Operating Room Nurse
Medical Assistant & Health Sciences
A program that prepares registered nurses to provide care to patients before and during surgery, and provide tableside assistance to surgeons.
What Operating Room Nurses Do
A program that prepares registered nurses to provide care to patients before and during surgery, and provide tableside assistance to surgeons.
Common Tasks
Nursing Instructors and Teachers, Postsecondary
- 1Evaluate and grade students' class work, laboratory and clinic work, assignments, and papers.
- 2Supervise students' laboratory and clinical work.
- 3Initiate, facilitate, and moderate classroom discussions.
- 4Assess clinical education needs and patient and client teaching needs using a variety of methods.
- 5Compile, administer, and grade examinations, or assign this work to others.
What You'll Learn
Types of Operating Room Nurses
Work Environment
Locations
- • Hospital operating rooms
- • Outpatient surgery centers
- • Ambulatory procedure clinics
- • Pre-op and PACU units
- • Specialty surgical hospitals
Schedule
Schedules often include early starts and rotating shifts, with possible on-call, nights, weekends, and holiday coverage depending on the facility.
Physical Demands
Work involves long periods of standing, walking, and holding positions while assisting at the surgical field. You may need to move equipment, position patients, and maintain steady, precise hand movements under time pressure.
Salary & Job Outlook
National Employment: 3,803,000 jobs
Top Paying States
Why Demand May Grow
An aging population and rising surgical volumes increase the need for perioperative nurses to prepare patients, maintain sterile fields, and support surgeons. Ongoing staffing shortages in hospitals and surgical centers can also boost hiring and retention efforts.
Skills You'll Need
Pros & Cons
Pros
- • High-impact role in patient safety during surgery
- • Strong job openings and broad healthcare demand
- • Team-based work with surgeons and anesthesia staff
- • Specialization can lead to higher pay and advancement
- • Skills are transferable across many surgical specialties
Cons
- • High-stakes environment with strict sterile technique
- • On-call requirements and irregular hours are common
- • Exposure to bloodborne pathogens and surgical smoke
- • Physically demanding with long standing periods
- • Emotional stress during emergencies and complications
Common Questions About the Operating Room Nurse Trade
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