Operating room manager schedules personnel, resources for surgical care
Name: Cheryl Boone, RN
Title: Nurse Manager, Operating Room
Where: SSM St. Mary’s Health Center, St. Louis, MO
How long? 3 ½ years (a St. Mary’s nurse for 22 years)
Training: Missouri nursing license (RN) required and three to five years experience as a staff nurse.
Education: Bachelor of science in nursing from University of Missouri-St. Louis and working on a masters in non-profit administration at Lindenwood University
Description: Responsible for management and supervision of patient care and personnel in the operating room. Supervised personnel include RNs, RN first assistants (RNFAs), surgical technicians (scrub techs), licensed practical nurses (LPNs), operating room assistants and sterile processing staff (who handle sterilization of instrumentation). She is responsible for 79 full time equivalent staff. The operating room nurse manager provides clinical direction and consultation with the charge nurse. She is responsible for daily operations of the operating room – scheduling cases, ensuring correct equipment and supplies are in place for surgical procedures. She interviews and hires staff for operating room team; is responsible for budgeting and making sure the right people, supplies, equipment and resources are in place to provide the proper level of care for the patients. Planning and implementing department needs, evaluating staff and organizational needs to see if they are meeting the needs of the patients. The operating room nurse manager works collaboratively with surgeons, anesthesia and other departments to provide patient care.
Best part of job: Being in a position that allows me to select the right staff to assure that the care we provide is exceeding the standards.
Drawback: Getting staff to embrace that change as a necessary part of what we do.
Median Salary: $88,986 (Monster.com)
