Job Description
Job Title: Theatre Nurse
Reports To: Chief Nursing Officer
Location: Plainsview Hospital Ruiru
Job Purpose:
To provide safe, effective, and high-quality perioperative nursing care by
supporting surgical procedures through scrubbing, circulating, and recovery functions,
ensuring adherence to infection prevention protocols, patient safety standards, and
clinical best practices, while ensuring compliance with clinical governance frameworks
including Ministry of Health regulations, SafeCare, and ISO standards and in alignment
with Plainsview Hospital’s strategic objectives on quality, patient safety, quality of care,
duty of care obligations, operational efficiency, and improved clinical outcomes.
I. Key Responsibilities
ï· Perioperative Nursing Care: The role ensures delivery of safe perioperative
care by performing scrub, circulating, and recovery room duties in accordance
with surgical protocols and patient care standards.
ï· Theatre Preparation & Instrumentation: The role ensures proper preparation
of theatre environment, surgical instruments, and equipment to meet procedural
and safety requirements.
ï· Infection Prevention & Control (IPC): The role ensures strict adherence to
sterile techniques, aseptic protocols, and infection prevention standards to
minimize surgical site infections.
ï· Surgical Coordination & Team Collaboration: The role ensures effective
coordination with surgeons, anesthetists, and theatre staff to facilitate smooth
surgical procedures and minimize delays.
ï· Pre-Operative & Post-Operative Patient Care: The role ensures appropriate
patient preparation before surgery and monitoring and support during recovery to
promote safe surgical outcomes.
ï· Documentation & Surgical Accountability: The role ensures accurate
documentation of surgical procedures, instrument counts, patient records, and
incident reports in compliance with hospital standards
ï· Emergency Surgical Support: The role ensures readiness to support
emergency surgical procedures and respond effectively to critical situations.
ï· Quality Improvement & Theatre Audits: The role participates in theatre audits,
quality assurance initiatives, and continuous improvement programs to enhance
surgical services.
ï· Consumables & Equipment Management: The role ensures proper handling,
usage, and accountability of surgical consumables and theatre equipment
ï· Surgical Camps & Outreach Support: The role supports planning and
execution of surgical camps in collaboration with operations and business
development teams.
Strategic Program Responsibilities
The Theatre Nurse will support implementation of hospital strategic priorities by
ensuring excellence in perioperative care, patient safety, infection prevention, surgical
efficiency, and clinical outcomes in alignment with hospital quality frameworks and
regulatory standards.
ï· Patient Safety, Duty of Care & Clinical Accountability: Ensures delivery of
safe, competent, and timely perioperative care in line with professional duty of
care, including adherence to surgical safety protocols and escalation of risks.
ï· Infection Prevention & Control (IPC): Ensures strict compliance with sterile
techniques and infection prevention standards to minimize surgical site
infections.
ï· Surgical Efficiency & Operational Excellence: Ensures optimal theatre
utilization and reduced turnaround time to enhance service delivery and patient
flow.
ï· Quality & Clinical Governance: Ensures compliance with surgical protocols,
standards, and audit requirements.
ï· Patient Experience & Surgical Care Quality: Enhances patient satisfaction
through safe, efficient, and well-coordinated perioperative care.
ï· Multidisciplinary Care Integration: Ensures effective coordination with
surgeons, anesthetists, and clinical teams to support optimal surgical outcomes.
ï· Emergency Readiness & Responsiveness: Ensures preparedness to support
emergency surgical interventions and critical care situations.
Requirements
Minimum Qualifications
ï· Diploma or Bachelor’s Degree in Nursing (KRCHN / BScN)
ï· Perioperative Nursing qualification (highly preferred).
ï· Valid Nursing Council of Kenya (NCK) practicing license
ï· Minimum 2–3 years’ experience in theatre nursing
ï· ACLS and BLS Certification
Core Technical Competencies
ï· Theatre scrub and circulating skills
ï· Knowledge of surgical procedures and instrumentation
ï· Infection prevention and sterile processing
ï· Operation of theatre equipment
Soft skills requirements:
ï· Strong patient education and counseling skills
ï· High attention to detail and clinical vigilance
ï· Strong teamwork and interdisciplinary coordination
ï· Ability to manage critically ill patients
ï· Emotional resilience and empathy
ï· Effective communication skills
ï· Ability to work under pressure in emergency situations
ï· Strong sense of accountability and patient-centered care
