REGISTERED NURSE- OR Circulating Nurse

Job Description

Job DescriptionSUMMARY DESCRIPTION

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.

RESPONSIBILITIES

• Provides communication between team members in the operative areas and persons outside the operating areas.
• Obtains needed supplies and equipment for each specific procedure.
• Ensures that adequate amounts of surgical and anesthetic supplies are in the operating room.
• Verifies suctions, lights, and other needed equipment are available properly functioning.
• Arranges room for specific operative procedure.
• Assists with opening sterile supplies as needed.
• Assists in transporting patient from pre-operative area to operating room after greeting and identifying patient.
• Assists anesthesiologist/CRNA in transferring patient onto operating table, if necessary, and applying appropriate safety restraints. The Circulating Nurse never leaves the patient unattended.
• Performs and adequately documents “Time out” prior to procedure start time.
• Assists CRNA/Anesthesiologist in applying EKG leads, pulse oximeter, and blood pressure cuff as needed.
• Assists CRNA/Anesthesiologist during anesthesia induction and emersion, and other crucial periods during the operative procedure.
• Performs sponge, needle, and instrument counts (as appropriate) with the Scrub Nurse before, during and after procedure as needed.
• May start intravenous lines in accordance with Center standards.
• Maintains knowledge of drugs used and can administer drugs safely and accurately whenever required to do so.
• Is familiar with supplies, equipment, and medications kept on Emergency Cart and can assist effectively in the event of a medical emergency.
• Positions or assists the physician in positioning patient appropriately and safely for specific procedure.
• Places conductive pad on patient, if cautery is to be used, after patient is anesthetized.
• Adjusts operative lights, shave preps if requested, and performs wash prep.
• Connects cautery, suctions, and any other pertinent equipment and positions sponge buckets for the Scrub Nurse.
• Completes operative record in a timely manner.
• Remains in room, leaving only when necessary.
• Anticipates needs of surgical team and provides needed items to sterile field.
• Receives faulty instruments from the scrub nurse and marks appropriately before returning them to workroom.
• Prepares as much as possible for following case by checking supplies, doctor's preference cards, instruments, and any additional equipment.
• Receives specimen from scrub nurse, ensures appropriate container is used, labels properly, completes pathology slip, and ensures specimen is picked up by lab courier.
• Opens dressings onto sterile field after final count is completed.
• Provides for safe transfer of patient from operating table to stretcher if necessary.
• Transports patient with CRNA/Anesthesiologist to the recovery room and completes operative record by recording all pertinent times and events in the medical record.
• Returns promptly to operating room and assists scrub nurse in cleaning the room.
• May assist with decontamination of surgical instruments and equipment using detergents and disinfectant solutions.
• May assist with sterilizing instruments, equipment, and supplies using ultrasonic cleaner, steam sterilizer, and/or other sterilization equipment.
• Tags and removes malfunctioning equipment from the OR Suite and reports to the Clinical Director/ Coordinator as soon as possible.
• May assist with routine cleaning of ultrasonic unit, sterilizers, etc.
• Distributes supplies and stocks sterile storage areas.
• Rotates sterile supplies and removes outdated items.
• Assists with receiving and storing supplies.
• Disposes of contaminated needle containers in appropriate receptacle.
• Assists with changing anesthesia circuits between cases.
• Participates in the Adverse Incident reporting process, as necessary.
• Ensures that all equipment and supplies are pulled and ready for the following days cases.
• Performs other duties as needed and assigned.
• Ability to function as scrub nurse and pre-op nurse as directed by the Clinical Director/ Coordinator.
• Participates in committees as assigned.

QUALIFICATIONS

• Current unrestricted licensure in Virginia or Compact State as a Registered Nurse.
• Progressive work experience in the OR of no less than one year.
• Current BCLS certification.
• ACLS and PALS certification preferred within six (6) months of date of hire.
• Competence in oral and written communication.

ENVIRONMENTAL/WORKING CONDITIONS

• Surgery Center setting.
• Well-lighted, well-ventilated, adequate space.
• Some exposure to communicable diseases and other conditions common to a surgery center setting.

PHYSICAL/MENTAL DEMANDS

• Requires sitting, standing, bending, and reaching 6-8 hours of the day.
• 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.