Operating department practitioner jobs

Practitioner of the Department of Operating

Practitioners in the operating department play an important function in each stage of the operation process for a patient.

The professional life

During each stage of a patient's perioperative care, including anesthesia, surgery, and recovery, you will be responsible for providing high-quality competent care and support to the patient.

You will be a part of the surgical team and will be in charge of managing the preparation of the operating theaters. You will also serve as the liaison between the surgical team and the various elements of the operating theater and hospital that fall under your purview.

In the perioperative care process, there are three stages in which you will play a crucial role:

anaesthetic

surgery

recovery

Anaesthetic

You’ll:

assist and support patients before they have surgery.

Prepare a broad variety of specialized equipment and medications, such as anaesthetic machines, intravenous equipment, and devices that are used to properly secure the patient's airway while they are under anesthesia.

Surgery

You'll be an essential member of the operating room team since you:

prepping for surgery by gathering all of the essential tools and equipment, including endoscopes, microscopes, and lasers.

provide the surgeon with the appropriate equipment and supplies for the operation

holding the responsibility throughout the procedure for all of the surgical tools, equipment, and swabs

Serving as a liaison between the surgical team and the many different departments of the operating room and hospital

preparing for the needs of the surgical team and reacting appropriately to those needs

Recovery

You’ll:

As soon as the patient enters the recovery unit, provide them with care and monitoring.

The necessary therapy must be administered to them until they have fully recovered from the effects of the anesthesia and/or the operation.

evaluate the patient so they may be moved back to a ward once they have been treated.

Entry requirements

You'll need to attend a university and get either a certificate that lasts for two years or a degree that lasts for three years in operating department practice. You will often be required to have a minimum of five GCSEs with grades ranging from 4-9 or A-C, or similar credentials, in addition to A-level or equivalent qualifications. Because of this, it is essential that you get in touch with the educational institutions to which you are giving serious consideration before submitting an application. Before you are allowed to begin working in your field, you must first get registered with the Health and Care Professions Council (HCPC). This happens after you have finished earning your degree. The second option is to make an application for an apprenticeship degree.

Annual payments

If you are qualified, you will receive a yearly stipend of at least $5,000 to assist with the costs of your education at the institution where you are enrolled. Because of the specifics of your life, you could be eligible for a larger payment. And what is the good news? You won't ever be required to make a repayment for it. Find out more about it.

Certification through experience

One other approach to get into the ODP is to complete a degree apprenticeship. Apprenticeships allow you the opportunity to make a livelihood while you are working toward earning your certification. Due to the fact that both your employer and the government will be responsible for paying the tuition costs, apprenticeships are ineligible for student subsidies.

Must-have skills

It is important to keep in mind that scholastic accomplishments are not the only thing that matters. You'll need to have excellent communication skills and feel just as at ease discussing treatment options with patients as you do with your colleagues in the medical field. You will also need to have a strong awareness for safety and a great capacity for observation.

Instruction as well as professional advancement

Once you've earned your certification, you'll be required to participate in annual Continuing Professional Development (CPD) check-ins. During these meetings, we'll talk about your professional goals and devise a strategy for how we can assist you in achieving those goals, ensuring that you're always making progress in your career.

If you want to advance in your profession, you have a few different options, including management, teaching, and clinical research, among others. You also have the option of pursuing more training to become a surgical care practitioner, an associate in anesthesia, or an advanced critical care practitioner.