What are typical numbers of nursing staff per case (“skill mix”) in the United States?
Generally, in the US, there is one registered nurse and one surgical technologist or, in some cases, a second RN, per operating room. The circulator (RN) is busy drawing up medications, obtaining supplies and equipment, and so forth. The scrub nurse (surgical technologist or RN) is passing instruments, suture, and other supplies to the surgeons. When a laser is being used, during a liver transplant or burn case, when there is a second sterile table, and so forth, often then there will be another registered nurse in the theatre. For certain cases, there may be a nurse or physician assistant who is scrubbed and assists the surgeon. However, this is not my area of expertise. For more information on your question, click here to be forwarded to OR Manager. I serve on the advisory board of this monthly publication. They have some articles on staffing listed under “Favorite Articles.” In their April 2001 issue, they report results of a survey evaluating skill mix for 19 types of procedures. Y
