Operating Room Nurse: Job Description, Salary, Education and Career Guide for Becoming an Operating Room Nurse

Patients facing surgery need special are and support before, during and after surgery. These are typically provided by a specialized nurse known as an "OR" or operating room nurse.

Job Description

An operating room nurse, also called a perioperative nurse, manages the surgical patient's care. This may include organizing surgical instruments, assisting the surgeon and maintaining a comfortable environment for the patient and other staff members.
 
Operating room nurse job descriptions might include:
  • A surgical scrub nurse, passing instruments and following instructions while working in a sterile environment directly with the surgeon.

  • A circulating nurse working outside the sterile field. This OR nurse is the “eye in the sky” who watches the staff and the surgical team while assisting them to maintaining a safe, comfortable environment.

  • An RN first assistant working directly with the surgeon by controlling bleeding and by providing wound exposure and stitching during the actual procedure.
 

Salary Guide

Operating room nurses are in great demand. The average nurse today earns between $30,000 and $40,000 in the early years. Experienced nurses earn upward of $89,000. The median salary for OR nurses is about $62,000.

Education and Training

Perioperative nurses are first and foremost RNs with some experience in the general nursing field. RNs have either a bachelor’s, or at minimum, an associate’s degree and have passed the state licensing boards.
 
Critical care and emergency rooms are the most practical areas to obtain experience. OR certification is not always required, but RNs who undergo specialized training can complete the coursework in just a few semesters.

Prior Work Experience

Registered OR nurses come from many areas in the hospital. Those with critical care experience, such as emergency rooms and intensive care units, easily adapt to a surgical setting because they have shown an ability to handle difficult situations with poise and calm.
 
Since a surgical ward can see different specialties, an OR nurse may specialize in areas such as oncology, ophthalmology, dental, plastic and reconstructive and orthopedic surgery.

Career Advancement

OR nurses often become operating room directors, managing budgets, staffing and other business aspects. After directorial experience, a nurse may decide to go into the business end of healthcare administration instead of clinical practice.

Related Associations and Groups

Membership in any of a number of national OR nursing organizations can be helpful to further education, networking and learning from others:
  • American Association of Critical-Care nurses
  • American Association of Nurse Anesthetists
  • American Nurses Association
  • Association of periOperative Registered Nurses
  • Emergency Nurses Association
  • National Student Nurses Association
 
In addition to the above cited national organizations, all states have nursing organizations that specialize in various fields. Check with your local nursing organizations to get a full list of helpful associations and schools.
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