Operating room technician vs operating room nurse

The differences between operating room technicians and operating room nurses can be seen in a few details. Each job has different responsibilities and duties. While it typically takes 6-12 months to become an operating room technician, becoming an operating room nurse takes usually requires 1-2 years. Additionally, an operating room nurse has an average salary of $68,255, which is higher than the $53,636 average annual salary of an operating room technician.

The top three skills for an operating room technician include patients, patient care and surgical procedures. The most important skills for an operating room nurse are patients, BLS, and acls.

Operating room technician vs operating room nurse overview

	Operating Room Technician	Operating Room Nurse
Yearly salary	$53,636	$68,255
Hourly rate	$25.79	$32.81
Growth rate	6%	6%
Number of jobs	96,065	545,487
Job satisfaction	-	-
Most common degree	Bachelor's Degree, 34%	Bachelor's Degree, 49%
Average age	41	44
Years of experience	12	2

What does an operating room technician do?

An operating room technician is responsible for assisting in the operating room procedures, ensuring the cleanliness and orderliness of the room, inspecting the condition of machines before the operation, and preparing medical tools and equipment accordingly. Operating room technicians guide the patients throughout the surgical procedures, instructing them as necessary regarding the processes. They also monitor the adequacy of surgical supplies inventory and write request reports for purchase. An operating room technician must have excellent communication and organizational skills, as well as the ability to multitask to attend to different patients' needs within a strict, demanding time.

What does an operating room nurse do?

An Operating Room Nurse assists surgeons during operations and keeps the operating room sterile at all times. They ensure that patients are ready for transport to the recovery room.

Operating room technician vs operating room nurse salary

Operating room technicians and operating room nurses have different pay scales, as shown below.

	Operating Room Technician	Operating Room Nurse
Average salary	$53,636	$68,255
Salary range	Between $35,000 And $81,000	Between $42,000 And $108,000
Highest paying City	Corvallis, OR	Urban Honolulu, HI
Highest paying state	Oregon	Hawaii
Best paying company	Maxim Healthcare Group	University of California, Berkeley
Best paying industry	Health Care	Professional

Differences between operating room technician and operating room nurse education

There are a few differences between an operating room technician and an operating room nurse in terms of educational background:

	Operating Room Technician	Operating Room Nurse
Most common degree	Bachelor's Degree, 34%	Bachelor's Degree, 49%
Most common major	Medical Technician	Nursing
Most common college	New York University	Duke University

Operating room technician vs operating room nurse demographics

Here are the differences between operating room technicians' and operating room nurses' demographics:

	Operating Room Technician	Operating Room Nurse
Average age	41	44
Gender ratio	Male, 48.5% Female, 51.5%	Male, 14.8% Female, 85.2%
Race ratio	Black or African American, 13.2% Unknown, 4.2% Hispanic or Latino, 14.4% Asian, 4.8% White, 63.0% American Indian and Alaska Native, 0.4%	Black or African American, 11.6% Unknown, 4.3% Hispanic or Latino, 9.3% Asian, 8.9% White, 65.5% American Indian and Alaska Native, 0.4%
LGBT Percentage	13%	9%

Differences between operating room technician and operating room nurse duties and responsibilities

Operating room technician example responsibilities.

Work collaboratively with surgeons, anesthesiologist, and nursing staff in patients elective surgical procedures to achieve optimum patient outcomes.
Maintain cleanliness and orderliness of the operating rooms according to proper protocols to ensure a sterile environment in preparation for surgery.
Develop mathematics and language arts skills.
Clean stretchers and beds and replace sheets.
Assist with stating iv's on baby's.
Clean and prepare stretchers, wheelchairs, and patient rooms.

Operating room nurse example responsibilities.

Post op surgery assist recovery nurse with obtaining vitals signs and attaching EKG leads and oxygen.
Achieve departmental goals and objectives by instituting SGNA standards and processes for inpatient and outpatient care.
Organize and manage regular clinics involving external physicians, including ophthalmology, ENT, Med/Surg, orthopedics, and podiatry professionals.
General surgery, ortho, GU, GI and ENT and dentals.
Complete BLS and ACLS certification.
Specialize in GYN, urology and orthopedics.

Operating room technician vs operating room nurse skills

Common operating room technician skills

Patients, 21%
Patient Care, 13%
Surgical Procedures, 10%
Surgical Technologist, 8%
Aseptic Technique, 6%
Sponges, 4%

Common operating room nurse skills

Patients, 21%
BLS, 13%
Acls, 7%
Surgical Procedures, 4%
PACU, 3%
Pre-op, 3%

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Operating Room Technician
Operating Room Technician vs Operating Room Nurse

Updated January 8, 2025

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