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Overview
As a member of the military, Operating Room Nursing Officers provide nursing care in the operating room domain of practice to ill and injured Canadian Armed Forces (CAF) members and supported populations in tertiary care and in-patient care environments in Canada and while on operation. They are employed in the Scrub and Circulating Nurse roles and have experience in the Medical Device Reprocessing Department.
Operating Room Nursing Officers work within a collaborative practice model with other members of the health care team and lead the nursing care delivery within their area of practice. Operating Room Nursing Officers have opportunities to work in different domains of nursing practice including:
- Patient care delivery;
- Policy and program management;
- Clinical leadership; and
- Training and education
Work environment
Operating Room Nursing Officers usually work in civilian hospitals, Canadian Forces Health Services Centres, Operational CAF units, training and education establishments, and Headquarters. The work schedule may vary form shift work to a regular 40-hour work week, depending on the environment. Operating Room Nursing Officers are called to contribute to exercises and domestic or international emergencies.
During field exercises and deployments to military operations abroad, Operating Room Nursing Officers live and work in the same environment as the CAF members they treat.
If you chose a career in the Regular Force, upon completion of all required training, you will be assigned to your first base. While there is some flexibility with regards to postings (relocations), accommodations can’t always be made, and therefore, you can likely expect to move at some point in your career. However, if you decide to join the Primary Reserve Force, you will do so through a specific Reserve unit. Outside of training, your chosen Reserve unit will be your workplace on a part time basis, and you will not be obligated to relocate to a different base. As part of the Primary Reserve Force, you typically work one night per week and some weekends as a minimum with possibilities of full-time employment.
