Operating Room Registered Nurse

The Operating Room (OR) Registered Nurse (RN) prepares the surgical suite, attends to & provides care for the surgical patient, circulates during the surgical procedure, and documents the care of the patient during surgery. They perform patient skin preparation, urinary catheter insertion, patient positioning, collect and present sterile supplies to the surgical team in a sterile manor, and document vital patient information pertaining to the performed surgical procedure.

Existing RNs are prepared to function as an integral member of the surgical team. RNs are trained in sterile techniques to allow them to create, establish and maintain the sterile surgical field before, during and after surgery. Surgical procedures, instruments, equipment and supplies will be presented, discussed and manipulated to prepare the RN to be successful in the OR acting in the circulator role or surgical scrub role.

Students entering this program should have a strong sense of self-discipline, patient commitment, resiliency & flexibility, while being attentive and detail oriented. Additionally, OR team members typically work in a fast-paced environment, requiring adaptability, teamwork, communication, and accountability to be successful. OR RNs can work in hospital operating rooms, surgical centers for outpatient procedures, surgeon's offices, in an educational role, an administrative/management role, and in a teaching role for Colleges. ​

Program Course Sequence