The Operating Room (OR) at BC Children’s Hospital provides a wide range of specialty services, including a Cardiac Nursing Team and a Spine Team. Our 24-hour operating room offers the highest quality surgical care to all children in British Columbia, as well as those from other provinces and territories in Western Canada. In 2017, BCCH opened a new acute care building with state-of-the-art operating rooms, including a hybrid OR, an interventional radiology room, and a cardiac cath lab, all outfitted with the latest technology to support advances in pediatric care.
The services provided through the OR include trauma surgery, scoliosis, cardiac procedures (including heart transplants), ENT, dental, orthopedic, plastics, neurosurgery, urology, gynecology, dermatology, and ophthalmology. BC Children’s is a tertiary and quaternary level teaching hospital affiliated with the University of British Columbia. Learners from health care disciplines around the world participate in our OR as part of our team.
BC Children’s Hospital is committed to supporting ongoing learning through dedicated education days, interdisciplinary education including simulation, and a variety of workshop and conference opportunities.
Operating rooms are open Monday to Friday, with most nurses working from 07:30 to 15:45. Smaller teams provide coverage in the evening and overnight shifts starting from 15:30 onward, ensuring 24-hour coverage, seven days a week.
OR staff are provided with educational opportunities to advance their career in this specialized practice. There are perioperative specialty training cohorts offered through AORN three times annually in January, April, and September. New graduate nurses are encouraged to apply for training positions. New and trained OR Nurses receive an orientation that is specialized to their learning needs.
Educational opportunities are available through the department, BCCH, and the larger Provincial Health Services Authority. There are opportunities to attend courses to further enhance leadership skills and conferences to gain deeper knowledge in specific services. The OR encourages staff to gain experience in taking Charge, being a Peer Mentor, participating in project work and covering leadership opportunities.
