Charge Nurse OR- Days

QUALIFICATIONS:

Education

• Graduate of an accredited School of Nursing.
• BSN preferred.

Licensure

• Current Texas Registered Nurse License.
• Current BLS Certification.
• ACLS Certification required.
• PALS Certification required.

Experience

• Minimum 3–5 years Operating Room experience.
• Minimum 2 years circulating experience.
• Leadership or charge nurse experience preferred.

Certifications Preferred

• CNOR Certification preferred.
• AORN Membership encouraged.
• Provides coaching and mentorship to perioperative staff.

Regulatory Compliance

• Ensures compliance with:
• Joint Commission standards
• CMS Conditions of Participation
• State and Federal regulations
• AORN Standards and Recommended Practices
• Hospital policies and procedures
• Supports accreditation readiness and survey preparation.

Communication and Collaboration

• Serves as primary communication liaison for perioperative services.
• Collaborates with surgeons, anesthesia providers, PAT, SPD, PACU, Pre-Op, and inpatient units.
• Communicates operational concerns to leadership.
• Participates in daily huddles and operational planning meetings.
• Facilitates resolution of physician and staff concerns.

Direct Patient Care

• Functions as Circulator RN as needed.
• Assists with patient care during periods of high census or staffing shortages.
• Provides emergency clinical support during intraoperative events.
• Ensures documentation is accurate and complete.

Leadership Expectations

The OR Charge Nurse will:

• Lead by example.
• Promote teamwork and accountability.
• Demonstrate professionalism and excellent customer service.
• Support surgeon engagement and satisfaction initiatives.
• Foster a positive and collaborative work environment.
• Drive continuous process improvement and operational excellence.

RESPONSIBILITES:

Clinical Leadership

• Serves as the clinical leader and resource for Operating Room staff during assigned shifts.
• Coordinates patient flow throughout the surgical continuum.
• Provides guidance and support to perioperative team members.
• Assists with clinical decision-making and problem resolution.
• Ensures adherence to hospital policies, AORN guidelines, and regulatory requirements.
• Facilitates communication among surgeons, anesthesia providers, nursing staff, and ancillary departments.

Daily OR Operations

• Coordinates daily surgical schedule and room assignments.
• Assigns personnel based on patient acuity, procedure complexity, competency, and staffing needs.
• Monitors surgical progress and adjusts staffing and room utilization throughout the day.
• Coordinates emergency and add-on procedures.
• Ensures availability of equipment, supplies, implants, and instrumentation.
• Assists in managing schedule changes, delays, and turnover efficiency.
• Maintains awareness of block utilization and case flow.

Patient Safety and Quality

• Promotes a culture of patient safety and accountability.
• Ensures compliance with Universal Protocol and surgical time-outs.
• Monitors adherence to infection prevention practices and sterile technique.
• Assists in the investigation and resolution of safety events and occurrences.
• Supports quality improvement initiatives and performance metrics.
• Participates in Root Cause Analysis (RCA) and corrective action planning as needed.

Staffing and Resource Management

• Coordinates staffing assignments and break coverage.
• Assists with management of on-call personnel.
• Evaluates staffing needs and communicates shortages to leadership.
• Monitors productivity and staffing efficiency.
• Assists with orientation and competency validation of new employees.

PHYSICAL DEMANDS

• The physical demands described here are representative of those that must be met by an employee to successfully perform the essential functions of this job. Reasonable accommodations may be made to enable individuals with disabilities to perform the essential functions.
• While performing the duties of this job the employee is frequently required to sit, converse, and listen; use hands to touch, handle, or feel objects, tools or controls; and to reach with hands and arms. Specific vision abilities required by this job include close vision and the ability to adjust focus.
• The employee must be able to life and/or carry over 20 pounds on a regular basis and be able to push/pull over 25 pounds on a regular basis.
• The employee must be able to stand and/or walk at least five hours per day.