Job Description

Job Location: Tampa, FL 33613
Position Type: Full TimeJob

Summary:  The Operating Room (OR) Nurse Circulator provides comprehensive perioperative nursing care to patients undergoing surgical procedures. This role includes preparing the operating room, ensuring proper equipment and supplies are available, monitoring patient safety, and maintaining documentation throughout the surgical process. The OR Nurse Circulator serves as a patient advocate, ensuring quality care and collaborating with the surgical team to facilitate efficient workflows while maintaining adherence to safety and infection control standards.
Essential Functions of the Position:
- Prepare the operating room by ensuring all necessary equipment, instruments, and supplies are available and functioning properly.
- Damp dusts room and all flat surfaces prior to the start of day.
- Collects all equipment and supplies for the day.
- - Ensures all alarms are active and functioning
- - Ensures equipment wheels are locked and in lowest position
- - Tests all equipment before start of the surgical case and monitors equipment during the case
- - Ensures implants are available
- - Ensures all supplies are available for each case
- - Verifies family member is available for communication with surgeon at end of each procedure
- Assesses readiness of patient for surgery
- - Reviews preoperative checklist
- - Confirms preoperative assessment
- - Confirms required diagnostic testing prior to surgery
- - Introduces self to patient
- - Verifies NPO status, allergies, past medical history
- - Verifies surgical consents
- Confirms identity before the operative procedure
- - Verifies verbally and visually the identity of the individual undergoing the operative procedure
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- - - patient to state name, procedure and birth date
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- - Verifies operative procedure, surgical site, laterality, and level
- - Participates in the time out process before every surgery
- - Maintains all surgical documentation, as required
- Circulates surgical cases
- - Applies, removes and documents safety devices, positioning devices, and additional items related to specific surgical procedures.
- - Checks patient skin integrity post surgery
- - Implements protective measures to prevent skin or tissue injury due to thermal sources
- - Complete all surgical counts and documents same
- - Anticipate the needs of the surgical team and provide assistance as required.
- - Collaborate with the anesthesia team to ensure patient safety and comfort.
- - Act as a liaison between the surgical team, patient, and family, providing timely updates as needed.
- Documents, all assessments and care provided in the medical record
- - Ensures all entries are legible, timely and concise
- - Authenticates all entries
- Transfers patients to PACU and provides thorough post-procedure report to PACU nurse
- Ensure all equipment and instruments used during the procedure are accounted for and returned for cleaning or sterilization.
- Conduct regular safety checks on all equipment and supplies.
- Adhere to infection control policies, including proper handling of instruments, cleaning procedures, and environmental disinfection.
Additional Responsibilities:
- Pre-ops, recovers and discharges patients according to assignment and as requested.
- Acts as a team member by providing relief coverage within the unit for breaks and lunches
- Provides float coverage to other ASC departments and locations as needed & assigned
- Performs other incidental and related duties as required and assigned
- Maintains all required regulatory training and participates in mandatory drills and staff meetings
- Comply with all departmental policies
Performance Expectations
- Ensure patient safety and comfort throughout all phases of perioperative care.
- Demonstrate competency in managing the operating room environment, equipment, and documentation.
- Maintain compliance with facility protocols, infection control standards, and regulatory guidelines.
Physical and Mental Demands:
- Ability to stand and move for extended periods (up to 8-10 hours per shift).
- Frequent bending, lifting, and reaching to handle equipment and assist patients.
- Ability to lift and carry items weighing up to 50 pounds as needed
- For items exceeding 50 pounds, team lifting or mechanical assistance must be used in accordance with safety guidelines.
- Ability to think and react quickly to changing patient status and physician needs
- Ability to multitask and remain calm in high-stress situations
- Strong problem-solving skills and adaptability to changing patient or procedural needs.
- High level verbal and written communication skills
- Above average ability to manage multiple tasks simultaneously
Occupational Exposure:
- High risk exposure to bloodborne pathogens and chemical hazards.
- Adherence to personal protective equipment (PPE) requirements is mandatory

Qualifications
- Current unencumbered Florida RN licensure
- Current BLS, or completed within 90 days of hire
- Current ACLS training, or completed within 90 days of hire (PALS certification completion within 90 days of hire, as assigned depending on unit’s patient requirements)
- Minimum of 2 years of perioperative nursing experience preferred.
- Proficiency in perioperative nursing care, including surgical site preparation and aseptic techniques.
- Knowledge of OR equipment, instrumentation, and inventory management.
- Strong organizational, communication, and interpersonal skills.
- Strong customer service orientation
- Strong computer skills
- Excellent interpersonal and communication skills