What Does a Procedure Nurse Do? A Comprehensive Guide to This Specialized Role

October 2, 2025 •

5 min read

Perioperative nursing is one of the earliest specialized fields in nursing, with a history stretching back to the late 19th century. Today, the role has evolved into a vital, multifaceted position where a procedure nurse provides comprehensive care to patients undergoing a wide variety of medical interventions, from minor surgeries to complex diagnostic tests.

Quick Summary

A procedure nurse is a specialized registered nurse who manages patient care throughout the procedural process, handling preparation, monitoring, assisting the medical team, and overseeing post-procedure recovery. The role demands high-level clinical and technical skills, precise documentation, and strong patient advocacy to ensure successful outcomes and safety.

Key Points

Prepares and Monitors Patients: A procedure nurse conducts preoperative assessments, educates patients, and monitors their vital signs before, during, and after a medical procedure.
Facilitates Team Communication: During a procedure, the nurse facilitates communication among the surgical team, ensuring all steps, including the critical 'time out,' are followed correctly for patient safety.
Assists in Various Procedural Settings: The role is not limited to traditional operating rooms, with procedure nurses working in outpatient clinics, endoscopy units, and interventional radiology suites.
Manages Post-Procedure Recovery: A key responsibility is managing the patient's recovery phase, controlling pain and nausea, and providing essential discharge education.
Requires Specialized Skills: Beyond an RN license, the role demands strong critical thinking, acute attention to detail, and the ability to work calmly under pressure.
Can Have Distinct Intraoperative Roles: Within the procedure room, a nurse may act as a 'scrub nurse,' assisting the surgeon directly, or a 'circulating nurse,' managing the overall room and communication.

A procedure nurse, also commonly known as a procedural, perioperative, or operating room (OR) nurse, is a specialized registered nurse (RN) who provides comprehensive care for patients undergoing a wide range of medical procedures. This role is a crucial part of the surgical team, ensuring patient safety, comfort, and positive outcomes at every stage of the patient's journey. From patient preparation to post-procedure recovery, the procedure nurse acts as a highly skilled and diligent patient advocate.

The Three Phases of Care for a Procedure Nurse

The responsibilities of a procedure nurse can be broken down into three distinct phases of care: preoperative, intraoperative, and postoperative. In each phase, the nurse performs a unique set of tasks vital to the procedure's success.

Preoperative (Pre-Op) Responsibilities

Before the procedure begins, the nurse's role is to ensure the patient is physically and emotionally prepared. These tasks lay the groundwork for a safe and efficient intervention.

Patient Assessment and History: The nurse conducts a thorough assessment, reviewing the patient's medical history, current medications, allergies, and lab results. This includes a detailed physical examination to confirm the patient's condition is stable for the upcoming procedure.
Patient and Family Education: An important part of the role is to educate the patient and their family about the procedure, what to expect, and any risks involved. This helps alleviate fear and anxiety, ensuring the patient provides informed consent.
Preparation: The nurse prepares the patient by starting intravenous (IV) lines, administering preoperative medications (like antibiotics or conscious sedation), and confirming that all necessary paperwork and consent forms are completed.

Intraoperative (Intra-Op) Responsibilities

During the procedure, the nurse works within the operating or procedure room. This phase often involves specialized roles such as the scrub nurse and the circulating nurse.

Scrub Nurse: Working within the sterile field, the scrub nurse assists the surgeon directly by setting up and managing the surgical instruments and supplies. They anticipate the surgeon's needs, passing instruments and other items throughout the procedure.
Circulating Nurse: This role manages the overall nursing care in the room and stays outside the sterile field. They are the patient's advocate, monitoring the patient's vital signs, managing paperwork, coordinating with other team members (like anesthesiologists), and retrieving additional equipment or supplies as needed.
Team Communication: Before the procedure, the circulating nurse conducts a "time out," where the entire team reviews the procedure details, patient identity, and surgical site to prevent errors.

Postoperative (Post-Op) Responsibilities

Following the procedure, the nurse's focus shifts to monitoring the patient's recovery and preparing for their next steps. This is often done in a post-anesthesia care unit (PACU) or recovery room.

Vital Sign Monitoring: The nurse continuously monitors the patient's vital signs as they recover from anesthesia or sedation, watching for any complications or adverse reactions.
Pain and Nausea Management: Providing comfort is a key priority. The nurse administers pain medication and anti-nausea drugs as ordered by the physician.
Discharge Education: For patients being discharged home, the nurse provides detailed instructions on wound care, medication management, and signs of potential complications.

Types of Procedures and Work Environments

Procedure nurses can be found in various settings, from hospital operating rooms to outpatient clinics. The procedures they assist with are equally diverse.

