Circulating role

[baygirl79]

Hi guys. I just wanted to ask a quick question. As a circulating nurse, is it a part of your duty to help the anaesthetist put patients to sleep?

[Fun2, BSN, RN]

I read that some circulators start the IVs, some don't.

I also have read that circulators will stay with the patient until completely 'under'.

As far as giving the meds, I think the circulator can only give meds for concious sedation in some settings.

I'd like to also know the 'roles' related to your exact question. :)

By the way, sorry this is so choppy.

[GadgetRN71, ASN, RN]

I was taught to assist with intubation and to stay by the patient's side while they are put under. Sometimes, that extra hand is needed(cricoid pressue, removing the stylet etc).

[cscott1]

I've been in the OR a little while (20 years) and have always been taught abd always teach new RN's to stay with anesthia until told to proceed with my other duties. The RN usually applies circoid pressure, removes the stylet and is the first line of action should something go very wrong.

All this said, remember - its a team effort.:nuke:

[brewerpaul]

I've been in the OR a little while (20 years) and have always been taught abd always teach new RN's to stay with anesthia until told to proceed with my other duties. The RN usually applies circoid pressure, removes the stylet and is the first line of action should something go very wrong.

All this said, remember - its a team effort.:nuke:

Same here.

[OR male nurse]

I've been in the OR a little while (20 years) and have always been taught abd always teach new RN's to stay with anesthia until told to proceed with my other duties. The RN usually applies circoid pressure, removes the stylet and is the first line of action should something go very wrong.

All this said, remember - its a team effort.:nuke:

I do the same. I'm by the MDA or CRNA's side during induction and extubation.

[MamaCheese]

Same as the others. I stay by the patient's side during induction. If I truly need to be performing other duties I stay within close earshot of the CRNA and tell them to give me a shout if they need assistance.

[Scrubby]

Where I work the anaesthetic nurse helps with anaesthetic induction. In a perfect world where we have two scouts then one scout can stand by the patient and hold their hand etc. However we put the patient to sleep in the operating room NOT the anaesthetic room and the instrument nurse needs to set up their trolley and have stuff needs to be opened by the scoue while the patient is put to sleep. probably not the best way to do it but i don't make the rules....

[kezza444]

We also have anaesthetic nurses that assist the anaesthetist. The scout and scrub continue setting up, but the scout can give a hand if required.

[mcmike55]

At our hospital, we normally stand at the pt's side (usually their right), and help hold the anesthesia mask if needed, hold the E Tube, cricoid pressure, pull the cheek away,pull the stylet out, etc, what ever is needed.

One more "senior" anesthesia doc kind of gets mad if you are "just standing there".

His feeling is that he will yell if he needs help, and he's good, so he rarely neeeds help. I just kind of be near-by for him.

Some docs are a bit more "needy" than others.

Some like an audience I think....a little praise I guess!

Depending on the situation, I'll let our "float" RN help the doc while I'm tending to instruments, etc.

During bad situations while on call, I often put the on call PACU RN with the anesthesia doc just to help him.

Mike