| Detail | For this role |
|---|---|
| Department | Nursing |
| Level | Entry level |
| Reports to | OT In-charge or Charge Nurse |
| Direct reports | None |
| Experience | Fresher with OT training, or up to 4 years in theatre nursing |
OT Nurse job description template
Copy this job description, replace the text in square brackets and post it on your careers page or a job portal.
Job title: OT Nurse
Department: Nursing
Reports to: OT In-charge or Charge Nurse
Location: [City], [office, branch or site]
About the role
An OT Nurse works in the operation theatre, supporting surgeries as a scrub or circulating nurse. They prepare the theatre and instruments, maintain a sterile field, hand instruments to the surgeon, count swabs and instruments, and keep the patient safe through the procedure. The role demands strict sterility, anticipation and calm. In an Indian hospital the OT nurse readies the theatre between cases, assists the surgical team, tracks instruments to prevent retained items, follows the surgical safety checklist, and supports the patient from wheel-in to shifting out.
Key responsibilities
- Prepare the operation theatre, instruments and supplies before each surgery.
- Maintain a strict sterile field as scrub nurse during the procedure.
- Hand instruments and materials to the surgeon promptly as scrub nurse.
- Perform swab, instrument and needle counts to prevent retained items.
- Act as circulating nurse, fetching supplies and supporting the team.
- Position and prepare the patient safely and confirm consent and site.
- Follow the surgical safety checklist for every single case.
- Handle specimens correctly and send them for laboratory testing.
- Clean, decontaminate and set up the theatre between cases.
- Follow strict sterilisation and infection control in the theatre.
Requirements
- B.Sc Nursing or GNM
- Registration with the state nursing council
- OT technique or theatre training is an advantage
- Fresher with OT training, or up to 4 years in theatre nursing
KRAs and KPIs for a OT Nurse
Key result areas for the appraisal form, each with a KPI you can measure every month or quarter.
| Key result area | How to measure it |
|---|---|
| Sterility | Sterile field maintained with no breach during procedures |
| Counts | Swab and instrument counts correct with zero retained item |
| Theatre readiness | Theatre and instruments ready before each scheduled case |
| Safety checklist | Surgical safety checklist completed for every case |
| Turnaround | Theatre turned around between cases within the target time |
| Infection control | Sterilisation and infection control followed with no lapse |
Skills and tools
Tools used day to day: Surgical instruments, Sterilisation equipment, Diathermy and suction, Surgical safety checklist, Specimen containers.
Reporting line and career path
Next roles: Senior OT Nurse, OT In-charge, Surgical Nurse Specialist
Interview questions for a OT Nurse
- How do you maintain a sterile field as a scrub nurse?
- Walk me through your swab and instrument count process.
- What do you check before a patient is anaesthetised?
- How do you handle a break in sterility mid-surgery?
- How do you turn a theatre around quickly between cases?
- How do you handle and label a surgical specimen?
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What does an OT nurse do?
An OT nurse works in the operation theatre, supporting surgeries as a scrub or circulating nurse. They prepare the theatre and instruments, maintain a sterile field, hand instruments to the surgeon, count swabs and instruments to prevent retained items, and keep the patient safe. They follow the surgical safety checklist and ready the theatre between cases.
What is the difference between a scrub nurse and a circulating nurse?
A scrub nurse is sterile and works at the operating table, handing instruments to the surgeon and maintaining the sterile field. A circulating nurse is not scrubbed and moves around the theatre fetching supplies, managing documentation and supporting the team. An OT nurse is often trained in both roles and switches between them.
What qualifications do you need to become an OT nurse?
A B.Sc Nursing or GNM with registration with the state nursing council is the usual base, and operation theatre technique or theatre training is a strong advantage. Employers value strict sterile discipline, the ability to anticipate the surgeon's needs, and calm focus, since a single lapse in the theatre can harm a patient.