Responsibilities of the operating nurse: milestones and job descriptions

The history of the official appearance of nurses dates back to 1617. After the opening of the first community, where this profession was taught in more detail, it began to develop. Today, the duties of an operating nurse are just as important as the work of a surgeon. It is more correct to say that they are an integral part of each other.

Profession Description

The nurse is the second hand of the doctor, his indispensable assistant. The classification of the profession, due to the large number of areas of activity, is clearly defined, and it is worth noting that the positions are not always interchangeable.

Nurses are:

• Home. A certified worker with higher education, whose main task is to clearly and harmoniously organize the activities of middle and junior staff. It controls every link of a large mechanism so that all employees timely fulfill their functional duties.
• Senior. Usually works in tandem with the department head and primarily performs administrative tasks. She is responsible for supplying the department with medicines, necessary equipment. Sets the algorithm of actions, graphics of middle and junior staff.
• The guard. Fulfills the order of a leading specialist, and usually, assigned to certain patients of a particular doctor.
• The procedural. A nurse who performs all the manipulations (injection, dropper, selection of tests). Specialists of this level are attached to doctors, under the supervision of which more serious procedures are carried out and an assistant is required.
• Operating sister. Included in the staff of the surgical department. Her immediate responsibilities are the preparation of a tool base, suture material, and linen. During the operation, she is next to the surgeon, and monitors his every action, responds to all requests, requirements.

• Precinct. It is assigned to the therapist, is present at examinations and consultations. She is responsible for the patronage of patients undergoing treatment at home. She is required to comply with the professional orders of the doctor. The main job is documentation.
• Dietary. Usually works in the dining room at the hospital. Its task is to distribute the menu correctly, according to the appointment of a nutritionist and doctor’s recommendations (taking into account the specific pathology).
• The nurse accompanying the profile specialist assists at the appointment with a urologist, cardiologist, etc.
• Junior nurse. It has no competence to carry out any manipulations. Her task is to carry out small assignments, to care for the patients of the hospital.

It is worth noting that in each department of the hospital their ranks are fixed. In the surgical, for example, the state has a senior operating, full-time, fast, procedural and junior nurse of the department.

What a specialist should be able to do

Having crossed the threshold of the hospital, the nurse becomes the link between the doctor and the patient. The psychoemotional state of the patient depends on the actions of the nurse. Each employee may be faced with the fact that the ward needs to be reassured, talk, and provide professional care.

All nurses, without exception, should be able to:

• to give first aid;
• administer intramuscular and intravenous injections;
• carry out the necessary patient care;
• perform sampling tests for laboratory research;
• control the frequency of taking medications, their preliminary distribution;
• install a dropper, control its functionality;
• sterilize instruments;
• keep the necessary documentation;
• prepare patients for surgical intervention, instrumental examination methods;
• prepare the operating room;
• conduct treatment and preventive procedures.

The job responsibilities of an operating nurse (senior or junior staff) do not exclude the possibility that experience and knowledge will ever be useful in practice.

Who needs this job?

Nurses must have a high level of empathy. Psychologist skills are very appropriate to support the patient, find the right words. Also, the profession is not suitable for people squeamish, not resistant to stress. Mandatory requirements for personal qualities:

• attentiveness;
• accuracy;
• punctuality;
• ability to quickly navigate.

Any nurse begins to comprehend science by studying the human anatomy. Even the ability to put an injection correctly depends on this.

The importance of the profession

Today, the work of a nurse is in demand. Education and specialist skills allow you to find a profession outside the hospital. Beauty salons, massage centers, give preference to employees who do not even have significant medical education.

To work in the specialty, you must have a document (diploma of secondary or higher education) confirming the acquisition of knowledge in the specialty "Nursing". Climbing the career ladder of people with higher education is more rapid, at the same time, having received a college diploma, you can work and graduate from a higher educational institution, gaining work experience at the same time. Also, the combination allows you to get a doctor’s position sequentially, moving up the steps.

Detailed job description

To become an operating nurse, you must have a secondary medical education. Also, the first basics should be obtained in the dressing room of the operating room, where after study they are sent for an internship. The work in the medical institution is provided by the head physician, on the recommendation of the senior nurse (according to the law).

After the clearance procedure, the operating nurse comes under the guidance of a senior nurse. During surgical operations, the requirements of the doctor and assistants should be immediately followed. While on duty while on duty, the operating nurse is also subordinate to the doctor in whose shift she works.

Before you begin to perform their immediate duties, you should familiarize yourself with the job description, know your rights. Work in compliance with clear rules and not go beyond them.

What should the operating sister do?

A senior employee may not exceed his authority with respect to the operating sister, as the specialist has a list of clear responsibilities that must be performed.

The main tasks of the nurse in the operating room:

• preparation of the hall and all participants in the process is the responsibility of the nurse of the surgical department;
• timely delivery of the patient to the operating table, the correct location;
• delivery of the patient to the ward after completion of the operation;
• monitoring the availability of tools and materials, their correct, convenient for the doctor placement;
• the operating nurse knows exactly how many tools, tampons, dressings were before the start of work, and makes sure that the used items are returned to the place throughout the process;
• the task of the nurse is to monitor compliance with the rules of asepsis and antiseptics of all those present;
• after completing the work, all materials are recounted, subjected to processing;
• gowns, masks, underwear, suture material, instruments are sterilized, the operating nurse monitors the quality of the process;
• if during the operation material was selected for histological examination, the nurse is responsible for the timely delivery;
• Keeps records of accounting for consumed material and draws up reporting papers.

When transferring a shift, or when accepting a workplace, pay attention to the availability of sets of sterile linen, materials, solutions, tools. All expendable and received materials are recorded in the accounting journal.

Rights

Each employee has rights that he must be guided in order not to let go of something important that could further negatively affect his work.

The nurse is authorized to:

• give instructions to the nurse in the operating room, when involved in the process of surgical manipulation;
• monitor the correct actions of the nurse;
• to verify the quality of disinfection, the implementation of the rules of asepsis and antiseptics during the operation;
• to propose new, effective ways to improve the quality of work for superiors;
• take an interest in the need and urgency of the planned activities;
• participate in meetings, discussions of issues related to the competence of the operating nurse;
• grow, improve your skills in any way possible.

What is the responsibility of the specialist?

The operating nurse performs her functional duties in a strict manner. She is responsible for the clear, timely implementation of the actions prescribed in the institution's internal rules.

Responsibilities of the surgical operating room nurse:

1. Know and be able to carry out the methods of preparation of suture and dressings.
2. Own blood transfusion technique and technique.
3. Provide full assistance to the doctor with endoscopy.
4. Be guided in the course of planned, typical operations.
5. To be able to quickly and efficiently apply tires, dressings, plaster casts.
6. Monitor the health of the equipment, timely send for repair at the slightest malfunction.
7. Monitor the amount of necessary equipment, dressings, the presence of sterile linen.
8. Take feasible part in operations, if necessary, assist the surgeon.
9. Requirement for appearance - impeccability (cotton dressing gown, well-groomed hands, short-cropped nails).

Failure to fulfill the direct duties of an operating nurse in surgery can lead to tragic consequences, therefore, before entering work, personnel are warned of moral and legal responsibility. Omitting a small detail can lead to undesirable adjustments during the operation.

The responsibilities of the operating nurse on the trading day begin with the receipt of the order. Even before starting work, she knows the plan for upcoming operations, scrupulously selects tool kits for each specific case.