Registered Nurse - Operating Room
Sign-on Bonus up to $15,000 | New Grads Welcome
Relocation Assistance up to $5,000*
Join a high-performing operating room team where specialty expertise, advanced technology, and teamwork come together every day.
At Mercy Cedar Rapids, our OR is organized into dedicated specialty teams, giving you the opportunity to deepen your skills while working with cutting-edge surgical technology. Whether your passion is orthopedics, neuro, open heart, ENT, robotics, or anesthesia support, there’s a place to grow here.
Why You'll Love The OR
- Specialty Team Structure - work within focused teams including Orthopedics, Neuro, Open Heart, ENT/Plastics, General/Robotics, and Anesthesia
- Advanced Technology - MAKO & ROSA robots (Ortho), O-Arm & Stealth Navigation (Neuro), 3 DaVinci robots (General), dedicated cardiac OR suites
- Skill Expansion - opportunities to support pediatric ENT, sports medicine, trauma, vascular, urology (HOLEP), and open heart procedures
What You'll Do
- Maintain sterile technique and ensure surgical field integrity
- Anticipate surgeon and procedural needs through critical thinking and preparation
- Document procedures accurately and ensure appropriate charge capture
- Collaborate closely with surgeons, anesthesia, surgical techs, and specialty teams
- Assist with positioning, line placement support, and patient safety measures
- Respond confidently to intraoperative emergencies
- Support evidence-based practice and OR safety standards
Knowledge & Skills You'll Need
- Strong understanding of surgical workflow and sterile technique
- Ability to anticipate needs and think several steps ahead during procedures
- Excellent teamwork and communication skills
- Comfort working in high-acuity, fast-paced environments
- Attention to detail in documentation and supply management
- Adaptability across surgical specialties
What We're Looking For
- Current RN license (Iowa or compact state)
- BLS certification (AHA required)
- ACLS (or obtain within 6 months based on specialty team)
- Iowa Dependent Adult Abuse/Iowa Child Abuse Mandatory Reporter training (required)
- BSN preferred, not required
- OR experience preferred, not required
- Nurse who is precise, calm under pressure, collaborative, and committed to excellence
OR Focused-Team Highlights
Dive a little deeper into the focused specialty teams within the OR department, including schedule, on-call pay and shift details.
Whether you are an experienced nurse looking for a change or a new nurse graduate just starting out, each OR team offers a supportive, team-based environment.
Anesthesia Team
Schedule:
- 0700-1530 with call every 4th weekend & rotating holidays
- On-Call Pay: $6/hr
- 40 hours/week = full-time pay & benefits
Anesthesia Team Responsibilities:
- Drawing up medications for anesthesia induction
- Assisting with intubations and airway management
- Setting up arterial and blood lines, and aiding in ordering blood products
- Performing IV placement, including pediatric patients
- Assisting with central and arterial line placements
- Helping position patients for surgery in various positions such as supine, prone, beach chair, lateral, and lithotomy
- Providing anesthesia support during off-site procedures including CT, MRI, Cath Lab, Bronchoscopies, and ICU
- Stocking anesthesia equipment and supplies
- Conducting daily crash cart and malignant hyperthermia cart checks
- Assisting anesthesia teams during Open Heart surgeries
- Mixing emergency drips as needed
- Must maintain current ACLS and PALS certifications
ENT/Plastics Team
Schedule
- 0700-1530 with call every 7th weekend & rotating holidays
- On-Call Pay: $6/hr
- 40 hours/week = full-time pay & benefits
ENT/Plastics Team Highlights:
- Recently added pediatric ENT
General OR Team
Schedule
- 0700-1530 with call every 7th weekend & rotating holidays
- On-Call Pay: $6/hr
- 40 hours/week = full-time pay & benefits
General Team Highlights:
- 3 DaVinci Robots
- HOLEP Procedure in Urology
Neuro Team
Schedule:
- 0700-1530 with call every 7th weekend & rotating holidays
- On-Call Pay: $6/hr
- 40 hours/week = full-time pay & benefit
Neuro Team Highlights:
- O-Arm and Stealth Navigation
Off-Shift Team
Schedule
- 3-12 hour shifts, no weekday call - only on weekends, & rotating holidays
- On-Call Pay: $6/hr
- 40 hours/week = full-time pay & benefits
Open-Heart Team
Schedule:
- 0700-1530 with call every 3rd weekend, dependent on staffing & rotating holidays
- On-Call Pay: $6/hr
- 40 hours/week = full-time pay & benefits
Open Heart Team Highlights:
- Two dedicated OR's for Cardiac and Vascular
Orthopedics Team
Schedule
- 0700-1530 with call every 7th weekend & rotating holidays
- On-Call Pay: $6/hr
- 40 hours/week = full-time pay & benefits
Ortho Team Highlights:
- 2 MAKO Robots
- ROSA Robot
- Expanding Pediatric orthopedic population, sports medicine and trauma
Ready to Learn More?
View current opportunities, full job descriptions and details on how to apply.
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*Relocation assistance available to candidates with a home-address more than 75 miles from Mercy Medical Center in downtown Cedar Rapids, Iowa. Ask your talent acquisition consultant for additional details.