplies and removes outdated items.
Assists with receiving and storing supplies.
Disposes of contaminated needle containers in appropriate receptacle.
Assists with changing anesthesia circuits between cases.
Participates in the Adverse Incident reporting process, as necessary.
Ensures that all equipment and supplies are pulled and ready for the following days cases.
Performs other duties as needed and assigned.
Ability to function as scrub nurse and pre-op nurse as directed by the Clinical Director/ Coordinator.
Participates in committees as assigned.
Qualifications
Current unrestricted licensure in Virginia or Compact State as a Registered Nurse.
Progressive work experience in the OR of no less than one year.
Current BCLS certification.
ACLS and PALS certification preferred within six (6) months of date of hire.
Competence in oral and written communication.
Environmental/Working conditions
Surgery Center setting.
Well-lighted, well-ventilated, adequate space.
Some exposure to communicable diseases and other conditions common to a surgery center setting.
Physical/Mental demands
Requires sitting, standing, bending, and reaching 6-8 hours of the day.
Intermittent physical mobility/activity including walking, standing, sitting, light lifting, pulling, and pushing of carts, equipment, etc. Must be able to bend body downward at the waist; be able to kneel.
