Theatre Nurse
On this page
- What's it like to be a Theatre Nurse?
- How to become a Theatre Nurse
- Latest Theatre Nurse jobs
- Top skills and experience for Theatre Nurses
What's it like to be a Theatre Nurse?
Theatre Nurses (also called Perioperative Nurses) are Registered Nurses who work specifically in surgical, operative settings. Theatre Nurses work closely with surgeons and other medical professionals in an operating theatre. They prepare patients for surgical procedures, communicate with families, and provide post-surgical support. Theatre Nurses typically work in hospitals where surgery takes place, as well as outpatient clinics, but they may sometimes work in smaller clinics where minor surgeries are performed.
Tasks and duties
- Providing nursing care before, during and after patients undergo surgery or procedures.
- Assessing patients and ensuring critical medical history items are communicated to the surgical team.
- Educating patients and their families, ensuring they’re prepared for surgery and post-surgery care.
- Collaborating with other medical professionals such as surgeons.
How to become a Theatre Nurse
To become a Theatre Nurse you must first become a qualified Registered Nurse.
Complete a three-year Bachelor of Nursing or Bachelor of Health Science at a university or polytechnic.
Register with the New Zealand Nursing Council and maintain an up-to-date Annual Practising Certificate.
You may choose to specialise in a specific branch of nursing and gain work experience in that field, such as orthopaedic or cardiac nursing. These specialisations can lead to a career as a Theatre Nurse, although many Theatre Nurse positions will provide suitably qualified nurses with necessary extra training.
