Orthopedic Nurse Job Description, Key Duties and Responsibilities

This post provides exhaustive information on the job description of an orthopedic nurse, to boost your knowledge of the key duties, tasks, and responsibilities they commonly perform.

What Does an Orthopedic Nurse Do?

An orthopedic nurse takes care of people suffering from musculoskeletal malfunctions and diseases.

The job description of the orthopedic nurse includes providing care for people who have suffered from bone fractures, arthritis and a host of other bone and muscle related problems, people who have just had joint replacement surgeries, and people who suffer from degenerative diseases.

They help with monitoring neurovascular status, performing external fixation care, casting and continuous motion therapy.

They are also responsible for administering treatments and medications, as well as post-operation care.

Orthopedic nurses’ roles can also include helping patients with therapy and assistance for faster recuperation.

They also provide home care and assist patients with personal tasks sometimes.

These nurses may work in orthopedic units of hospitals, clinics and nursing facilities. They may also work with sports teams, fitness centers, or set up their own private clinic.

Orthopedic Nurse Job Description Sample/Example/Template

A sample job description for the orthopedic nurse position is shown below, consisting of important duties, tasks, and responsibilities they are typically expected to carry out.

• Work with doctors to perform treatments on patients with musculoskeletal conditions.
• Monitor the patient’s health and general body condition and report changes and improvements to the doctor.
• Take pain prescriptions from the doctors and administer same to the patients.
• Prepare a pain management schedule for patients based on doctor’s prescriptions to prevent patients suffering from pain.
• Monitor and quickly attend to any signs of negative reactions to drugs and allergies.
• Educate patients on steps to take to manage pain and how to avoid post-surgical infections.
• Manage patient’s hygiene by assisting with bed pan changes, body cleaning and diaper changes in some cases.
• Help injured athletes manage and treat pain and get better after injury. Sometimes, orthopedic nurses may also assist with training of athletes that are just recovering from an injury.
• Assist orthopedic doctors in performing their duties.
• Perform wound dressing on patients with infections.
• Monitor vital signs of patients.
• Help form support groups for patients.
• Help patients improve mobility and functionality by helping them to redesign their personal spaces and recommending gadgets and furniture that help to support the bone structure and promote healing.

Download this job description template.

Orthopedic Nurse Job Description for Resume

The example of orthopedic nurse job description shown above can be employed in preparing a resume to find employment as a nurse in an orthopedic center.

Orthopedic Nurse Requirements: Skills, Knowledge, and Abilities for Career Success

Orthopedic nurses are mostly expected to possess the following qualities to be effective on the job:

• An orthopedic nurse must be sensitive to other people’s feelings and reactions – they must understand pain and how it affects their patients.
• Attention is another skill that orthopedic nurses need. They must pay maximum attention to the orthopedic doctors and patients, understand instructions and ask questions when confused.
• Orthopedic nurses should also have an earnest zeal to help other people.
• Critical thinking and logical reasoning are also very important skills for these nurses.
• They must be very persuasive. They must be able to persuade their patients to follow instructions and change bad or unhealthy behavior.
• It is also very important that orthopedic nurses understand the body, organ functions and most importantly, the musculoskeletal system.
• They must also understand medical terms and languages and must be able to interpret doctor’s assessments and prescriptions.
• They must be good at problem solving and taking proactive decisions especially in the absence of the orthopedic doctor.
• They must be very good time managers and understand the concept of customer-relationship management perfectly.