RN/GN Surgical Circulator

Surgical Circulator Rn

The surgical circulator RN is a professional registered nurse responsible for the coordination and delivery of nursing care to patients undergoing surgical or invasive procedures. This role requires a comprehensive understanding of the perioperative process and serves as the patient's advocate from preoperative preparation through postoperative handoff. The RN circulator ensures patient safety, maintains sterile technique, supports the surgical team, and facilitates effective communication among all members of the operating room team. The surgical RN reports directly to the surgery charge nurse/perioperative educator/manager.

Qualifications:

• Education: RN graduate of accredited school of nursing.
• Licensure/Certification: Must have valid, current license by the Missouri state board of nursing. Resuscitation (CPR) required current basic life support (BLS) certification/cardiopulmonary. Advanced cardiac life support (ACLS) and pediatric advanced life support (PALS) certification preferred but not required.
• Work experience: Successful completion of hospital orientation.

Responsibilities/Job Duties:

• Preoperative responsibilities: Assesses patient condition prior to surgery, reviews documentation, and verifies informed consent. Alleviates patient and family concerns, providing education and reassurance. Verifies surgical site and procedure with the surgical team according to established policies (time-out protocol). Other duties as assigned.
• Intraoperative responsibilities: Prepares the operating room with appropriate equipment, instruments, and supplies based on the surgeon's preference card. Ensures adherence to aseptic and sterile technique throughout all procedures. Provides continuous assessment of the patient's status, maintaining accurate and timely documentation in the intraoperative record. Coordinates surgical counts, specimen handling, and equipment usage according to established standards. Anticipates the needs of the surgical team to ensure the procedure progresses efficiently and safely. Maintains awareness of environmental safety, including proper patient positioning, equipment checks, and fire safety protocols. Participates in surgical debriefs and ensures completion of intraoperative documentation. Other duties as assigned.
• Postoperative responsibilities: Ensures proper transfer of care through handoff communication to the post-anesthesia care unit (PACU) or other receiving personnel. Other duties as assigned.
• Professional and team expectations: Demonstrates effective communication, collaboration, and teamwork with surgeons, anesthesia providers, scrub personnel, and other perioperative staff. Assists with inventory control, equipment maintenance, and safe storage of supplies. Participates in orientation, mentoring, and ongoing education activities within the department. Supports a culture of safety, accountability, and continuous quality improvement. Responds calmly and effectively in emergent situations. Other duties as assigned.

Required staff competencies:

• Demonstrates support for organizational and departmental mission.
• Supports and demonstrates knowledge of the strategic plan and the hospital key initiatives.
• Fosters and promotes teamwork within department and the organization as a whole.
• Works to resolves conflicts constructively and in a timely manner.
• Ability to communicate effectively and simply with every customer and co-worker.
• Ability to display a positive, courteous and friendly attitude toward all contacts.
• Ability to build good relationships with others based upon a sustained effort of mutual support toward common goals.
• Ability to exercise good judgment, reasoning and concentration to detail and to take personal accountability for all actions in carrying out job duties.
• Is customer focused and committed to quality and process improvement with a strong desire to provide service excellence.
• Possesses and displays a strong knowledge and understanding of the standards of practice for their position including, if and when applicable, commensurate computer skills; population specific and general competencies; organizational skills, time and project management.
• Possesses a vigorous and enthusiastic desire to learn and to grow both personally and professionally, and to improve one's skills in order to deliver the best possible care for our customers.

Core competencies:

• Demonstrates sound clinical judgment and critical thinking skills.
• Maintains integrity and professionalism in all interactions.
• Prioritizes patient safety and advocacy at all times.
• Strong organizational and communication skills.
• Embraces teamwork, flexibility, and continuous learning.

Working conditions:

• Prolonged standing and walking in a fast-paced surgical environment.
• Exposure to bloodborne pathogens, chemicals, and sterile field conditions.
• Must be able to lift, move, and position patients and equipment as required.
• Requires manual dexterity, attention to detail, and ability to perform under pressure.
• May be exposed to stressful or emergent situations requiring rapid response.