A Day In The Life: Surgical Nurse Practitioner

Have you ever wondered what it is like to be a Surgical Nurse Practitioner? Here is your inside look into the typical week of a Surgical Nurse Practitioner.

Surgery is a specialized field of nursing where the nurse practitioner works closely with surgeons, often in both inpatient and outpatient settings. Thus, schedules for these specialized NPs are usually dynamic.

Here is a look into my typical week!

Week 1: Week 2:

Monday: SURGERY Monday: SURGERY

Tuesday: SURGERY Tuesday: SURGERY

Wednesday: CLINIC Wednesday: CLINIC

Thursday: CLINIC Thursday: CLINIC

Friday: CLINIC Friday: SURGERY

Saturday/Sunday: ROUNDING/CALL Saturday/Sunday: ROUNDING/CALL

Surgery Days:

Operating days usually begin around 0630-0645, depending on whether or not we have patients in the hospital. If we do have patients in the hospital, I get there early enough to give myself enough time to see all of my patients before surgery starts at 0730. I usually allow about 15 minutes per patient, which includes visiting the patient and writing a note.

After that, I go to the pre-op area to talk to the surgical patient for that day. I usually pop in to say hello, answer any last-minute questions and make sure all of our paperwork is in order (consents, orders, etc.) so as soon as my surgeon arrives, we can get going. In addition, I always examine the patient before surgery even though the patient has usually had a preoperative visit just days before. Things can always change, especially with our neurosurgery patients that can have preoperative deficits in motor strength or radicular pain.

Next, I go to the operating room and check in with the team (Nurses, Surgical Techs, and anesthesia). Surgery has a lot of moving parts, and we need to make sure everything is ready to go, from equipment to implants to staff. One of my main jobs is to diffuse all potential "situations" before the surgeon gets to the facility to ensure a smooth start to the day.

Finally, we get to the surgery! My job is to assist the surgeon during the procedure and closing the incision after the surgery is completed. Depending on what type of surgery, this can take anywhere from one hour to several hours.

Lastly, after the procedure is over, I write the post-op orders for the patient, and the process starts again for the next patient!

"One of my main jobs is to diffuse all potential "situations" before the surgery"

Clinic Days:

Non-operating days usually start with rounding before the clinic. Again, I usually give myself about 15 minutes per patient, so I get to the hospital accordingly to be at the clinic at about 0800. Not all of our patients need to stay overnight; some are same-day outpatient procedures.

Clinic is usually from 0800-1400, but that can vary depending on how many patients I have. My clinic is typically a mix of new patients and follow-ups (specialty clinics are generally less busy than typical primary care clinics). In addition to seeing patients, I also return phone calls for post-op patients, refill medications and clarify any information insurances may need to get authorization for any orders we write.

Rounding/Call

The call schedule will vary depending on the facility. A weekend call for me is usually two weekends/per month. A call typically includes being on call for the practice and weekend rounding. However, since we operate early in the week, most patients go home before the weekend. In addition, calls also include urgent/emergent surgeries that occasionally present. Since we are in private practice and don't work for a hospital, we are responsible only for our patients. Although, we sometimes get an inpatient consult while on call.

All in all, every practice will have a different schedule. The reason I enjoy working as a surgical NP is the dynamic schedule. As an operating room nurse at heart, I love the surgical environment and the mix of surgical and clinic days throughout the week. If you are considering a career in surgery, the one thing you can guarantee is there will be some call involved, which may be a deal breaker for some, and that's OK! Surgery is certainly not for everyone, but for me, I couldn't see myself doing anything else.

-Matt

Stay tuned for "How to become a Surgical NP""!

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