OR RN Circulator
Grants, New Mexico
Cibola General Hospital

OR RN Circulator - Contract Position

Location: Grants, New Mexico
Employment Type: Contract (13 weeks)
Shift: 1st Shift
Hours per Week: 40

Job Summary

The Operating Room RN Circulator provides professional nursing care to patients undergoing surgical procedures. This role involves managing overall nursing care in the OR, ensuring a safe and sterile environment, coordinating the surgical team, and maintaining accountability for supplies, equipment, and documentation. The position requires versatility, strong clinical judgment, and the ability to work effectively in a resource-limited hospital environment with frequent on-call demands.

Key Responsibilities

• Verify patient identity, surgical site, consent, and history; perform preoperative assessments and participate in time-out procedures.
• Advocate for the anesthetized patient throughout the perioperative phase.
• Prepare the OR suite with necessary equipment, supplies, and instruments prior to procedures.
• Anticipate and respond to surgical team needs; monitor and maintain aseptic/sterile technique.
• Manage non-sterile aspects of the procedure, including opening sterile supplies, handling specimens, documenting intraoperative events, and coordinating with anesthesia, surgeons, and scrub personnel.
• Account for all sponges, sharps, and instruments (surgical counts).
• Continuously assess patient status, vital signs, and physiological responses; collaborate with anesthesia providers to ensure patient stability.
• Provide comfort measures and maintain a safe physical environment.
• Accurately document nursing care, medications, implants, supplies, and patient responses in the electronic health record.
• Maintain inventory of supplies, ensure equipment functionality, and participate in cost-effective resource utilization.
• Assist with patient transfer to PACU or other units, provide hand-off report, and ensure continuity of care.
• Respond promptly to emergencies, including trauma activations, code situations, or complications; participate in on-call rotation for after-hours surgical emergencies.
• Adhere to AORN standards, infection control policies, and regulatory requirements.
• Participate in performance improvement, safety initiatives, and staff education.
• Collaborate with a small, multidisciplinary team; demonstrate flexibility to assist in other perioperative areas as needed.

Required Qualifications

• Valid Registered Nurse (RN) license in New Mexico
• Associate of Science in Nursing (ASN) or Associate Degree in Nursing (ADN)
• Minimum of 3 years of Operating Room (OR) experience, including experience within the last year
• Basic Life Support (BLS) certification issued by the American Heart Association