OR Nurse Manager

Reports to: Director of Nursing Main Function: Under the direction of the Director of Nursing, the Operating Room (OR) Nurse Manager is a salaried, exempt department leader responsible for the overall operation of the operating room and Central Sterile/Sterile Processing departments. This includes the day-to-day and long-range management of clinical, operational, financial, and personnel functions, and their effect on patient care. The Manager has authority and accountability for patient care delivery, human resource management, departmental survey readiness, and the operational management of surgical services. They work closely with the Director of Nursing and the Administrator on quality, policy, budget, and strategic matters. In the absence of the Director of Nursing, the OR Nurse Manager has the authority to make decisions in the center. Duties, Responsibilities, and Competencies This job description is to be used in conjunction with the primary area of nursing the individual will be working (Pre-Op, Post-Op, OR, etc.). As the OR Nurse Manager, the individual holds the following additional responsibilities: Direct Supervision: Provides overall leadership and direct supervision for all OR and Central Sterile/Sterile Processing staff, including recruitment, hiring, orientation, training, and ongoing guidance. HR Accountability: Responsible for hiring, firing, and disciplinary/corrective actions in accordance with center policy and in coordination with the Director of Nursing and Human Resources. Staff Development: Performs annual performance evaluations; owns the staff competency, orientation, and education programs, including ongoing competency validation, in-services, and verification of current licensure/certifications. Staffing Models: Develops and manages the OR staffing model, master schedule, daily assignments, on-call coverage, productivity targets, payroll/timekeeping approval, and PTO while minimizing reliance on agency staff and overtime. Mission Alignment: Communicates the center’s mission, vision, values, and departmental goals to all staff members. Operations & Clinical Oversight Case Scheduling: Manages the OR case scheduling process; supports block time allocation, utilization analysis, and management in coordination with surgeons, anesthesia, and the front office to optimize case flow and on-time starts. Central Sterile Oversight: Provides operational oversight of the Central Sterile/Sterile Processing department, ensuring instrument processing, sterilization, and case turnover meet regulatory, manufacturer (IFU), and quality standards. Clinical Competency: Maintains current clinical competency and circulates in the operating room as needed to support staffing, case coverage, and patient care. Liaison Role: Serves as the primary liaison between OR nursing, surgeons, and anesthesia; manages surgeon preference cards and supports the onboarding of new surgeons/procedures. Quality, Compliance, & Safety Policy Development: Assists the Director of Nursing in creating, reviewing, and revising OR and Central Sterile policies in alignment with AORN, AAMI, manufacturer IFUs, and regulatory requirements. Survey Readiness: Responsible for continuous survey and accreditation readiness (CMS, state licensure, AAAHC, and/or Joint Commission), including maintaining all applicable departmental logs. Quality Metrics: Owns OR-specific quality metrics (on-time starts, turnover times, case cancellations, surgical site infection rates); conducts departmental quality studies and reports results to the Director of Nursing and QAPI/Medical Executive Committees. Infection Control: Oversees infection prevention and sterilization practices, including environmental cleaning and monitoring sterilization records/biological indicators. Risk Management: Oversees occurrence and event reporting, root cause analysis, peer review, and the management of sentinel/never events within surgical services. Emergency Preparedness: Ensures emergency readiness, including fire safety, malignant hyperthermia readiness, disaster drills, and environment-of-care compliance. Inventory Control: Works with the Materials Manager to manage OR and Central Sterile inventory, including par levels, product standardization, value analysis, special orders, consignment/implant items, implant logs, and loaner tray coordination. Vendor Management: Manages vendor and device representative relationships, credentialing, equipment maintenance, biomedical services, and equipment service contracts. Budget Input: Provides input to the Administrator on capital equipment needs, supply utilization, new product evaluations, and surgical service line planning to support cost-effective operations. Required Qualifications: Graduate of an accredited school of nursing. Registered Nurse (RN) with an active license in the appropriate state. Active BLS, ACLS, and PALS certifications. Minimum of five (5) years of operating room nursing experience. Minimum of five (5) years of nursing leadership/management experience. Orthopedic surgical experience is required. Working knowledge of sterile processing and instrument reprocessing standards (AORN/AAMI). Strong evidence of leadership qualities and excellent ethical/moral character references. Adept language skills for high-level written, interpersonal, and telephone communication in American English. Proficient math skills (ability to apply concepts like fractions, percentages, ratios, probability, and statistical inference to practical situations). Computer literacy (email, spreadsheets, word processing). Ability to work variable hours and flex with the surgical schedule and staffing needs. Preferred Qualifications: Bachelor’s or Master’s degree in Nursing. CNOR certification. 1+ years of Healthcare Management experience. Ambulatory Surgery Center (ASC) experience. Schedule/Shift Days: Monday through Friday. Hours: No set shift or end times. Hours flex entirely with the daily surgical schedule and case volumes. Earliest start times typically range between 6:30 AM and 7:00 AM depending on the cases scheduled for the day. #J-18808-Ljbffr