Operating Room Nurse Career Overview

OR nurses play an important role in all aspects of surgeries, from preparation to patient recovery. They work under physicians and surgeons and may supervise nursing assistants or surgical technologists. As part of a surgical team, they must be good communicators and able to respond calmly to unexpected or high-stress situations.

OR nurse jobs include these key skills and responsibilities:

Most OR nurse jobs take place in inpatient and outpatient settings at hospitals, surgical centers, or physician practices.

OR nurses ensure the operating room is sterile and equipped, assist during the procedure, and monitor patients during recovery.

Perioperative nurses educate patients on the procedure and postsurgery treatment, assist during operations, and make certain patients are safely discharged.

OR nurses sterilize room and medical equipment, assist during the procedure, and follow up with patients after release.

OR and surgical nurses both fall under the specialty area of perioperative nursing. Included under this specialty are three distinct roles.

A scrub nurse prepares the operating room and equipment, assists surgeon(s) during the procedure, and prepares patients for the recovery room.

A circulating nurse confirms equipment and room sterility, advocates for patients as needed during surgery, and alerts the surgical team to any issues or problems.

The RFNA controls bleeding during surgery, sutures incisions and wounds, and assists in stabilizing patients when necessary.

The average annual salary for OR nurses is $76,220, according to PayScale. In 2019, the highest paid 10% of RNs earned more than $111,200. Urban areas pay OR nurses higher salaries, with academic medical centers paying more than community hospitals.

Jobs for RNs in general are projected to grow faster than average, increasing 7% between 2019 and 2029, according to the U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics. Learn more about surgical nurse salaries.

OR nurses can seek RNFA certification or become nurse practitioners through an advanced degree (master’s or doctorate) and a certification exam. RNFA certification requires prior CNOR certification.

OR nurses, like all RNs, are in considerable demand. During 2020, many hospitals and surgical centers had to cancel or postpone surgeries due to a shortage of OR nurses.

OR nurses work in a variety of settings such as hospitals, surgical centers, clinics, physicians’ offices, and any healthcare setting where operations take place. However, most work in hospitals, surgical centers, and physicians’ offices.

OR nurses assist with common surgeries, such as cataract removal, C-sections, joint replacements, bone repair, cardiac surgery, and stent placements. Some, such as cataract removal, rarely require general anesthesia and conclude quickly, while others demand more time.