Difference between scrub nurse and circulating nurse in the OR??

[luvmy2angels]

Since my time was limited in the OR I didn't get to observe a whole lot of anything. What exactley is the difference between the scrub nurse and the circulating nurse in OR? Thanks !!

[NeoNurseTX, RN]

The scrub nurse has more fun.

Heh, the scrub nurse hands instruments to the surgeon, works in the sterile field, etc. The circulating nurse sets up a lot of stuff, does charting, phone calls, verifies instrument count, coordinates other members of the health care team.

[eedyah]

Scrub nurse do all the sterile/aseptic technique:

>Gowning & gloving to the surgeon

>Preparing & serving all the sterile instruments to the surgeon

***presence of mind & review all kinds of instruments (OR) ***:yeahthat: :loveya:

Circulating nurse do all the unsterile thing:

>tieng gowns of scub nurse/surgeon

>What the scub nurse/surgeon need like addt'l gauze,gloves,syringe,needle,euro,etc...

>over-all assist

***you literaly circulate around*** :roll

[Achoo!, LPN]

Ok question ( don't mind me if it is stupid:imbar ). What is the difference between a scrub nurse and a surgical tech? In the surgery setting I mean?

[studentnurserachel]

In the hospital I do clinicals in CSTs are interchangeable with scrub nurses and from what I understand, most surgeons prefer to work with the CSTs because the scrub nurses are usually not scrub nurses all the time, that's all the CSTs do and they are very good at it.

[dgclough]

:) In the hospital that I work (I'm a scheduler working on being a nurse!!!) the scrub nurse had to have been a CST or a hospital trained Scrub tech before launching into nursing. Only 1 nurse because a nurse first then a scrub and she had to do so many hours of scrub to get certified (outside of work/not paid)...