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What Does a Perioperative Nurse Do?

Perioperative nurses, commonly referred to as operating room (OR) nurses, are registered nurses (RNs) who care for patients before, during, and after surgery or other invasive procedures. As a perioperative nurse, you might work in a hospital surgical department, ambulatory surgery center, or physician's office providing care as a scrub nurse (selecting and passing instruments) or as a circulating nurse (managing nursing care in the operating room). In addition to clinical care, the perioperative nurse also provides support and education to patients and families.

Education & Training Required to Become a Perioperative Nurse

In order to become a perioperative nurse, you must first obtain a degree as an RN from a state-approved nursing school and then pass a licensing exam. While there are no specific perioperative nursing degree programs, most RN programs include supervised clinical experience in health care facilities where you can obtain perioperative exposure. Depending on the facility where you choose to work, you may need to have a minimum number of general nursing experience hours prior to entering the perioperative nursing specialty.

Typical Characteristics of a Perioperative Nurse

Surgery often involves a certain level of human suffering along with unexpected emergencies, therefore perioperative nurses must be emotional stability and able to compassionately deal with patients, of all ages, who may be in pain. In addition to leadership, critical thinking and communication skills, perioperative nurses must have physical stamina to transport surgical equipment, position patients, and stand for the duration of operations.

High Demand for Perioperative Nurses

As people age, their need for more complex and invasive medical procedures increases, which means that career opportunities for individuals interested in perioperative nursing are growing. In fact, the employment of RNs is expected to grow faster than the average for all other occupations through 2010.

In 2009, the median annual wage for registered nurses was $62,450, according to the Bureau of Labor Statistics. With additional education and experience, you can move up to operating room director, staffing coordinator, or other operating room business manager. Perioperative nursing can also pave the way for a career as a nurse anesthetist, clinical educator, or researcher.