Registered Nurse Operating Room

CareWell Health is seeking a Registered Nurse for the Operating Room to provide perioperative nursing care following the nursing process from the preoperative holding area through the PACU. You will work as a scrub person, circulator, clinical coordinator, and educator, collaborating closely with surgeons and anesthesia care providers to ensure safe, high-quality patient care throughout the surgical experience.

Clinical Setting

You will work in a fast-paced operating room environment, managing multiple surgical cases and adapting to changing patient needs and surgeon preferences. The role requires flexibility across various surgical specialties and procedures.

Responsibilities

• Follow the nursing process from preoperative assessment through postoperative handoff to the PACU nurse
• Communicate with surgeons and anesthesia care providers regarding patient medical and surgical history, medication allergies, and intraoperative changes
• Systematically assess patient health status preoperatively and provide basic teaching related to the procedure and monitoring
• Pull and coordinate supplies, instruments, and equipment needed for each surgical case based on patient needs and surgeon preference cards
• Open surgical cases with the scrub technologist while maintaining strict aseptic technique
• Perform instrument, sponge, and sharps counts with the scrub technologist prior to incision and after closure, ensuring accuracy and preventing retained surgical items
• Conduct and actively participate in the Time Out process to verify correct patient, procedure, site, side, and level
• Position patients safely with the healthcare team and protect them from injury caused by extraneous objects and chemical, electrical, laser, mechanical, and thermal sources
• Be at the patient's side during induction, intubation, and extubation
• Obtain additional supplies, instruments, and equipment as needed during the procedure
• Implement interventions to protect patients from surgical site infections and maintain normothermia
• Properly label specimens and complete requisition forms
• Accurately document all care and charges in the patient's medical record
• Provide hand-off reports to the PACU nurse and anesthesia care provider with accurate, concise information
• Perform biological testing for OR autoclaves and demonstrate knowledge of immediate use steam sterilization policies and principles
• Follow AORN recommended practices and hospital policies for all perioperative nursing activities
• Complete pre-procedure forms to anticipate and correct problems before the patient enters the OR
• Verify and coordinate physician orders and preferences accurately
• Coordinate interdepartmental transfers and activities related to SCIP measures
• Practice Standard Precautions and demonstrate knowledge of department safety procedures
• Respond to emergency situations and recognize changes in patient health status
• Initiate incident reports appropriately
• Follow the 5 rights when administering medications and use 2 patient identifiers
• Initiate and maintain IV therapy
• Participate in quality improvement initiatives and collect or relay quality improvement data
• Act as a resource and mentor for other team members
• Demonstrate flexibility and adaptability to changes as they occur
• Communicate effectively with physicians, coworkers, patients, and families
• Serve as a patient advocate and apply ethical and moral decision-making
• Use problem-solving and conflict resolution skills to foster effective work relationships

Required Qualifications

• Graduate of an accredited school of nursing
• Current New Jersey RN license or letter of permission from the New Jersey State Board of Nursing to practice in New Jersey
• American Heart Association BLS certification

Preferred Qualifications

• Bachelor of Science in Nursing (BSN)
• CNOR (Certified Nurse Operating Room) and/or CRNFA (Certified Registered Nurse First Assistant) certification with maintenance of required continuing education
• One year of perioperative nursing experience

Working Conditions

This position requires exposure to unpleasant odors, body waste, communicable diseases, blood and body fluids, chemicals, and radiation. You will encounter stress, emergencies, trauma, and death. You will be on your feet most of the day and will lift, pull, and push patients and heavy equipment. You will interact with family members, visitors, healthcare team members, and other hospital personnel. Call hours are required, including evenings, nights, weekends, and holidays in addition to regularly scheduled shifts.

Compensation and Benefits

CareWell Health provides a competitive salary and hourly rate range for this position in compliance with New Jersey law. Actual compensation is determined based on factors including specialty, service line, years of relevant experience, education, credentials, negotiated contracts, budget, and internal equity. Salary ranges shown on third-party job sites may not accurately reflect ranges provided by CareWell Health.

Benefits include:

• Health, dental, and vision insurance
• Basic life and disability insurance
• Whole life, accident, critical illness, and hospital indemnity insurance
• Flexible spending accounts
• Employee assistance program
• 401(k)
• Paid holidays and generous paid time off plan

Candidates selected for an interview should discuss salary, hourly compensation, and comprehensive benefits details with the talent acquisition specialist.