Nurses in the operating room

Who are the nurses in the OR?

 The nurses in the OR are the scrub nurse and the circulating nurse.
SCRUB NURSE

 A scrub nurse helps or assists surgeons during surgery.

 They work in the sterile area of the operating room.
 The scrub nurse must “scrub in”. This means they wash hands with antiseptic soaps and
they must wear a surgical attire (sterile surgical clothes).
 They pass the surgical tools to the surgeons
 They require a high understanding of the surgical procedure and the tools required for that
procedure.
 They “scrub in” first.
 They help the surgeons and assistants “scrub in”.
Circulating nurse

 The circulating nurse is outside the sterile area.

 They also help gather tools and equipment needed for surgery and anesthesia.
 They also help surgeons “scrub in”.
 They maintain documentation of the patient in the computer
 They help the patient feel comfortable before surgery
 They help prepare the skin of the patient before surgery.
 They count all needles, gauze, and sponges at the beginning and at the end of surgery to
make sure they are removed from the patient at the end of the surgery.
SURGICAL INSTRUMENTS

 Scalpel : Sharp instrument used to cut or dissect

SURGICAL INSTRUMENT

 Forceps : Used for grasping or holding

SURGICAL INSTRUMENTS

 Surgical scissors : Used for cutting

SURGICAL INSTRUMENTS

 Bone cutters : used for cut or remove bones

SURGICAL INSTRUMENTS

 Retractor : used for separating the edges of an incision