The OR Circulating Nurse is a Registered Nurse who provides quality patient care using the nursing process, the medical plan of care, and organizational policies. The Circulating Nurse reports to the Clinical Coordinator.
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Provides communication between team members in the operative areas and persons outside the operating areas.
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Obtains needed supplies and equipment for each specific procedure.
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Ensures that adequate amounts of surgical and anesthetic supplies are in the operating room.
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Verifies suctions, lights, and other needed equipment are available properly functioning.
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Arranges room for specific operative procedure.
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Assists with opening sterile supplies as needed.
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Assists in transporting patient from pre-operative area to operating room after greeting and identifying patient.
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Assists anesthesiologist/CRNA in transferring patient onto operating table, if necessary, and applying appropriate safety restraints. The Circulating Nurse never leaves the patient unattended.
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Performs and adequately documents “Time out” prior to procedure start time.
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Assists CRNA/Anesthesiologist in applying EKG leads, pulse oximeter, and blood pressure cuff as needed.
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Assists CRNA/Anesthesiologist during anesthesia induction and emersion, and other crucial periods during the operative procedure.
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Performs sponge, needle, and instrument counts (as appropriate) with the Scrub Nurse before, during and after procedure as needed.
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May start intravenous lines in accordance with Center standards.
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Maintains knowledge of drugs used and can administer drugs safely and accurately whenever required to do so.
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Is familiar with supplies, equipment, and medications kept on Emergency Cart and can assist effectively in the event of a medical emergency.
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Positions or assists the physician in positioning patient appropriately and safely for specific procedure.
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Places conductive pad on patient, if cautery is to be used, after patient is anesthetized.
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Adjusts operative lights, shave preps if requested, and performs wash prep.
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Connects cautery, suctions, and any other pertinent equipment and positions sponge buckets for the Scrub Nurse.
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Completes operative record in a timely manner.
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Remains in room, leaving only when necessary.
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Anticipates needs of surgical team and provides needed items to sterile field.
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Receives faulty instruments from the scrub nurse and marks appropriately before returning them to workroom.
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Prepares as much as possible for following case by checking supplies, doctor's preference cards, instruments, and any additional equipment.
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Receives specimen from scrub nurse, ensures appropriate container is used, labels properly, completes pathology slip, and ensures specimen is picked up by lab courier.
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Opens dressings onto sterile field after final count is completed.
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Provides for safe transfer of patient from operating table to stretcher if necessary.
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Transports patient with CRNA/Anesthesiologist to the recovery room and completes operative record by recording all pertinent times and events in the medical record.
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Returns promptly to operating room and assists scrub nurse in cleaning the room.
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May assist with decontamination of surgical instruments and equipment using detergents and disinfectant solutions.
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May assist with sterilizing instruments, equipment, and supplies using ultrasonic cleaner, steam sterilizer, and/or other sterilization equipment.
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Tags and removes malfunctioning equipment from the OR Suite and reports to the Clinical Director/ Coordinator as soon as possible.
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May assist with routine cleaning of ultrasonic unit, sterilizers, etc.
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Distributes supplies and stocks sterile storage areas.
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Rotates sterile supplies and removes outdated items.
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Assists with receiving and storing supplies.
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Disposes of contaminated needle containers in appropriate receptacle.
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Assists with changing anesthesia circuits between cases.
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Participates in the Adverse Incident reporting process, as necessary.
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Ensures that all equipment and supplies are pulled and ready for the following days cases.
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Performs other duties as needed and assigned.
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Ability to function as scrub nurse and pre-op nurse as directed by the Clinical Director/ Coordinator.
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Participates in committees as assigned.
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Current unrestricted licensure in Virginia or Compact State as a Registered Nurse.
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Progressive work experience in the OR of no less than one year.
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Current BCLS certification.
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ACLS and PALS certification preferred within six (6) months of date of hire.
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Competence in oral and written communication.
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Surgery Center setting.
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Well-lighted, well-ventilated, adequate space.
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Some exposure to communicable diseases and other conditions common to a surgery center setting.
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Requires sitting, standing, bending, and reaching 6-8 hours of the day.
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Intermittent physical mobility/activity including walking, standing, sitting, light lifting, pulling, and pushing of carts, equipment, etc. Must be able to bend body downward at the waist; be able to kneel.
