Theatre Practitioner

Job summary

Orthopaedic Scrub Nurse

We are seeking a motivated and skilled Band 5 Orthopaedic Scrub Nurse to join our dynamic Theatre team. This is an exciting opportunity for an enthusiastic nurse with at least 2 years' experience in a fast-paced theatre environment within an acute hospital setting, who is passionate about delivering safe, high-quality perioperative care within a busy and progressive Orthopaedic Theatre environment.

You will work alongside a multidisciplinary team supporting a wide range of elective and trauma orthopaedic procedures, including joint replacements, trauma fixation, arthroscopy, spinal surgery, and upper/lower limb surgeries.

To succeed in this post, you will be a Registered Nurse with valid NMC registration, ideally bringing experience in orthopaedic scrub practice, although full training will be provided for the right candidate. You should be able to work confidently under pressure in a fast-paced theatre setting, demonstrate strong communication and organizational skills, and show a clear commitment to professional development, patient safety, and continuous improvement.

Main duties of the job

In this role, you will provide skilled scrub support for a wide range of elective and trauma orthopaedic procedures, ensuring that all surgical instruments, implants, and equipment are prepared and managed safely throughout each operation. You will work closely with surgeons, anaesthetists, ODPs, and the wider theatre team to deliver high-quality, patient-centred perioperative care, maintaining a sterile field and consistently upholding infection-prevention standards. A key part of the role involves anticipating the needs of the surgical team, responding effectively to any changes during procedures, and ensuring accurate documentation of operative details and implant usage. You will also support efficient theatre flow by assisting with patient preparation, safe positioning, and postoperative processes as required. Additionally, you will take responsibility for the set-up and close-down of theatres, ensuring equipment is cleaned, checked, and restocked. As a Band 5 nurse, you will contribute to a positive learning environment by supporting junior colleagues and students, participating in ongoing professional development, and engaging in quality improvement initiatives to enhance patient safety and experience.

About us

Please submit your application as soon as possible, as we reserve the right to close adverts once sufficient applications have been received.

We recognise that AI tools can support application writing; however, candidates are asked to keep their use to a minimum. Responses should reflect your own experience, skills and knowledge, as over-reliance on AI-generated content may result in generic answers that do not accurately represent your abilities.

University Hospitals of Northamptonshire (UHN) brings together Kettering General Hospital NHS Foundation Trust and Northampton General Hospital NHS Trust. As a group, we are committed to improving services for our communities through collaboration, modernising care delivery and striving for excellence. Working together enables us to share expertise, strengthen services and create greater opportunities, and there may be a requirement to work across sites depending on service needs.

Our Excellence Values are Compassion, Accountability, Respect, Integrity and Courage. UHN welcomes applications from all backgrounds and is committed to an inclusive working environment. We are proud signatories of the Armed Forces Covenant and hold the Gold Award under the Employer Recognition Scheme. Candidates who identify as members of the Armed Forces community and meet the essential criteria will be guaranteed an interview.