Theatre Nurse

Primary Responsibilities

1.    Prepare the dental surgical theatre before each operating session, including setting up sterile instrument trays, arranging surgical consumables and materials, confirming equipment functionality, and ensuring the theatre environment meets required infection prevention and cleanliness standards.

2.    Perform scrub nurse duties during dental surgical procedures maintaining the sterile field, passing instruments and materials to the dentist with precision, managing sharps and swab counts, and anticipating the dentist's needs throughout each procedure.

3.    Perform circulating nurse duties by managing the non-sterile zone of the theatre, supplying additional materials during procedures, documenting intra-operative events, and facilitating communication between the dentist, dental assistants, and any anaesthetic support present.

4.    Conduct pre-operative patient checks prior to each surgical case, including confirming patient identity, verifying signed surgical consent, reviewing medical history and allergies, and completing the clinic's pre-surgical safety checklist before the patient enters the theatre.

5.    Assist in safe patient positioning on the dental surgical chair or table, applying appropriate support and protective measures to ensure patient comfort, prevent pressure injuries, and provide the dentist with optimal access throughout the procedure.

6.    Monitor and support patient safety throughout dental surgical procedures, including observing for signs of adverse reactions to local anaesthesia or conscious sedation, managing oxygen delivery where applicable, and escalating any clinical deterioration to the dentist immediately.

7.    Perform and document accurate instrument, swab, and needle counts before, during, and at the close of every surgical procedure, reconciling all counts with the dentist and flagging any discrepancies without delay per the clinic's theatre safety protocol.

8.    Receive, correctly label, preserve, and dispatch all surgical specimens and biopsies to the laboratory in compliance with the clinic's specimen management policy and chain-of-custody requirements.

9.    Carry out thorough decontamination, cleaning, packaging, and sterilization of all reusable surgical instruments and equipment between cases, maintaining accurate autoclave cycle logs and ensuring full compliance with the clinic's IPC standard operating procedures.

10. Manage post-operative patient recovery within the clinic, monitoring consciousness level, airway, vital signs, pain scores, bleeding, and wound status following dental surgical procedures, and providing clear recovery instructions before safe discharge.

11. Maintain complete, accurate, and confidential peri-operative records for every surgical case, including instrument count records, intra-operative notes, implant and material logs, and post-operative handover documentation, using the clinic's practice management system.

12. Manage theatre stock control for surgical consumables, sutures, implants, bone grafting materials, and sterile supplies, conducting regular counts, raising timely reorder requests, verifying deliveries, and organizing storage on a FIFO basis to prevent expiry.

13. Respond promptly to clinical emergencies arising during or after dental surgical procedures including anaphylaxis, vasovagal episodes, airway compromise, excessive haemorrhage, and cardiac events applying Basic Life Support (BLS) competencies and the clinic's emergency protocols.

14. Supervise and mentor dental assistants assigned to the theatre, guiding them in sterile technique, instrument handling, patient preparation, and IPC compliance, and fostering a culture of precision and professionalism within the surgical team.

15. Monitor, maintain, and report on the condition of all dental theatre equipment including surgical handpieces, implant motors, suction units, autoclaves, and surgical lighting escalating defects or malfunctions to the clinic manager for prompt repair.

16. Enforce theatre discipline and safety standards, including correct donning and doffing of PPE, restricted zone access control, and mandatory completion of the pre-surgical safety checklist for every case, regardless of procedure complexity.

17. Coordinate the theatre schedule in liaison with the dentist and front office, ensuring cases are turned over efficiently, theatre preparation time is factored into the operating list, and the surgical day runs smoothly without compromising patient safety.

18. Ensure full compliance with the Nursing Act, the Public Health Act, and NCK guidelines, and support the clinic during regulatory inspections, licensing renewals, and clinical audits relating to the surgical theatre.

Secondary Responsibilities.

1.    Communicate clinical risks, near-misses, equipment faults, and operational concerns to the dentist or clinic manager to support continuous improvement of theatre safety and efficiency.

2.    Contribute to the development and review of theatre standard operating procedures, surgical checklists, and patient safety protocols within the dental practice.

3.    Provide clinical input on procurement decisions for surgical instruments, theatre consumables, dental implants, and bone grafting materials, drawing on hands-on surgical experience.

4.    Support the induction and on-the-job training of new dental assistants rotating through the theatre, ensuring they understand sterile technique, safety protocols, and theatre conduct before working independently.

5.    Participate in clinical audits, adverse event reviews, and quality improvement initiatives relating to the dental surgical theatre.

6.    Serve on the clinic's emergency response team and attend regular BLS refresher drills to maintain readiness for medical emergencies occurring within the facility.

7.    Perform any other duties assigned by the dentist or clinic management to support the safe, efficient, and high-quality delivery of dental surgical services.

Requirements & Competencies

•       Bachelor of Science in Nursing (BScN) from a recognized university minimum qualification required; a postgraduate qualification in peri-operative or theatre nursing is an added advantage.

•       Valid registration and current practising licence with the Nursing Council of Kenya (NCK) in accordance with the Nurses Act (Cap 257) of the Laws of Kenya.

•       Minimum 10 years of verified clinical experience in theatre nursing, dental nursing, or a combination of both.

•       Demonstrated proficiency in scrub and circulating nurse roles across a range of surgical procedures, with experience in a dental or oral surgical setting being an added advantage.

•       Strong working knowledge of infection prevention and control (IPC) standards, sterilization protocols, and clinical waste management regulations applicable in Kenya.

•       Current Basic Life Support (BLS) or CPR certification from a recognized provider.

•       Demonstrated ability to maintain accurate peri-operative records and operate electronic practice management systems with a high degree of accuracy and confidentiality.

•       Excellent interpersonal and communication skills, with the ability to work effectively under pressure alongside a small dental clinical team comprising a dentist and dental assistants.

•       Strong organizational and multitasking abilities, with the capacity to manage competing theatre priorities calmly and decisively in a fast-paced dental surgical environment.

•       Proven ability to mentor junior clinical staff and contribute positively to a culture of safety, precision, and continuous learning.

Candidates meeting the above qualifications, to send their CV and a cover letter to careers@orchidhr.co.ke with the subject line "Theatre Nurse" by 11th May 2026. Only shortlisted candidates will be contacted.