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Operating room nurse skills for your resume and career

Updated January 8, 2025

4 min read

Quoted experts

Angela Mund,

Angela Mund

Below we've compiled a list of the most critical operating room nurse skills. We ranked the top skills for operating room nurses based on the percentage of resumes they appeared on. For example, 20.7% of operating room nurse resumes contained patients as a skill. Continue reading to find out what skills an operating room nurse needs to be successful in the workplace.

15 operating room nurse skills for your resume and career

1. Patients

Here's how operating room nurses use patients:

Performed preoperative assessments on patients being prepared for surgery, followed facility guidelines in clearing each patient for surgery.
Worked in an ambulatory surgical center serving surgical and pain management patients ranging from pediatrics to geriatrics.

2. BLS

Here's how operating room nurses use bls:

Certified nurse of the operating room, registered first assistant, BLS and ACLS certified.
Audit charts, Staff nurse, ACLS, PALS and BLS certified.

3. Acls

Here's how operating room nurses use acls:

Monitor the respiratory and cardiac response of patients undergoing local procedures as authorized by my ACLS certification.
Maintained all confidential personnel files, license and ACLS and CPR compliance records.

4. Surgical Procedures

Surgical procedures include the list of tasks that are done while doing surgery. Usually, a surgical procedure involves an incision with instruments, performed to repair damage or heal the disease in a living body. Surgical procedures are performed by trained individuals such as surgeons, doctors, and nurses.

Here's how operating room nurses use surgical procedures:

Decreased turnover between surgical procedures by 20 minutes through effective time management and problem solving related to equipment operation.
Functioned in circulating surgical support for emergency surgical procedures and all surgical needs for Labor and Delivery.

5. PACU

Here's how operating room nurses use pacu:

Monitored post-anesthesia patients from arrival in PACU.
Coordinated activities in conjunction with the trauma resuscitation unit, general hospital units, and PACU to ensure proper patient flow.

6. Pre-op

Here's how operating room nurses use pre-op:

Performed all duties of Pre-Op nursing
Performed effective coordination with pre-op staff to ensure patient preparation requirements met clinical and regulatory requirements.

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7. Perioperative

Here's how operating room nurses use perioperative:

Participated as a member of a perioperative surgical team specializing in urological/gynecological and general vascular procedures.
Participated in various quality control activities as directed by the Perioperative Director and Nurse Manager.

8. Physician Orders

Physician orders are an instruction or a set of instructions given to a patient by a doctor. This could range from being put on bedrest to being given a prescription to fill and take.

Here's how operating room nurses use physician orders:

Coordinated and monitored patients following hospital procedures and physician orders.
Reviewed and implemented physician orders.

9. AORN

Here's how operating room nurses use aorn:

Appropriate positioning of patients as per AORN standards Prepare the OR suite according to surgeon's preference.
Nurse Manager of all laser equipment and safety protocols following national, OSHA and AORN standards.

10. RNs

Here's how operating room nurses use rns:

Supervised staff of RNs, Scrub Technicians, Instrument Technicians and X-ray technicians in a six suite OR ambulatory surgery center.
Teach medical students, student nurses, and new RNs about the OR and its surroundings.

11. Intubation

Here's how operating room nurses use intubation:

Assisted with intubation and maintaining a sterile environment during operative procedures.
Assisted the anesthesiologist with positioning the patient and intubation.

12. Rehabilitation

Here's how operating room nurses use rehabilitation:

Served in rehabilitation and Medical/Surgical units
Performed primary care and team care nursing in medical-surgical, telemetry and rehabilitation units in various hospitals and clinics in Sacramento.

13. Surgical Services

Surgical Services refers to any service where a surgical procedure may be supported. These services may be intervention- or procedure-based and may be used to treat various ailments ranging from fractured limbs, removal of a tumor or diseased organ, or collecting a biopsy sample. Multiple branches of medicine rely on surgical services, such as oncology, radiology, and OB/GYN.

Here's how operating room nurses use surgical services:

Implemented Surgical Services On-line Inventory Supply Chain Implemented Case Cart System for Surgical and Obstetrical Services
Nurse Manager Urological Surgical Services- responsible for patient care, surgical supplies/instrumentation and budget.

14. CNOR

Here's how operating room nurses use cnor:

Continue Education of OR care, CNOR certification.
Certified Nurse Operating Room (CNOR) Certification.

