Operating department practitioner
Operating department practitioners (ODPs) provide skilled care and support to patients at all stages of an operation.
Typical Salary
£30,000 – £45,000
per year
Working Hours
37–40
hours per week
Day-to-day tasks
You'll support patients of all ages in the anaesthetic, surgery and recovery phases of an operation.
As an operating department practitioner, you could:
- help patients who are anxious or vulnerable get ready for surgery
- prepare the operating theatre and make sure drugs and specialist equipment are available
- monitor instruments and how clean the theatre is
- provide the surgical team with any items they need during an operation
- talk to other hospital staff for the surgical team
- support patients after their operation and assess when they are ready to move to a ward
Skills needed
- knowledge of medicine and dentistry
- patience and the ability to remain calm in stressful situations
- to be thorough and pay attention to detail
- knowledge of biology
- the ability to accept criticism and work well under pressure
- sensitivity and understanding
- to be flexible and open to change
- active listening skills
- to be able to use a computer and the main software packages competently
How to get into this role
You can get into this job through a university course or an apprenticeship.
Career progression
With experience you could:
- progress to team leader or senior operating department practitioner and manage an operating theatre unit
- move into education, training or research
- do training approved by the Royal College of Surgeons of England to become a surgical care practitioner
- train to work as an anaesthesia associate or advanced critical care practitioner