How exactly do you become an OR nurse?

Scrubby · Apr 18, 2009

There are different roles for nurses in the operating room.

You can be the instrument/scrub nurse which pretty much involves passing instruments, sutures etc during the procedure. You have to be able to understand the surgical procedure, what they need so you can anticipate what instrument the surgeon will want next.

The circulating/scout nurse is not part of the scrubbed team. They get supplies during the case when needed, organise beds, take phone calls, help with positioning and set up equipment such as diathermy, laparoscopic monitors etc. The scrub nurse is pretty much at the mercy of the circulator. If you have a lazy one like I did the other day who was on the internet during a spleenectomy with a lot of bleeding and not paying attention then it doesn't matter how good you are as a scrub nurse, your in deep do da if your scout is crap.

Where I work you have to be able to scrub and scout. We take it in turns who scrubs and scouts during the days list.

And then theres the anaesthetic nurse. They assist the anaesthetist during intubation and extubation. They place monitoring equipment on the patient, check the anaesthetic machine, help with drawing up drugs etc. And they also do some circulating as well. I'm not sure if they have them in the states, this may be a technician role.

There the RN first assistant role as well. They have further training and have a more extended role as an RN as they can do suturing and help assist with the surgery as well. I've never seen or heard of one in South Australia, this is a relatively new thing and not all surgeons are comfortable with the thought of nurses encroaching on their territory.

CALHOUN · Apr 23, 2009

(sorry, my caps lock is stuck)

i am going to be a unit secretary in the or soon and i was wondering if any of you experienced or nurses had any specific qualities you would like in your ideal secretary. I have experience in other units but none in the or. I'm really trying to go the extra mile but i just don't know where to start. Any help would be appreciated.

TuTonka · Apr 24, 2009

as for the floor nurses we would appreciate being able to send messages to a MD that is in surgery. We do not call for the fun of it and being told he is busy when we have a critical issue would be very appreciated. ( sorry for any misspelling)