15. Compassion

Here's how operating room nurses use compassion:

Demonstrate compassion and sensitivity to pain management, emotional support and family needs during delivery of post anesthesia care for patients.
Leveraged compassion in facilitating pain management and completing prescribed treatments and reassessing effectiveness of therapy.

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What skills help Operating Room Nurses find jobs?

Tell us what job you are looking for, we’ll show you what skills employers want.

What type of skills will young operating room nurses need?

Angela Mund

Vice President, American Association of Nurse Anesthetists

To meet the needs of our current volatile and complex healthcare landscape, all healthcare providers will need to understand the business of healthcare, in addition to providing expert patient care. Starting in 2025, all graduates from nurse anesthesia programs will be awarded a doctoral degree, a doctorate in nursing practice (DNP), or a doctorate in nurse anesthesia practice (DNAP). These degree programs include additional anesthesia experience as well as an understanding of effective leadership, healthcare economics and reimbursement, the use of big data for improving patient outcomes, and evidence-based practice.

What skills stand out on operating room nurse resumes?

Angela Mund

Vice President, American Association of Nurse Anesthetists

To become a CRNA, the applicant must first be a registered nurse and graduate of a baccalaureate nursing program. A minimum of one year of clinical experience in an intensive care unit (ICU) is required. The application process is rigorous, and many nurse anesthesia programs are seeing higher than typical applicant numbers, perhaps due to the impact of COVID-19 on the ICU nurse workforce.

The most competitive applicants will have an overall GPA >3.5. Basic science courses are heavily weighted with respect to both course grade and type of course. A competitive resumé should include evidence of clinical expertise, leadership, volunteerism, and scholarly work. In addition, all registered nurse applicants should have shadowed a CRNA to learn about the profession prior to application. The interview process may include assessments of critical thinking, decision-making, and emotional intelligence.

What soft skills should all operating room nurses possess?

Diane Salvador Ph.D.

Executive Director and Professor, Elmhurst University

The most important skill for new nursing graduates is critical thinking. You will be put into varying roles and assume different responsibilities. You must critically think and evaluate situations you find yourself in and make wise nursing decisions. Another important skill that we emphasize in education is communication - this is key to safe, quality care.

What hard/technical skills are most important for operating room nurses?

Diane Salvador Ph.D.

Executive Director and Professor, Elmhurst University

New nurses should be prepared to demonstrate proficiency in basic nursing care and procedures. It is important to realize that each hospital has its own policy and procedure to follow, so taking advantage of your nurse preceptor and orientation program will ensure you are familiar with these basic procedures.

What operating room nurse skills would you recommend for someone trying to advance their career?

Dr. Karen Macey-Stewart DNP, A-GNP-C, PMGT-BC

Undergraduate Program Director, Professor of Practice

In today's world, nurses must be well-versed in technology as we have seen a rise in telehealth due to the COVID-19 pandemic. The utilization of technology will also play a crucial role in effective communication that is easy to understand, succinct, and culturally appropriate when providing healthcare services and education. However, we must remember that we cannot rely solely on technology but remain focused on the human side of caring as nurses. Other pertinent skills that will become important would be empathy, conflict resolution, and adaptability in healthcare, as it is constantly changing. Having these skills can save a client's life.

Do you want to know more?

List of operating room nurse skills to add to your resume

The most important skills for an operating room nurse resume and required skills for an operating room nurse to have include:

Patients
BLS
Acls
Surgical Procedures
PACU
Pre-op
Perioperative
Physician Orders
AORN
RNs
Intubation
Rehabilitation
Surgical Services
CNOR
Compassion
Pre-operative
Direct Patient Care

Patient Education
Patient Safety
Antibiotics
Ambulatory Surgery
Home Health
Surgical Instruments
IV
General Surgery
Quality Patient Care
Extubation
GYN
Pain Management
Thoracic
Pediatrics
Infection Control
Spine
Care Plan

Orthopedic Surgery
EMR
EKG
Robotic Surgery
Ophthalmology
Aseptic Technique
Vital Signs
Medication Administration
GI
Nursing Diagnosis
Endoscopy
Podiatry
Emotional Support
Advanced Life Support
Anesthesia Care
Surgical Specialties

Updated January 8, 2025

Zippia Team

Editorial Staff

The Zippia Research Team has spent countless hours reviewing resumes, job postings, and government data to determine what goes into getting a job in each phase of life. Professional writers and data scientists comprise the Zippia Research Team.

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Operating Room Nurse Skills

Updated January 8, 2025

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