I was only joking, ahem.....
The work
Operating department practitioners (ODPs), formerly known as operating department assistants (ODAs), care for theatre patients before, during and after surgery.
The duties of an ODP include:
- preparing the surgical environment and equipment such as drugs, drips, instruments, dressings and swabs
- preparing and monitoring machinery and specialist equipment for specific procedures
- ensuring stocks of items such as drugs and other single or multiple use items are ordered and rotated properly
- providing the surgical team with items required during the procedure, often called 'circulating duties', and keeping accurate records.
ODPs work within anaesthetic, surgical and recovery teams, caring for and ensuring the safety of patients during surgery and post-operatively. They review the care provided at each stage, and assess patients before allowing them to join a surgical ward.
ODPs can work in other clinical areas such as accident and emergency, intensive care, day surgery clinics, maternity units, and resuscitation teams.