Operating Room Nurse Manager

Job Description

Job Description

Position Summary

The Nurse Manager of the Main Operating Room (OR) provides clinical leadership, operational oversight, and strategic direction for surgical nursing and patient care delivery within a high-volume acute care facility. This role is responsible for human and fiscal resource management, staff development, regulatory compliance, and performance improvement across perioperative services.

Working collaboratively with surgeons, anesthesia teams, nursing staff, and interdisciplinary hospital leadership, the Nurse Manager drives clinical excellence, ensures patient safety, optimizes room utilization, and fosters a high-performing, consensus-driven unit culture.

Core Values & Professional Expectations

Our organization is committed to providing compassionate, high-quality, patient-centered care. All leadership team members are expected to embody our core standards:

• Integrity: Acting with transparency, honesty, and alignment between words and actions.
• Compassion: Demonstrating empathy and responsiveness to patient, family, and team needs.
• Accountability: Taking ownership of operational outcomes, clinical quality, and team culture.
• Respect: Valuing diversity, fostering inclusivity, and promoting collaborative professional relationships.
• Excellence: Striving for continuous improvement and consistently exceeding benchmark standards.

Key Responsibilities

• Operational & Clinical Leadership: Oversee daily operations of the Main Operating Room, ensuring efficient care delivery, room turnarounds, and compliance with evidence-based perioperative standards (AORN).
• Talent Management & Development: Lead all personnel activities, including recruitment, hiring, onboarding, mentoring, performance evaluations, professional development, and progressive discipline.
• Physician & Interdisciplinary Relations: Partner closely with surgical specialists, anesthesia staff, and office teams to build strong collaborative relationships, streamline scheduling, and drive surgeon satisfaction.
• Data-Driven Efficiency: Analyze key perioperative metrics (e.g., first-case on-time starts, block time utilization, turnover times, productivity) to optimize throughput and cost-effectiveness.
• Quality & Regulatory Compliance: Ensure full department alignment with regulatory and accrediting bodies (e.g., The Joint Commission, CMS, OSHA) in partnership with Quality, Risk Management, and Infection Prevention teams.
• Cross-Departmental Collaboration: Work seamlessly with Sterile Processing (SPD), Supply Chain, Pharmacy, and Surgical Services leadership to ensure resource availability and operational readiness.
• Culture & Standards: Hold all perioperative team members accountable to high standards of professional practice, psychological safety, and respectful communication.

Position Requirements

Licensure & Certifications

• Active Registered Nurse (RN) License: Current, unrestricted state or Compact/Multistate RN license.
• Basic Life Support (BLS): Current AHA BLS certification required.
• Preferred Certifications: Certified Perioperative Nurse (CNOR) or Certified Nurse Manager and Leader (CNML) preferred.

Education

• Bachelor of Science in Nursing (BSN): Required from an accredited school of nursing.
• Master’s Degree (MSN, MHA, or MBA): Preferred.

Experience

• Clinical Experience: Minimum of 2–3 years of direct perioperative/operating room clinical nursing experience in an acute care hospital setting (candidates with strong Ambulatory Surgery Center / ASC leadership experience will also be considered).
• Leadership Experience: Minimum of 2 years of progressive nursing leadership experience (e.g., Charge Nurse, Clinical Coordinator, Assistant Nurse Manager, or Nurse Manager).

Knowledge, Skills & Attributes

• Clinical Expertise: Comprehensive knowledge of modern perioperative workflows, surgical technology, and AORN standards.
• Problem-Solving & Autonomy: Strong critical thinking skills with the ability to navigate complex, fast-paced clinical environments and resolve operational bottlenecks independently.
• Communication & Engagement: Exceptional verbal and written communication skills with a proven track record in physician relations and team engagement.
• Organizational Skills: Highly structured, detail-oriented, and adept at managing competing operational priorities.