Operating Room Registered Nurse

Operating Room RNs – How would you feel about no nights, no weekends, and no holidays? Join First State Orthopaedics Surgical Team built on excellence, precision, and genuine respect for the people who make it all happen!

OR Registered Nurse (Circulating RN)

• High school diploma or general education degree (GED)

• Graduate of an Accredited Nursing Program

• Current licensure as a Registered Nurse in the State of Delaware or Compact State

• BLS Certification required

• Previous experience in outpatient surgery center a plus

• Familiarity with personal computer and ancillary office equipment, electronic medical record systems, electronic PACS systems

• Knowledge of medical terminology, human anatomy, surgical instruments, procedures, asepsis, and sterile technique

• Excellent interpersonal skills

In the operating room, the duties of the circulating nurse are carried out outside the sterile area. The RN Circulator manages all the necessary care inside the surgery room, assisting the team in maintaining and creating a comfortable, safe environment for the patient and observing the team from a wide perspective. They must ensure all surgical team members perform in a unified effort.

During operations, most patients are sedated or anesthetized and so are powerless to decide on their own. Using assessment, diagnosing, critical thinking, and planning skills, the circulating nurse can direct care and the activities of the team for the patient’s best interest.

The role of the Perioperative RN in the surgery setting is important to provide the best patient care. An effective circulating nurse possesses the knowledge, skills, and training to carry out circulating duties during surgery. By using sound judgment, interpersonal communication skills, and critical thinking skills, the circulating nurse can check and evaluate the patient’s needs, ensuring a positive outcome. To make sure the patient receives the highest standard of care, a professional Perioperative nurse as the RN Circulator is required throughout every invasive procedure.

• Patient Safety – serve as patient advocate, primary spokesperson
• Skillful clinical judgment – observe, assess, anticipate needs
• Informed Monitoring – active observer, watch for unintended or unanticipated events
• Critical thinking – accurate recording, interpretation, response to the stream of data during operation
• Accurate assessment – respond to patient’s psychological, social, and biological health
• Interpersonal communication skills – interact and collaborate with all members of the team
• Expert evaluation – perform accurate decision‑making, plan, implement, and evaluate patient care

• Adheres to aseptic and sterile technique at all times
• Appropriately handles instruments, supplies, and equipment necessary during the surgical procedure
• Understands the procedure being performed and anticipates the needs of the surgeon; ensures quality patient care during the operative procedure

• Checks and opens supplies and equipment needed for the surgical procedure
• Performs initial instrument, sharps, and sponge counts with the Scrub Tech / Scrub RN
• Assists the team members with gowning
• Participates in the surgical site and patient verification during the time‑out procedure
• Secures tubing, cords, and other sterile accessories

• Prepares and anticipates additional instrumentation, equipment, and supplies for usage during the procedure
• Measures and passes medications, hemostatic agents, and irrigation solutions to the field in a sterile manner
• Maintains highest standard of sterile technique during the procedure
• Performs additional counts as necessary
• Prepares specimen(s) as appropriate
• Prepares sterile dressings and/or immobilization devices

• Assists with transfer of patient after procedure as needed
• Assists other members of the team with terminal cleaning of room
• Assists in prepping the OR for the next patient
• Participates in debriefing and quality improvement practices to ensure…