Surgical Nurse

Surgical Nurse

By EveryNurse Staff on January 12, 2023

Surgical Nurse
A surgical nurse is a nursing professional that is trained to be able to assist during both routine and difficult surgical procedures. These nurses can be found in hospitals, surgery centers, recovery rooms, medical-surgical care units and clinics, assisting surgeons with both elective and life-saving procedures.

What Is a Surgical Nurse?

Surgical nurses are often referred to as Perioperative nurses or Operating Room (OR) nurses. They are responsible for caring for patients before, during, and after surgical procedures. Surgical nurses assist the operating room staff during surgery and provide care to patients recovering from a procedure. Their primary responsibilities are to provide patient care, assist the operating room staff, and document observations and procedures.

What Does a Surgical Nurse Do?

A surgical nurse assists with patient care during surgery and in pre- and post-operative healthcare settings. On a day-to-day basis, a surgical nurse may be assigned to patients who are in preoperative, postoperative, and intensive care units. They are the bridge between the surgical team and the patient. A surgical nurse can help to alleviate some of a patient’s anxiety by providing information and support.

Surgical nurses also may assist the surgeon during surgery. They sterilize surgical instruments and help set up equipment for surgery. Following surgery, they advise physicians and other health professionals about patient progress in the recovery room. They also ensure that patient needs are met, such as taking vitals and monitoring anesthesia levels.

In addition to their clinical duties, surgical nurses provide education about expected outcomes and recovery to patients and their families before the surgery takes place.

Surgical Nursing Subspecialties

There are many sub-specialties within the surgical field, including cardiac surgery, neurosurgery, urology, trauma, oncology, orthopedics, pediatric nursing, transplant surgery, reconstructive and plastic surgery, and general surgery. Surgical nurses may perform various roles in any of these perioperative settings, including:

  • Providing surgical nursing care to patients
  • Assisting the anesthesiologist with patient monitoring
  • Monitoring and recording surgical events
  • Assisting the surgeon in locating necessary anatomy during surgery
  • Helping with patient care and education after surgery including wound care
  • Assisting direct nursing care staff with patient care plans
  • Ensuring that all patients have adequate access to post-operative pain medication

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Where Do Surgical Nurses Work?

Surgical nurses are professionals who work in health care facilities to help supervise and administer medical treatments. They’re also known as surgical-asistants, operating-room nurses, and operating room attendants. They are most often found in hospitals or medical clinics and work under the supervision of doctors or a registered nurse (RN). They may be employed on the wards for routine patient care, but some staff surgical nurses for operations. In optimal circumstances, surgical nursing is an appealing career due to its stability and autonomy — surgeons rely heavily on their assistants to ensure their patients’ safety before they are operated upon.

The most common settings for surgical nurses are:

  • Hospitals (medical-surgical care units, recovery rooms, operating rooms)
  • Ambulatory surgery centers
  • Physicians Offices
  • Urgent Care Centers
  • Clinics

What Is the Difference Between a Surgical Nurse and a Surgical Tech?

Surgical nurses and surgical technologists are both important members of a surgical team, including surgeons and anesthesiologists or nurse anesthetists. All surgical personnel maintain a sterile field during surgery and follow strict infection control precautions. Both surgical nurse and surgical technologist roles provide the clinical expertise associated with patient care. Their work varies in significance and complexity, but both provide an essential role in the success of a surgery.

Roles & Responsibilities

Surgical nurses are RN’s who assist the surgeon and prepare the room during the procedure. Surgical nurses work closely with the anesthesiologist to ensure that the proper medications and precautions are in place to benefit both the patient and team.

Surgical techs or scrubs perform activities such as preparing and maintaining sterile instruments and preparing the operating room, focusing on maintaining a sterile environment.

Education

Surgical nurses are RN’s and generally have a Bachelor’s Degree or BSN, which takes four years to complete, including clinical duties in a live healthcare setting. Surgical techs complete a training program in surgical technology and hold either a certificate or an associate’s degree.

Certifications

100% of surgical nurses are RN’s, passing the background check and passing the NCLEX. Many surgical nurses have experience and specialized education and training. They are also certified by either the CNOR, SMRN or CNFA. Surgical techs are not required to be certified and pass the same rigorous background check as RN’s.

Income

Surgical nurses make $74,000 per year, while Surgical techs make around $54,000 per year per ZipRecruiter.

Surgical Nurse Salary 

The median annual wage for registered nurses was $75,330 in May 2020, which is the equivalent of $36.22 per hour. Registered nurses who were in the highest 10 percent earned more than $116,230 per year. 

Number of Jobs and Projected Growth

Approximately 3,096,700 jobs were held by registered nurses in 2020, according to estimates provided by the Bureau of Labor Statistics. Demand for skilled workers within the healthcare services industry is expected to grow steadily for the next 10 years, with projected employment growth for registered nurses rising to seven percent (faster than average for all occupations) through the year 2029.

Over the next ten years, this rate of growth amounts to over 200,000 job openings for registered nurses. Other factors, such as location, experience, and education will impact a nurse’s pay and ability to find employment, but overall, the job outlook for nurses is very strong.

Additional Resources for Surgical Nurses

Surgical Nurse FAQ

Yes, but the path to making the jump from an RN to a surgical nurse requires additional education and training. The two primary paths are training programs offered by hospitals or specialized certifications such as the Certified Medical-Surgical Registered Nurse (CMSRN), Certified Registered Nurse First Assistant (CRNFA), or Certified Perioperative Nurse (CNOR)

The short answer is yes, the U.S. needs more than 1 million new RN’s by 2022. But the demand varies depending on specialty. Some types of surgical nurses, such as those with credentials in a specific area of concentration, have seen their demand increase tenfold since 2008.

Many surgical nurses opt to get their a two-year Associate Degree in Nursing (ADN) and are hired but a Bachelor of Science in Nursing (BSN) is strongly preferred and potentially a requirement. Once you are an RN, you can start your path to specialize in surgical nursing. Perioperative nurse training is a popular option that can take upwards of two years or you can earn your MSN degree with a focus on surgical nursing.

On average, surgical nurses make $74,004 per year. The top five highest paying states are New York, New Hampshire, California, Vermont, and Idaho per ZipRecruiter.

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