Operating room nurses rely on quick thinking
Operating room nurses rely on quick thinking
Anyone who watches TV medical dramas is familiar with the high-pressure world of operating room nurses.
“They’re the ones who get yelled at by the doctors for dropping something or not moving fast enough,” says Ronetta Thompson, who spent 14 years as an OR nurse, also called perioperative nurse. “There’s nothing further from the truth, though. Doctors and nurses work together in the OR — and the doctors treat the nurses with a lot of respect.”
OR nurses are registered nurses who work closely with surgeons, specialists and other medical personnel. They also help answer questions from a patient’s family members about medical procedure updates or information.
“I enjoyed working with the family members who want to know what’s going on,” Thompson says. “You can never replace the knowledge of the surgeon, and certainly most people want that assurance from the doctor, but there are also many people who look to nurses for answers — and for comfort.”
The Association of Perioperative Registered Nurses (AORN) defines OR nurses as those who provide, manage, teach and study the care of patients undergoing operative or other invasive procedures — before, during and after the procedure.
You’ll find several different nurses with distinct roles in the operating room:
• RN first assistant: Assists the surgeon by controlling bleeding, suturing and providing wound exposure.
• Scrub nurse: Selects and handles the sponges, surgical instruments and other items used during the procedure.
• Circulator nurse: Manages nursing care in the operating room and maintains a safe environment. According to AORN, the circulator nurse assesses the patient’s condition before, during and after the operation to ensure an optimal outcome for the patient.
• Patient educator: Informs and educates the patient and his or her family before and after surgery.
Job outlook
As with other nursing jobs, opportunities for perioperative nurses are expected to rise through 2012 because of an aging population and rising health care costs, according to the U.S. Department of Labor.
