Operating Room and Perioperative Nurse Staffing Across Canada
Perioperative nurses to keep your operating rooms running. We connect experienced OR RNs with contract, relief and permanent roles, and help hospitals and surgical centres staff rooms with verified nurses.
- Free for candidates. Always.
- Licences verified with the regulator
- Every province and territory except Quebec
What perioperative nursing involves
Perioperative nurses care for patients before, during and after surgery. In the OR, they protect patient safety, manage the sterile field and support the surgical team.
Circulating role
Patient identification, positioning, counts, documentation and communication.
Scrub role
Instruments, sterile technique and anticipating the surgeon's needs. Who may scrub varies by province and employer, including for licensed practical nurses.
Specialty services
General, orthopaedic, cardiac, neuro, gynaecology, ophthalmology and more.
Credentials and what employers look for
Each hospital sets its own requirements. Here is what they commonly ask for.
Usually required
- Active RN registration in the province of work
- BLS (Basic Life Support)
- Perioperative experience or completion of an OR program
Often valued
- A perioperative nursing course or certificate
- Familiarity with the ORNAC Guidelines for Perioperative Practice in Canada
- ACLS
- Specialty-specific competencies, for example robotics or cardiac
- CNA perioperative nursing certification, CPN(C)
ORNAC is the Operating Room Nurses Association of Canada. It publishes the Guidelines for Perioperative Practice in Canada, now in its 17th edition, which many hospitals use as a reference. BLS and ACLS are Heart and Stroke Foundation of Canada programs delivered by training partners.
Our honest note: Each hospital sets its own requirements. We verify registration and certifications before any submission.
Why ORs are hard to staff
Operating rooms depend on teams that can work safely across many services.
Long training
Becoming independent in several surgical services takes months or longer.
Small pool
Few nurses are cross-trained across many specialties.
Surgical backlogs
Staffing gaps lead to closed rooms, which affect wait times.
We ask which services and equipment you run so the nurse is matched to your list.
How it works
For nurses
- Submit your profileShare the services you have worked and the cases you have done.
- We verify and askWe verify registration and certifications.
- We share rolesRoles that fit your surgical experience.
- You decideYou decide on introductions.
For facilities
- Share your needsThe services you run, your equipment and shifts.
- We screenWe screen by surgical service and case experience, not just job title.
- You reviewCandidate summaries for your team.
- You decideYou interview and decide.
Contract, relief or permanent
Pick the arrangement that fits your life or your unit.
Contract and relief
Cover vacancies and backlog reduction projects.
Contract and relief staffingDirect hire
Permanent operating room roles.
Direct hireManaged programs
Perioperative float pools across sites.
Vendor and managed programsWe place in every province and territory except Quebec. Read how we check documents on our credentialing and compliance page.
What makes our approach different
We keep this practical and we do not overpromise. Hiring decisions stay with the facility, and career decisions stay with you.
Service and case experience
We screen by surgical service and case experience, not just job title.
Verified credentials
We verify registration and certifications.
Clear terms
Straightforward communication on terms and expectations.
Related pages
PACU and recovery nurses
Post-anaesthesia and day surgery recovery.
PACU nurse jobsEndoscopy and GI nurses
Procedure suite nursing.
Endoscopy nurse jobsLicensed practical nurses
LPN roles within their own scope.
LPN jobsHospitals
Staffing for acute care hospitals.
Hospital staffingAmbulatory and clinics
Day surgery, day units and outpatient programs.
Ambulatory and clinic staffingRegistered nurses
The parent page for RN jobs and staffing across Canada.
Registered nurse jobs in CanadaFrequently asked questions
Do I need perioperative certification?
Not always. Experience and an OR course often matter more, but the CNA perioperative certification, CPN(C), is recognized and can help. Hospitals set their own requirements, so tell us your services and case experience and we will say which roles fit.
What is ORNAC?
ORNAC is the Operating Room Nurses Association of Canada. It publishes the Guidelines for Perioperative Practice in Canada, now in its 17th edition, which many hospitals use as a reference. Familiarity with the guidelines is valued, though employers decide what they require.
Can I move from med-surg into the OR?
It is possible, but contract roles usually need experience. Permanent roles and OR programs are the more common route for nurses coming from medical-surgical units. Tell us your background and what you are aiming for, and we will be honest about what fits.
Do you place surgical day care nurses?
Yes, through our ambulatory and clinic staffing work where relevant. Day surgery settings vary in scope and hours, so tell us which services and equipment you have worked with, and we will match you to sites that run them.
Surgery runs on prepared teams.
I am an OR nurse
Share your profile and we will be in touch. Free for candidates. Always.
Submit your profile