Some common procedures include:

Endoscopies and Colonoscopies: Assisting with procedures where a flexible tube with a camera is used to examine internal organs.
Cardiac Catheterization: Helping during procedures that use a thin tube to diagnose and treat heart conditions.
Interventional Radiology: Supporting minimally invasive, image-guided diagnostic and treatment procedures.
Minor Surgical Procedures: Assisting with a variety of minor outpatient surgeries.
Conscious Sedation: Monitoring patients receiving sedation for minor procedures.

Procedure Nurse vs. Other Nursing Roles

While many nursing roles involve patient care, the procedure nurse's focus is distinct. The following table highlights key differences between a procedure nurse and other common nursing specializations.


Feature	Procedure Nurse (e.g., OR/PACU)	Medical-Surgical (Med-Surg) Nurse	Intensive Care Unit (ICU) Nurse
Work Environment	Controlled, fast-paced environment focused on procedural efficiency.	Broader floor-based setting, managing multiple patients with varied conditions.	Highly acute, critical-care setting with continuous, in-depth patient monitoring.
Patient Focus	Guides the patient through a specific procedural journey (pre, intra, post).	Manages a broad range of patient needs for various diagnoses.	Provides specialized, high-intensity care for critically ill patients.
Patient Relationships	Shorter, intense interactions during the procedural phase.	Builds relationships with patients over multiple shifts or days.	Often works closely with a single, critically ill patient for an extended period.
Pace	Can be structured and controlled, but with high intensity during the procedure itself.	Often busy and unpredictable, with many patient priorities to manage.	Requires constant vigilance and quick response to rapidly changing patient conditions.

How to Become a Procedure Nurse

The path to becoming a procedure nurse requires a specific educational and professional journey. Based on information from RegisteredNursing.org and other sources, here are the general steps:

Obtain an RN License: This requires graduating from an accredited nursing program (Associate's Degree in Nursing or Bachelor of Science in Nursing) and passing the NCLEX-RN examination.
Gain Clinical Experience: Many perioperative positions prefer at least one to two years of general nursing experience, often in a med-surg or critical care setting.
Specialize in Perioperative Nursing: This can be achieved through on-the-job training, specialized internships (like AORN's Periop 101 curriculum), or by pursuing a relevant certification.
Pursue Certification (Optional but Recommended): Certifications like the Certified Perioperative Nurse (CNOR) demonstrate advanced competence and can increase earning potential.

Conclusion

What does a procedure nurse do? They are highly skilled, detail-oriented RNs who are integral to the procedural process, from start to finish. Through their specialized knowledge, clinical expertise, and strong communication skills, they ensure the safety and well-being of patients during some of the most critical moments of their healthcare journey. It is a demanding, fast-paced, and rewarding career for nurses who thrive in a structured, team-based environment, and their contributions are essential to the success of every medical procedure.

Required Skills and Traits

Attention to Detail: Precision is paramount, especially when handling sterile equipment or administering medication.
Critical Thinking: The ability to quickly assess and respond to a patient's changing condition is essential.
Adaptability and Resilience: The procedural environment can be stressful and unpredictable, requiring a calm demeanor and flexibility.
Teamwork and Communication: Close collaboration with surgeons, anesthesiologists, and other staff is crucial for a seamless process.
Emotional Resilience: Providing comfort and reassurance to anxious patients and their families requires empathy and a strong emotional core.

Frequently Asked Questions

A procedure nurse is a registered nurse (RN) with specialized training and skills focused on assisting with and managing patient care during specific medical and surgical procedures. While all nurses are trained in general patient care, procedure nurses have a narrower, more intense focus on the procedural setting, from preparation and sedation to post-procedure recovery.

Procedure nurses assist with a broad array of medical interventions. This can include minimally invasive procedures like endoscopies and cardiac catheterizations, as well as minor surgeries and treatments involving conscious sedation.

The circulating nurse works within the procedure room but stays outside the sterile field. Their duties include monitoring the patient, managing paperwork, coordinating with the entire medical team, and ensuring all necessary supplies and equipment are available and organized.

To become a procedure nurse, one must first become a registered nurse (RN) by completing a nursing program and passing the NCLEX-RN exam. Many employers then require one to two years of general clinical experience before moving into a specialized perioperative role, often with additional training or certification.

While not always required, certifications like the Certified Perioperative Nurse (CNOR) are highly recommended. They validate a nurse's specialized knowledge, increase their marketability, and can lead to higher earning potential and career advancement.

Key skills for this role include a meticulous attention to detail, strong critical thinking, quick adaptability, and excellent communication. They must be able to perform under pressure while maintaining a calm and compassionate demeanor for patients.

Procedure nurses work in various settings, including hospital operating rooms, post-anesthesia care units (PACUs), outpatient ambulatory surgery centers, and specialized clinics or physicians' offices that perform invasive procedures.