What does a Theatre Nurse do?

1. Prepares the theatre

At the beginning of the shift, each Theatre Nurse is allocated a surgical procedure. The Theatre Nurse is responsible for ensuring the theatre is prepared and laid out correctly, this involves damp dusting at the beginning of the day, ensuring correct selection and preparation of instruments, and placing equipment in the correct positions for the procedure. Alongside the Anaesthesia Nurse, the Theatre Nurse will help to organise any equipment required in the induction area to support their patient’s safe anaesthetic.

2. Assists with patient monitoring & preparation

Our highly skilled Anaesthesia and Theatre Nurses monitor their patient throughout the duration of their anaesthetic using advanced monitoring equipment. The Theatre Nurse will assist with pre-operative procedures, including diagnostic imaging, aseptic preparation of the surgical site and correct patient positioning in theatre.

3. Surgical assistant

Depending upon the requirements of the procedure, the Theatre Nurse may assist the Veterinary Surgeon as either a Scrub Assistant or Circulating Nurse. The Circulating Nurse will be required to provide surgical equipment in a sterile manner to the operating Veterinary Surgeon, as well as tracking the use of consumables during the procedure and preparing and administering medications as directed by the Veterinary Surgeon. As a Scrub Assistant, the Theatre Nurse will assist the operating Veterinary Surgeon by handling and passing sterile instruments, retracting, suctioning and flushing the surgical site and processing histopathological samples.

4. Communication of post-operative requirements

The assisting Theatre Nurse will relay all necessary patient information to the Ward Nurse, ensuring that patient records are updated accordingly before handing the patient over for close monitoring throughout their recovery.

5. Consultations

The Theatre Nurse will care for their patient throughout the consultation with the Veterinary Surgeon. Following their admittance to the hospital, the Theatre Nurse will relay relevant information to the Ward Nurses and prepare their patient for their scheduled procedure by obtaining and processing necessary blood samples, placing an intra-venous catheter, and supporting their patient through minor procedures, such as radiographs and dressing changes, and recovery.

6. Cleaning, maintenance and sterilisation of surgical instruments

Along with the Theatre Technician, the Theatre Nurse is responsible for the cleaning, maintenance, and sterilisation of surgical instruments and equipment.

To find out more about the different roles within our Nursing team, visit –  southfields.co.uk/services/nursing 

To join our team and view all of nurse vacancies visit – southfields.co.uk/join-our-team/nursing