OPERATING DEPARTMENT PRACTITIONER, OPERATION THEATRE

Tawakkal Specialist Hospital; Kuala Lumpur; On-site; MYR 72,000 - 115,200; Full time

Job summary

Tawakkal Specialist Hospital is seeking a dedicated nurse to provide professional care in the operating theatre, anaesthesia, recovery, and endoscopy units. You will work closely with surgeons and ward staff to prepare, monitor, and support patients throughout procedures, ensuring safety and adherence to hospital policies.

The role requires strong communication in English and Bahasa Malaysia, teamwork, and flexible hours including weekends.

Qualifications

• Certificate or Diploma in Operating Department Practice completed.
• Experience or familiarity with operating room procedures preferred.
• Excellent communication and teamwork abilities.
• Willingness to work across OT, anaesthesia, recovery, and endoscopy units.

Responsibilities

• Prepare OT room and equipment for procedures and maintain sterility.
• Assist in patient transfer and positioning for surgery.
• Support surgeons and anesthesia team during operations and recovery.
• Ensure accurate documentation and proper waste disposal.
• Maintain stock and equipment readiness, including instruments and supplies.
• Collaborate with nurses and ward staff to optimize OT usage.

Skills

English proficiency

Bahasa Malaysia

Interpersonal skills

Team collaboration

Education

Certificate in Operating Department Practice

Diploma in Operating Department Practice

Job description

General Description

Accountable for providing professional nursing care in surgery, anesthesia, recovery, and endoscopy to patients within a hospital unit while adhering to hospital policies and nursing services principles to ensure high‑quality care.

Operation Theatre Responsibilities

• Adhere to nursing care vision, mission, goals, and objectives; align with the scope of nursing services and perform duties as assigned by the Unit Manager to ensure high-quality care is rendered.
• Notify the unit manager of any changes in the situation that could impact the standards of care.
• Prepare the operation theatre room for use by checking damp dusting, gas cylinders, testing equipment, replenishing stocks such as lotion, suture, and procedure set, and preparing trolleys.
• Collaborate with ward staff to ensure patients arrive on time for procedures and optimize OT utilization.
• Participate in unit meetings, dialogue sessions, and other hospital activities.
• Maintain accurate records of linen, equipment, and medical supplies; condemn old or unusable items for disposal if necessary; perform assigned tasks and provide feedback.
• Charge accurately by incorporating charges for equipment and consumable items into the patient’s charges and verifying their completeness.
• Inspect, maintain, and document the supply of sterile packs to ensure packaging integrity and maintain an adequate supply of unit stock from central sterile supply services.

Scrub and Recovery Staff Responsibilities

• Verify patient identity and surgery details according to the OT list in the reception area and accompany patients safely into the operating rooms.
• Provide necessary surgical instruments, arranging them by usage, maintaining sterility, and ensuring an adequate supply of lotions and items according to the surgeon’s preference.
• Perform a surgical hand scrub, wear a sterile gown and gloves, and prepare and position the patient according to the type of surgery.
• Anticipate surgeon needs, assist in coagulation of bleeders, maintain instrument sterility and cleanliness, pass correct specimens to the circulating nurse, perform swab and instrument counts, and notify if there is any fault.
• Support surgeons in all operative procedures, provide consultation about patient care in the Operation Theatre, resuscitate patients in emergency, and report counts as correct or incorrect to the surgeon.
• Check and handle specimens properly after each case, confirming with the registered nurse or surgeon before sending them to the laboratory or pathology services.
• Provide cleanliness and organize drapes and instruments; dispose of sharps in designated containers; complete all case‑related documents.
• Accompany patients safely into the recovery room before being sent to the ward and record all cases in the Operation Theatre Record Book.
• Collaborate with registered nurses to provide high‑quality care, perform specific post‑operative instructions as ordered, ensure patient safety, monitor vital signs, manage surgical drainage systems, collect specimens and laboratory results, complete documentation, and notify abnormal findings.

Anaesthesia Staff Responsibilities

• Provide patient education and reassurance before surgery, avoid unnecessary conversation if the patient is drowsy due to pre‑medication, and assess patients’ medical history and allergies.
• Prepare a wide range of specialist equipment and drugs, including anesthetic machines, intravenous equipment, and airway devices.
• Ensure patient safety during anesthesia by checking denture removal, loose teeth, contact lens removal, and confirming any oral intake.

Circulating Staff Responsibilities

• Collaborate with the sterile scrub person by providing and opening sterile supplies required for the patient’s arrival and the surgeon’s needs.
• Fasten the scrub person’s gown after the scrub procedure.
• Check and communicate with the scrub person if additional supplies or instruments are needed.
• Open sterile supply packages using proper techniques to maintain sterility and verify the list of suture materials and sizes based on the surgeon’s preferences.
• Perform a brief assessment of the patient, accompany them during the induction of general anesthesia, and assist the anesthesia nurse during induction and intubation.
• Support the surgeon and their assistants with gowning after scrub, observe for any breaks in sterile technique during draping, and anticipate the needs of the sterile team member during the surgical procedure.
• Ensure the completeness of all related documents in the patient’s chart, permanent operation room record, and other relevant records; count sponges, sharps, and instruments with the scrub person during closure.

Central Sterilizing Supply Service Responsibilities

• Maintain cleanliness and hygiene in the unit.
• Assist in the proper handling and washing of medical instruments, ensuring their condition before assembly, and record any condemned items for isolation.
• Execute packing of operating theatre and procedure sets for all wards and services, adhering to the "First‑In, First‑Out" system, and ensure the integrity of sterilized items.
• Maintain inventory of materials, disposables, and instruments; check weekly for theatre services and every three months for other services; supervise Care Assistants and Attendants.
• Execute cleaning of the autoclave chamber and maintain records.

Endoscopy Services Responsibilities

• Perform thorough cleaning each morning, including sanitizing trolleys, lamps, and walls to ensure hygiene and safety.
• Prepare and inspect the camera system, endoscope, monitoring system, oxygen, and suction apparatus to ensure proper functioning and readiness for procedures.
• Receive patients from the ward or clinic, escort them to the procedure room, and assist in positioning appropriately for the procedure.
• Support for holding the bite block, ensure the patient’s chin is tilted toward the chest, the head is in the midline during gastroscopy, and position the patient recumbent with the head propped up at 45 degrees for bronchoscopy; place a protective pad on the chest.
• Post‑procedure, transfer the patient to the recovery room and assist in their comfort.
• Perform cleaning of the floor, trolleys, walls, and lamps for the entire unit at the end of the day.
• Conduct weekly cleaning of the entire unit to maintain high standards of cleanliness and hygiene.
• Organize the unit, switch off the lights, obtain supplies from the store as needed, and secure the unit before leaving.
• Notify any loss or malfunction of machines and lights to the Unit Manager.

Job Requirements

• Education: Certificate in Operating Department Practice Program or Diploma in Operating Department Practice Program.
• Knowledge and Experience: Certified Basic Life Support is a priority; experience working in a hospital is an advantage; experience assisting the surgeon in various disciplines of surgery.
• Skills & Competencies: Fluent communication in English and Bahasa Malaysia; Microsoft Office literacy.
• Personal Attributes: Interpersonal and communication skills; caring, honest, and responsible; willingness to work scheduled hours, shifts and weekends, public holidays, and any time called during an emergency.