Scrubs run the OR, not nurses.

[OR Dude]

Realizing there are many OR units, and each has their particular idiosyncrasies; yet my current OR is run, if not managed, by scrubs and not nurses. Disclosure: I am a nurse. While the scrubs do very good work in this particular OR, the nurses definitely have little if any input regarding daily assignments, duties, scheduling, etc.. Instead the scrubs oversee this OR. Not the first time I have encountered this power arrangement. Always leaves me wondering, Why even bother having a nurse in the OR? Being a nurse for many years in the OR, I have enjoyed the OR, but the re-occurring power struggle nurse vs. scrub is always ever-present. Sometimes I think nurses should abandon the OR, and many a scrub I have encountered has argued as much in the past. I know there are nurses who may read this and take exception to this proposal of relinquishing OR duties (scrubbing, if some nurses still do, and circulating) to scrub techs. I applaud your defiance to what I have seen as being a trend to a no-nurse OR, in which the nurse is merely a figurehead, secretary, and/or gopher. I've heard of all-nurse ORs, but not in this neck of the woods. I hate leaving the OR. I enjoy the OR. But seeing, and being part of, such a diminished role leaves such an empty feeling at the end of the day. Maybe it's time to go into another area of nursing? Or maybe I should hang up being a nurse, and join the tech ranks? Either which way, it's just sad to see nurses take such a backseat in this "specialty" of nursing.

[jeckrn, BSN, RN]

Where is the head nurse? Whoever it is is allowing this to happen.

[OUxPhys, BSN, RN]

What do you mean by "scrubs run the OR"....as in Scrub RN's? PA's/Physicians?

[brownbook]

I do see your point, to a point. However when, if, things go wrong I'm positive the anesthesiologists and surgeon, and even the scrub tech, will want a RN there who can hang blood, start another IV, push drugs, etc.

[acerbia]

I do see your point, to a point. However when, if, things go wrong I'm positive the anesthesiologists and surgeon, and even the scrub tech, will want a RN there who can hang blood, start another IV, push drugs, etc.

In my OR, the RN does none of these things. It's always anesthesia. The doctor's don't care if the circulator is an RN or not, since we are not very well respected anyway.

[offlabel]

It's a matter of accreditation. RN's are required to be present in the OR at the very least for Joint Commission accreditation.

[Windyhill, BSN]

This is managements' fault. They allow it to continue this way.

[OUxPhys, BSN, RN]

Im still confused when you say scrubs run the floor.

[nortonplusRN]

Im still confused when you say scrubs run the floor.

Scrub tech or Surgical tech.

[cmj806]

When she says scrubs she means Surgical Technologists.

[tiffcrn, ADN, BSN, MSN, RN, EMT-B]

Wow. This is interesting. In my OR we still have nurses who scrub, not many but some do. It is also a state requirement that an RN circulate. Some states are now passing laws that circulators must be RN's. AORN does a great job keeping this list updated. It may be something to look into. Contact you senate and try to push the issue. After-all we are the patient advocate and it is our job to keep patients safe during surgery. As the Perioperative Nurse Educator I feel it is vital that nurses be present in every OR and if this is not your states requirement than it should be addressed.

[ehil007]

We scrub as nurses, and the techs definitely respect the RN's. Techs talk about becoming nurses but never the other way around.. I would find a different OR, one with higher acuity in which the nurses are vital to the anesthesiologists and to the patients over all care....