(1) As used in this section:
(a) “Circulating nurse” means a registered nurse who is responsible for coordinating the nursing care and safety needs of the patient in the operating room and who also meets the needs of operating room team members during surgery.
(b) “Type I ambulatory surgical center” means a licensed health care facility for the performance of outpatient surgical procedures including, but not limited to, cholesystectomies, tonsillectomies or urological procedures, involving general anesthesia or a relatively high infection control consideration.
(2)(a) The duties of a circulating nurse performed in an operating room of a Type I ambulatory surgical center or a hospital shall be performed by a registered nurse licensed under ORS 678.010 to 678.410.
(b) In any case requiring anesthesia or conscious sedation, a circulating nurse shall be assigned to, and present in, an operating room for the duration of the surgical procedure unless it becomes necessary for the circulating nurse to leave the operating room as part of the surgical procedure. While assigned to a surgical procedure, a circulating nurse may not be assigned to any other patient or procedure.
(c) Nothing in this section precludes a circulating nurse from being relieved during a surgical procedure by another circulating nurse assigned to continue the surgical procedure.
(3) At the request of a Type I ambulatory surgical center or a hospital, the Department of Human Services may grant a variance from the requirements of this section based on patient care needs or the nursing practices of the surgical center or hospital. [2005 c.665 §3]
Note: 678.362 was added to and made a part of 678.010 to 678.445 by legislative action but was not added to any smaller series therein. See Preface to Oregon Revised Statutes for further explanation.
(Registered Nurse First Assistants)
Section: Previous 678.320 678.325 678.330 678.335 678.340 678.350 678.360 678.362 678.366 678.370 678.372 678.375 678.380 678.385 678.390 NextLast modified: August 7, 2008