The role of the Operating Department Practitioner
Working as an operating department practitioner (ODP) is diverse and includes a wide range of skills across the entire perioperative patient journey.
As a registered ODP you’ll work in one or more of three main areas in the theatre environment, as well as in critical care environments such as intensive care and A&E. You’ll gain competence in all areas of theatres through focused practice modules across your entire course. You’ll be supervised throughout your course by qualified mentors. The three main areas are: anaesthetics, surgery and Post-Anaesthetic Care Unit (PACU).
Operating department practitioner roles
Anaesthetics role
Anaesthesia is a skilled area, requiring attention to detail, technological knowledge, knowledge of anatomy and physiology and pharmacology, and importantly excellent communication skills, compassion and empathy and respect for patient dignity.
The ODP plays a vital role in this field, acting as the anaesthetists’ assistant. Undergoing anaesthesia is a frightening experience for many patients, and you’ll learn how to support patients through this difficult time. Your duties during these placements, and in your work as a registered ODP, will include:
- Checking the anaesthetic machine and troubleshooting problems
- Getting the anaesthetic room ready – including preparation of a range of airway equipment, equipment for cannulation, preparation of equipment used for drug administration
- Greeting the patient and ensuring they are comfortable and all details are correct
- Participating in the WHO Checklist
- Applying basic monitoring and assisting with application of more advanced monitoring
- Airway management
- Assisting with administration of anaesthetic
- Assisting with safe positioning of the patient
- Liaising with other departments and other theatre teams
- Communicating with the anaesthetist and all other members of the perioperative team
Throughout your course you may get experience in a wide range of anaesthetic techniques and specialities including:
- General, regional and local anaesthesia across a range of specialities
- Emergency and trauma anaesthesia
- Paediatric anaesthesia
- Shared airway
- Obstetric anaesthesia
- Critical care airway management
- Resuscitation airway management
Surgery: scrubbed role and circulating role
In the surgical role the ODP can perform two different tasks: acting as the scrub practitioner, or circulating practitioner. You’ll commonly work in both roles in one day.
Both roles involve working closely with a team of theatre practitioners, surgeons and anaesthetists to deliver excellent and safe patient care. Across the course you’ll gain experience in a range of specialities which may include:
- Laparoscopic surgery
- General surgery
- Urology
- Obstetrics
- Orthopaedics
- Gynaecology
- Plastic surgery
- Ophthalmic surgery
- Trauma
- Ear, nose and throat
- Neurosurgery
- Cardiothoracics
Scrubbed role
In the scrubbed role you’ll wear a surgical gown and gloves and will be part of the sterile team performing the operation on the patient. You’ll work closely with your surgeon, or surgeons and will act as a vital link between the sterile team and the rest of the theatre team. Your duties may include:
- Helping to check the equipment and prepare the theatre before the operating list starts
- Wearing surgical gowns and gloves and being ‘sterile’
- Participating in the WHO Checklist
- Communicating with the patient if they are awake
- Ensuring dignity of the patient is maintained
- Preparing the patients skin and using sterile drapes to create a sterile field
- Ensuring the sterile field is not broken during the procedure
- Counting and keeping track of all instruments, swabs and sharps used for the procedure
- Providing the surgeon with the necessary equipment
- Anticipating the needs of your surgeon
- Communicating with the rest of the theatre team
- Handing over the patients surgical care to PACU staff
Circulating role
The circulating practitioner, sometimes called a ‘runner’, is a vital part of the surgical team, and provides a link between the theatre and the rest of the hospital. Circulating practitioners may perform the following duties:
- Helping to check the equipment and prepare the theatre before the operating list starts
- Communicating with the patient if they are awake
- Ensuring patient dignity is maintained
- Helping to achieve safe positioning of the patient
- Acting as the second person during surgical counts
- Ensuring all necessary equipment is available, working and connected to the patient
- Ensuring the sterile field remains sterile
- Ensuring the theatre remains clear of obstacles
- Liaising between the theatre team and scrubbed practitioner
- Liaising with other theatres and departments as necessary
Post-Anaesthetic Care Unit (PACU)
The Post Anaesthetic Care Unit (PACU), sometimes known as recovery, is the final stage in patients’ perioperative journey, and employs a one-to-one practitioner to patient ratio.
The purpose of PACU is to assess the patients after their operation and prepare them for discharge to a ward, discharge unit, intensive care unit or other department as needed. This makes PACU a very diverse area to work in and you will commonly experience a range of anaesthetic techniques, surgeries and specific needs of patients in a day, meaning you need to be able to think on your feet and react under pressure. Smooth running of the theatre department relies on a streamlined PACU process, so you will be playing a vital role as part of the larger theatre team. Additionally anaesthesia can have different effects on different individuals, and this can be a very frightening time for many patients, so you will need to show empathy, compassion and respect throughout. Sometimes a patient may come to PACU from another ward to be monitored before being transferred out of the department.
Your duties in PACU may include:
- Comprehensive A, B, C, D, E (Airway, Breathing, Circulation, Disability, Exposure) assessment on receiving a patient from theatres
- Airway management as necessary
- Continual monitoring of your patient during their stay in PACU
- Providing pain relief as necessary
- Providing warming devices as necessary
- Communicating with the patient and providing reassurance
- Ensuring dignity is maintained
- Providing anti-sickness medication as necessary
- Liaising with wards and other departments
- Liaising with theatres
- Liaising with anaesthetists
- Liaising with the PACU team
- Completing the care plan
- Providing a detailed handover of the patients operation to ward staff
- Caring for critically unwell patients, and possibly their carers or relatives