Staffing in Total Joint Cases

[magsk]

Hi All,

I am new here, have enjoyed reading the posts and I have an inquiry.

I am wondering if those of you that work in the OR could tell me what your hospital provides for staffing in total joint rooms (# circulators, scrubs, etc) and what type of hospital (ie. community hospital, teaching hospital, surgery center).

Thanks for any info you can share!

mags

[grimmy, RN]

for 99% of our total joint cases we have 1 circ, 1 scrub, 1 attending, and typically 2-3 surgical residents. there's almost always a rep from the implant company, and an x-ray tech. oh, and we have a pct available for positioning assistance, etc. i work in a non-urban academic level i trauma center. why do you ask?

[suzanne4, RN]

I do my total joints the same way as above, they do not get any more staffing than our other cases. Just usually more residents.

The rep is usually quite helpful, most have years of scrub experience, etc. The biggest issue is with knowing which piece of implant comes next, and they take care of that.

[Marie_LPN, RN, LPN, RN]

Depending on the joint getting replaced:

1 circulator

2-3 scrubs

1 surgeon

1-2 anesthesiologists (depends on the intubation difficulty)

1 rep from Depuy or Zimmer

No PCA, since all the surgeons are anal about "unnecessary people in the room"

[shodobe]

A circulator and a scrub. Sometimes we use what we call a Ortho Tech to help or sometimes another scrub nurse. Always has been a problem. I have done them with me and just the surgeon, go figure!

[magsk]

Hi Grimmy,

I was asking because I did not do total joints where I worked before & the number performed here is increasing - the need is for 2-3 scrubs depending on whether a surgeon assist is available and I need to be sure our staffing plan supports that.

Thanks for your response!

mags

[sweet31eve]

I work in a community hospital and typically we have 2 ortho surgeons, a scrub tech, an extra scrub to "hold the leg", a circulator, an anesthetist, and a sales rep. And in our facility techs are not allowed to break scrub at all during the case. Which is frustrating because our ortho guys are ALWAYS late from office and we are working way past our shift. But that is a whole new thread!

[JennKoly]

1 scrub, 1 circulator, 1 orthopod, ? Rep if available

[cocothemonkey]

1- orthopod

1- PA or SA

1- circulator

2- scrubs (one holds retractors)

[ORSmurf]

One Orhopod, one assistant, one scrub and one circulator. If you're lucky, a second circulator will help gather equipment and help you set up the room in the morning, but don't always count on it!

[mcmike55]

I work in a small rural community hospital.

For totals:

1 anes doc

1 circulator

2 scrub techs

One ortho doc works alone so that adds work for the techs, the other doc has one of his office nurses, who is a trained ortho/scrub.

There will also be a rep. from the company that we are using, usually Zimmer or Depuy.

Occasionally, we have a student nurse or student physical therapy person observing.

The general rule, once in the room, you stay. Especially for the scubs techs.

Mike

[Marie_LPN, RN, LPN, RN]

I forgot to add, absolutely no students are allowed to observe in the room. They can watch from the window, but they can't see from there really.