Operating Room Registered Nurse

Operating Room Registered Nurse

As an Operating Room Registered Nurse at our Surgery Center, you will use your clinical knowledge and skills to provide care for patients while they are in surgery. Utilizing nursing standards and processes, you will assemble the appropriate supplies, drapes, instruments, equipment, and sutures for the surgery procedure. Operating Room Registered Nurses must have a complete understanding of surgical asepsis and safety to ensure that all patients receive top quality care. Aside from working directly in the OR, you will need to have experience performing circulating duties and have a willingness to help in other areas of patient care as needed. The ability to facilitate the smooth progression of operative procedures with physicians and other care personnel will be essential to your success in this role.

Essential Responsibilities

Preceding the Day of Surgery:

• Select and prepare appropriate supplies for the operative procedure based on the physician's plan of care and preferences.
• Stay up to date on procedures performed at OAM's Surgery Center through discussion with physicians, coworkers, etc. and certified sites, documented studies, etc.

Preceding the Procedure:

• Consult and coordinate with health care team members to assess, implement, and evaluate the plan of care for patients in the operating room.
• Ensure that all equipment is plugged in and working properly.
• Check that all supplies needed for procedure were pulled correctly and in accordance with physician's preferences.
• Ensure that all supplies have been properly sterilized and set out in a way that is efficient for the physician and care team.
• Perform needle, blade, and instrument counts.
• Properly identify the patient and verify the surgical site to ensure the correct procedure is performed on the correct patient. Ensure that both patient and surgeon have accurately marked the surgical site.
• Ensure surgical and anesthesia consent are completed and indicate the correct patient and procedure to be performed.
• Review medical records for accountability and completeness. Contact appropriate individuals concerning and abnormalities within chart.
• Interview patient in order to complete their history and answer any questions they may have.
• Assess the health status of the patient prior to the procedure.
• Document all elements of the care provided.

During the Procedure:

• Coordinate the transfer of the patient from the pre-operative area to the operating room once anesthesia and the surgeon have seen and signed off on the medical record.
• Assist during induction and emergence of anesthesia, as well as with any anesthesia emergency.
• Participate in the Surgical Time Out and ensure the safe surgery checklist is utilized.
• Transfer patient to and from stretcher to OR table utilizing good body mechanics. Position patient in accordance with the needs of the procedure. Use positioning pads as needed.
• Perform surgical prep according to established best practices.
• Follow protocol for electrocautery safety and prevention of fires in the operating room.
• Apply tourniquet of appropriate size in correct location utilizing appropriate padding. Ensure correct pressure setting of tourniquet.
• Verify with surgeon and scrub tech that specimen is labeled appropriately and in correct solution.
• Observe operative procedure closely and anticipate the need of the operative team. Anticipate, recognize, and respond to special problems as they arise. Observe for and resolve any breaks in sterile technique. Monitor and document the patient's vital signs throughout procedure. Keep scrub nurse and physician supplied as needed.
• Complete all intraoperative documentation as required. Document implants correctly (i.e. type, size, other identifying information, etc.)
• Use medical equipment in accordance with standards and stay up-to-date on any new guidelines and procedures as they relate to the operating room.

Post Procedure:

• Give accurate and complete report to PACU nurses.
• Assist scrub personnel in turning over the room for the next case.
• Handle all specimens according to policy and procedure.

Required & Preferred Qualifications

Education, Training, and Experience:

• Required:
  1. Licensed as a Registered Nurse in the State of Michigan.
  2. Minimum of an Associate Degree in Nursing.
• Preferred:
  1. Operating room experience.
  2. 1+ years of experience as a Registered Nurse.

Specific Skills, Knowledge, and Abilities:

• Excellent verbal communication skills. The ability to explain complex medical concepts to patients and family members in a way they will understand.
• Kind and compassionate demeanor.
• Excellent organizational skills and the ability to work in a fast-paced environment.
• Ability to handle working under pressure well. Ability to act quickly and make smart judgements regarding patient care.
• Knowledge of HIPAA laws in order to maintain patient confidentiality.

Motor, Sensory, and Physical Requirements:

• Ability to stand for long periods of time.
• Manual dexterity required to operate modern surgical equipment.
• Frequent bending, stooping, lifting, and reaching required. Ability to manually maneuver adult patients.
• Normal or correctable range of hearing and eyesight.