RN OR scheduler

VCU Health•Richmond, VA

1d•Onsite

About The Position

The RN Operating Room Scheduler is a licensed registered nurse who coordinates and manages surgical scheduling for inpatient, outpatient, and ambulatory procedures. This role ensures timely, accurate, and efficient scheduling while maintaining compliance with clinical protocols and patient safety standards. The RN leverages clinical judgment and critical thinking to optimize surgical workflows and enhance communication between clinic schedulers, providers, and surgical teams.

Requirements

Current active nursing license
2 years’ operating room experience
Excellent customer service skills
Ability to read and interpret MD notes
Strong understanding of medical terminology, surgical procedures, and patient care workflows

Nice To Haves

Bachelors degree in Nursing/ BSN
CNOR
Previous surgeon clinic nursing or paranesthesia experience preferred
Level 1 teaching hospital preferred
EPIC
Excel
Tableau

Responsibilities

Review patient charts and clinical documentation to assess readiness and appropriateness for surgery.
Schedule inpatient, outpatient, and ambulatory surgical procedures based on physician orders, patient condition, and operating room availability.
Ensure alignment with clinical protocols, resource capacity, and patient safety standards.
Proactively identify surgical cases appropriate for robotic-assisted procedures by reviewing patient charts, surgeon preferences, and clinical criteria.
Collaborate with surgical teams to coordinate available robotic block time, ensuring optimal utilization of robotic systems.
Balance scheduling needs between robotic and non-robotic cases to maximize operating room efficiency, reduce downtime, and support strategic growth in minimally invasive surgical services.
Establish and maintain strong working relationships with surgeons, anesthesiologists, perioperative nurses, and administrative staff to ensure seamless coordination of surgical logistics.
Act as a central point of communication to align scheduling priorities, anticipate resource needs, and resolve conflicts.
Collaborate closely with surgical teams to understand their preferences and procedural patterns, enabling strategic optimization of block time and improved operating room utilization.
Manage cancellations, reschedules, and urgent add-ons while notifying all affected parties promptly.
Backfill with appropriate patients and procedures.
Assist in the orientation and ongoing training of new and existing scheduling staff, ensuring familiarity with surgical protocols, scheduling systems, and departmental workflows.
Share clinical insights to enhance team understanding of procedure requirements, patient preparation, and interdepartmental coordination.
Participate in process improvement initiatives and help identify training needs to promote efficiency, accuracy, and professional growth within the scheduling team.
Support the Scheduling and Optimization Manager in the development, review, and revision of scheduling policies and procedures to ensure alignment with clinical standards, regulatory requirements, and operational goals.
Provide frontline insights to help shape best practices for surgical scheduling, block utilization, patient preparation, and interdepartmental coordination.
Collaborate with nursing leadership and surgical services to identify gaps, recommend improvements, and support implementation of updated protocols.
Collect, review, and analyze scheduling data to identify trends, inefficiencies, and opportunities for improvement in surgical operations.
Monitor key performance indicators such as block utilization, first-case on-time starts, cancellation rates, and case volume distribution.
Use data insights to support decision-making, optimize scheduling practices, and contribute to strategic planning initiatives.
Collaborate with perioperative leadership to present findings and recommend actionable solutions that enhance patient flow, resource allocation, and overall surgical throughput.