Charge nurses in the OR

Specialties Operating Room

Published

Specializes in Trauma Surgery, Nursing Management.

Hey guys-

I need some help from those of you who are charge nurses in the OR. I have been in charge in a few different ORs but have never felt that I had an organized worksheet in order to adequately track and make assignments. Right now, we are using a sheet and then erasing names once the room comes out. We first look at the schedule to see what is running, and for how long. Then we look at available staff, who needs to be relieved at 1500, and then we write down on yet another sheet which rooms are running late and then plan for 1700 reliefs. It seems like I am looking at waaaay too many sheets, and sometimes things get lost amongst all the paper. I would like to streamline a worksheet, but I am at a loss.

Could you guys send me via PM what you use for your assignment worksheets? I just need to get some ideas and then I can get a more clear picture of what kind of worksheet I can create. I have used magnet boards before, and that seems to be the best way. I could seriously use some input from you guys.

Thanks so much! Canes

0 Votes
Specializes in Peri-Op.

I have always used dry erase boards for the day of surgery schedule and board running. I really. Liked using a plain excel spreadsheet for my surgery scheduler... we currently hve a scheduling system that prints out cases in a huge format that fits only 4-5 cases per page. This is used to plan ahead and I write the staffing names out the day before. That is all theory though....when the day of surgery comes and it gets up on the board the reality is much more fluid.

0 Votes
Specializes in OR.

We only use "the board". It's a large magnet board, with each room a different color magnet strip. Staff names are on their own little magnet and there is a column for Anes, Circ, and scrub. We have a separate white board that lists our 12 hour shifters, evening crew, and any extra staffers coming in that day to make sure we can have so many rooms running past 3. The only other sheet I look at is a piece of paper that shows who breaks who, and people check their names off as they get their breaks.

0 Votes
Specializes in Peri-Op.

Also, after doing it for a while you will just kinda know what assets you have and where you should use them and how long you have them.... it takes a little time but it eventually just becomes second nature. The problem in all of it is trying to get all the children to go where they are supposed to be when they are supposed to be there. I always equate it to herding kittens into a bathtub.

0 Votes
Specializes in O.R., ED, M/S.
Also, after doing it for a while you will just kinda know what assets you have and where you should use them and how long you have them.... it takes a little time but it eventually just becomes second nature. The problem in all of it is trying to get all the children to go where they are supposed to be when they are supposed to be there. I always equate it to herding kittens into a bathtub.

This probably the best answer, in my opinion, that works for me. I have been evening charge for 15 years and we have a small OR, 4 rooms, so it really isn't a brain teaser. I have more trouble keeping the docs in order than the staff!

0 Votes
Specializes in Trauma Surgery, Nursing Management.
This probably the best answer, in my opinion, that works for me. I have been evening charge for 15 years and we have a small OR, 4 rooms, so it really isn't a brain teaser. I have more trouble keeping the docs in order than the staff!

It would be great if I had only 4 ORs, but I have 40! CHAOS!

0 Votes
Specializes in O.R., ED, M/S.
It would be great if I had only 4 ORs, but I have 40! CHAOS!

My hats off to you! If I had to deal with that much chaos I would either kill myself or work for the govt. I guess if I was 20 years younger it would help but there are days where it seems I am dealing with 40 rooms.

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