Clinical Nurse - Operating Room Nursing

PURPOSE:

This position is covered by the collective bargaining agreement between Cook County and the National Nurses Organizing Committee. Cook County will exhaust internal eligible applicants prior to considering external applicants. Cook County is assembling a list of qualified candidates for this position that will be considered should the position not be filled with internal eligible applicants.

Location: John H. Stroger Jr. Hospital
Department: Stroger Perioperative Services
Shift: 2:30 pm – 10:45 pm
Pay Range: $38.20 – $52.06

The Operating Room Clinical Nurse I is specially trained to practice nursing during the perioperative period. The dimensions of practice range from preoperative assessment to intra‑operative intervention to postoperative evaluation. It is a practice designed to meet a patient's needs through the nursing process, ensuring continuity of care during the surgical experience.

• Performs in scrub or circulating role.
• Checks the following day's assignments so as to be prepared in anatomy, the surgeon's preference, and sequence of procedure. If special instrumentation or prosthetics are requested, ensure they have arrived and familiar with usage.
• Attends report at scheduled time.
• Damp dusts operating room surfaces.
• Checks supplies against preference cards, obtaining any missing items.
• Ensures that required blood products are readily available in the Blood Bank.
• Opens sterile supplies with scrub staff.
• Performs initial baseline counts according to John H. Stroger Jr. Hospital (JSH) Policy and Procedures.
• Checks spotlights, connects suctions, and electrical equipment.
• Greets patients in Pre‑Op area and receives hand‑off communication from Pre‑Op nurse; refers the Pre‑Op admission policy; assures patients are in operating room fifteen (15) minutes before scheduled start of surgery.
• Checks patient documentation preoperatively to ensure that chart is complete with all appropriate consents signed, proper patient identification and verified with Pre‑Op during hand‑off;
  Labs/X‑ray, etc. (refers to policy).
• Assesses the physical and psychosocial needs of the patient; provides physical and emotional support, as needed; explains routines and procedures to patients, as needed.
• Assists patients in moving to the O.R. table; requests assistance if necessary for moving and/or positioning; secures safety belt.
• Keeps noise level to a minimum.
• Assures surgeon and assistant (if applicable) are present in the operating room before anesthesia begins; remains next to the patient during anesthesia induction; assists anesthesiologist, as needed.
• Performs pre‑induction and pre‑incision time‑out, checks with surgical team and anesthesia staff.
• Assesses patient skin integrity on arrival to and prior to transfer from O.R.
• Assists in positioning of the patient.
• Properly places grounding pad; refers to Electrosurgical Policy.
• Performs skin prep per departmental policy.
• Assists in gowning surgeons, assistants, etc.
• Connects suction and electrosurgical unit.
• Pours medications on back table: ensures labels on all solutions and medications are to be checked by both scrub and circulating staff; ensures expiration date is reviewed by both the scrub and circulating staff; ensures Anesthesiologist is notified whenever Xylocaine, Cocaine, Neosynephrine, or other similar drugs are on the field.
• Maintains an ongoing assessment of supplies needed on the surgical field vs. supplies in the room.
• Ensures instrument, needle, and sponge counts are performed in the event of permanent relief of either the scrub or circulating staff.
• Contacts Holding area to call for the next scheduled case prior to closure of case in progress.
• Notifies Control Desk if room is running late and may delay the next scheduled surgery.
• Documents all supplies, implants and medications used during procedure.
• Remains in the operating room at all times unless properly relieved by another Registered Nurse (if case in progress mandates leaving OR to secure additional supplies, notifies scrub staff prior to exiting the room).
• Prepares tape for dressings, gurney, and suction towards the end of procedure.
• Accurately performs and documents final sponge, needs,…