Operating Room Nurse

Mercy Ships is an international charity that brings hope and healing to the world’s forgotten poor through state-of-the-art hospital ships. Since 1978, our volunteer crew—made up of medical professionals and skilled workers from over 60 nations—has delivered free surgeries and medical care to over 2.8 million people in Sub-Saharan Africa, transforming lives one patient and one port at a time. Join our global team of over 3,000 volunteers and help us change lives daily.

The Operating Room Nurse takes care of surgical patients coming from the Ward to the Operating Room, going through the intraoperative phase of their hospital stay. The Operating Room Nurse will be expected to circulate, scrub, assist the Surgeon when necessary, and maintain accurate written Operating Room documentation.

You will participate in preparing the Operating Room, setting up for surgeries, and cleaning postoperatively.

What you will contribute

• Document nursing care

• Assist in setting up and performing in surgical procedures

• Providing a surgically clean environment for patient care

• Circulate, scrub, assist if needed for different specialties and surgical procedures

• Maintain a safe environment for the patient

For This Role, You Will Need

• Current, active license as a Registered Nurse (or International Equivalent) with the ability to both scrub and circulate is required

• Recent Operating Room experience of at least two years full time (or three years part-time) within the past 5 years, and at the point of application can show working in an OR setting within the past 12 months

• Requirements for Operating Room Nurses who do not have scrubbing experience:

– Acquire 6 months scrubbing experience with minimum 150 scrubbed cases

– Should gain this experience within any of the surgical specialties listed: general, reconstructive plastic, gynecology, maxillofacial/ ENT or orthopedics (if possible)

• Current Basic Life Support certification is required; Advanced Cardiac Life Support and Pediatric Advanced Life Support are optional

• Written and verbal fluency in English

• Knowledge of Operating Room procedures, standards and equipment

• Flexibility and sensitivity to language and cultural diversity

The experience of a lifetime is calling.

More than 1,200 volunteers from over 60 nations serve with Mercy Ships each year.

At Mercy Ships, we are proud to be recognized around the world for the life-changing surgeries and training we deliver. We could not achieve this without our dedicated community of talented volunteers.

Imagine finishing your shift and stepping onto deck as the sun sets—knowing that today you’ve helped transform the lives of those who need it most. Apply now to start a journey that will reshape the lives of those you serve — and your own.