Surgical Nurse
Surgical nurses are registered nurses that specialize in the field of surgery. These nurses work with patients who are facing operations and prepare them for their procedures, monitor them during the surgery, and help them recover following their surgery. He or she often works with difficult cases including seriously ill, and gravely injured patients.
Surgical nurses may rotate throughout the entire hospital, assessing patient conditions, addressing social problems that have to do with a patient’s condition, or he or she may be confined to the operating room. In the operating room, surgical nurses may work as the RN assistant that administers direct care to the patient, he or she may work outside of the sterile area, or he or she may work as a scrub nurse providing sterile instruments and equipment to the surgeon. Surgical nurses typically work in primary care, emergency, or long term care facilities.
Other common duties include: recording patient information, monitoring progress, checking for new symptoms or medication reactions, administering medication, and assisting physicians with examinations.
In order to become a surgical nurse, an individual must first become a registered nurse. A four-year Bachelor’s degree of science in nursing (BSN) is highly recommended and will allow for more career advancement opportunities. A Master’s of science in nursing (MSN) provides even more room for advancement. A specialized medical surgical training program must also be completed.
The typical average salary of a surgical nurse is about $70,000 per year.
