Operating Room Nurse Per Diem

Operating Room Nurse

Assists the Operating Room (OR) Charge Nurse in the organization and daily functioning of the operating room under established Federal, State, and accreditation standards and Center policies and procedures. The OR nurse oversees the safe, effective, and efficient care of patients in the operating room by cleaning and sterilizing equipment, preparing rooms, and assessing patients before and after surgery. They may also assist the surgeon during the procedure. The OR nurse takes responsibility for the functionality of the operative environment and ensures sterility is maintained during surgery. OR nurses ensure appropriate and timely patient flow and patient care activities in the operating room and maintain a high standard of safety.

Essential Duties and Responsibilities

• Provide patients with perioperative care in procedure, operating, and recovery rooms
• Ensure that the operating room runs smoothly and is stocked with all necessary surgical supplies and equipment
• Develop and implement care plans for surgical patients
• Assist in the maintenance and storage of surgical equipment and supplies
• Evaluate surgical patients prior to surgery and in postoperative phases
• Communicate with patients and other healthcare professionals to ensure continuity of pre and postoperative care
• Maintains a collegial relationship with physicians and staff throughout the perioperative arena to ensure continuity and quality of patient care.
• Apply aseptic and sterile techniques to medical instruments and equipment before, during, and after surgery
• Prepare patients for surgery by disinfecting their skin at the operation site and positioning them on the operating table
• Update patient files and medical records Adhere to all relevant health and safety standards
• Other duties as assigned or delegated.

Value-Based Behaviors

• Respect and Kindness: Polite, upbeat, and seek to understand.
• Collaborative: Fully engaged team player
• Excellence: Do your best work and pursue positive solutions
• Honesty and Integrity: Straight forward, open to feedback, and do the right thing.
• Caring and Compassion: Patient-centered care

Reasonable accommodations may be made to enable individuals with disabilities to perform the essential functions. This position is regularly required to stand, walk briskly, talk, and hear. Position requires occasional sitting, stooping, kneeling, or crouching. Specific vision abilities required by this job include close vision, distance vision, color vision, peripheral vision, depth perception and ability to adjust focus. Auditory abilities required by this job include ability to correctly distinguish various body sounds, i.e. respirations, heart sounds, bowel sounds and to discern sounds made by various types of machinery or equipment which would indicate dangerous or improper operation.

Requirements

• In-depth knowledge of surgical procedures, equipment, and supplies
• Highly skilled at assessing patients prior to surgery and providing them with perioperative care
• Extensive knowledge of aseptic and sterile techniques
• Ability to collaborate with surgeons and other healthcare professionals
• Solid understanding of patient health and safety standards
• Excellent organizational skills
• Independent decision-making skills.
• Ability to prioritize and handle multiple projects in a dynamic and changing environment.
• Excellent communication skills - Fosters an environment of collaboration and respect with physician colleagues and staff.
• Experience in Orthopedic surgery preferred.
• Active and valid Idaho RN License
• BLS and ACLS required within 3 months of hire.
• CNOR preferred.
• Strong competency as RN circulator with preference given to those who have scrub experience.
• Aptitude for maintaining pace of facility patient flow.
• Ability to interact well with a high volume of patients, surgeons, and staff in a stressful environment.
• Must be able to read, speak, and write English fluently.

Working Conditions

This position spends a considerable amount of time walking, bending, stretching, standing, and assisting in patient transfers, so they must follow proper body mechanics to guard against injury. OR nurses may face hazards from exposure to chemicals and biological agents to include, but not limited to body fluids and wastes such as urine, blood, sputum, disinfecting and sterilizing agents and may be exposed to anesthetic gases, drugs, and radiation.

Physical Demands

• Ability to lift twenty-five (25) pounds. Moving, lifting, or transferring patients, instruments, and equipment may involve lifting fifty (50) pounds.
• Ability to stand for extended periods.
• Fine motor skills
• Visual and auditory acuity