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Discussion

Operating Room Nurses in high demand

Why do sites like this not list jobs for the OR?? There is a great need for care of a Registered Nurse in the OR! Would you trust your care in an OR setting to a surgical tech? I hope NOT! Having worked in an OR my entire life I can not stress enough the need for CRITICAL THINKING that a licensed Registered Nurse provides in this setting. During trauma surgery, neurosurgical procedures, open heart, pediatric (including prenatal) procedures would you want a 8 month trained surgical technician, with NO medical training, assisting in a code if you or your mother/child arrested??

Don't tell me it isn't nursing! I would tell you you were wrong! No one better at my side than an RN with me during surgery!! Do Not compromise.

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    • Admin

    First, let's talk the job postings here. The organization would have to reach out and request the job posting. It is not up to AN to find the jobs to post. AORN would be a resource as would individual facility websites. Some facilities may also utilize sites such as indeed to post jobs.

    Now, let's talk about surgical techs. CMS requires that a nurse be immediately available to patients undergoing surgery. Many states also have legislation that requires the circulator in an OR to be an RN. No patient is having surgery without an RN available. Critical thinking is not something unique to nurses- techs can think critically as well as pretty much anyone outside of healthcare. Accredited ST programs also are much longer than 8 months- many are an associates degree. STs come out of school knowing how to set up a sterile field, knowing names of instruments and what they are used for- they are light years ahead of a nurse with no OR experience who is going to need a much longer orientation and all training done on the job. As someone who has worked with STs during my entire OR career, I would certainly trust them should I ever be in need of emergency surgery. For someone who has "worked my entire life" in an OR, it certainly seems like you have several misconceptions about the education and ability of a surgical tech.

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    • Author

    First, I could never deny credit to Surgical techs for their role in the OR. I worked as a scrub tech for a year after I graduated while waiting for an RN position to become available at the Trauma Center I worked at for many years. It was the best experience in preparation for circulating that a nurse could have. There is a great difference in the two rolls, though, I'm sure you know. A much broader scope of knowledge is required than any tech programs provides. I do not think that having a Registered Nurse "available" is the answer. If you are thinking of an ambulatory surgical facility or suite it may be one thing but in the venues I have and do work in it just doesn't fly.

    Not all facilities are trauma centers but any case can turn into a patient trauma and I prefer to have nurse at my side if I am on the table.

    I am a CNOR and agree AORN should be doing a better job of promoting my chosen career.

  • Quote
    • Author

    First, I could never deny credit to Surgical techs for their role in the OR. I worked as a scrub tech for a year after I graduated while waiting for an RN position to become available at the Trauma Center I worked at for many years. It was the best experience in preparation for circulating that a nurse could have. There is a great difference in the two rolls, though, I'm sure you know. A much broader scope of knowledge is required than any tech programs provides. I do not think that having a Registered Nurse "available" is the answer. If you are thinking of an ambulatory surgical facility or suite it may be one thing but in the venues I have and do work in it just doesn't fly.

    Not all facilities are trauma centers but any case can turn into a patient trauma and I prefer to have nurse at my side if I am on the table.

    I am a CNOR and agree AORN should be doing a better job of promoting my chosen career.

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