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Pre Op Jobs in Colorado (NOW HIRING)

Registered Nurse Pre Op

Lakewood, CO · On-site

$33.15 - $59.67/hr

Where You'll Work Registered Nurses in the Pre-Op/PACU unit facilitate patient care across a 36-bed pre-op area and 12-bay PACU, supporting a facility with 17 OR suites and an average volume of 30 ...

Registered Nurse Pre Op

Lakewood, CO · On-site

$33.15 - $59.67/hr

Bachelors Degree in Nursing Where You'll Work Registered Nurses in the Pre-Op/PACU unit facilitate patient care across a 36-bed pre-op area and 12-bay PACU, supporting a facility with 17 OR suites ...

Registered Nurse Pre Op

Lakewood, CO · On-site

$33.15 - $59.67/hr

Bachelors Degree in Nursing Where You'll Work Registered Nurses in the Pre-Op/PACU unit facilitate patient care across a 36-bed pre-op area and 12-bay PACU, supporting a facility with 17 OR suites ...

Registered Nurse Pre Op

Lakewood, CO · On-site

$33.15 - $59.67/hr

Bachelors Degree in Nursing Where You'll Work Registered Nurses in the Pre-Op/PACU unit facilitate patient care across a 36-bed pre-op area and 12-bay PACU, supporting a facility with 17 OR suites ...

Registered Nurse Pre Op

Lakewood, CO · On-site

$33.15 - $59.67/hr

Where You'll Work Registered Nurses in the Pre-Op/PACU unit facilitate patient care across a 36-bed pre-op area and 12-bay PACU, supporting a facility with 17 OR suites and an average volume of 30 ...

Registered Nurse Pre Op

Lakewood, CO · On-site

$33.15 - $59.67/hr

Bachelors Degree in Nursing Where You'll Work Registered Nurses in the Pre-Op/PACU unit facilitate patient care across a 36-bed pre-op area and 12-bay PACU, supporting a facility with 17 OR suites ...

Registered Nurse Pre Op

Lakewood, CO · On-site

$33.15 - $59.67/hr

Where You'll Work Registered Nurses in the Pre-Op/PACU unit facilitate patient care across a 36-bed pre-op area and 12-bay PACU, supporting a facility with 17 OR suites and an average volume of 30 ...

Registered Nurse Pre Op

Lakewood, CO · On-site

$33.15 - $59.67/hr

Bachelors Degree in Nursing Where You'll Work Registered Nurses in the Pre-Op/PACU unit facilitate patient care across a 36-bed pre-op area and 12-bay PACU, supporting a facility with 17 OR suites ...

Registered Nurse Pre Op

Lakewood, CO · On-site

$33.15 - $59.67/hr

Bachelors Degree in Nursing Where You'll Work Registered Nurses in the Pre-Op/PACU unit facilitate patient care across a 36-bed pre-op area and 12-bay PACU, supporting a facility with 17 OR suites ...

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Showing results 1-20

Pre Op information

See Colorado salary details

$9

$37

$69

How much do pre op jobs pay per hour?

As of Sep 4, 2026, the average hourly pay for pre op in Colorado is $37.37, according to ZipRecruiter salary data. Most workers in this role earn between $26.25 and $45.26 per hour, depending on experience, location, and employer.

What is a pre op nurse?

A Pre Op nurse, also known as a preoperative nurse, is a registered nurse who prepares patients for surgery. Their responsibilities include assessing the patient's health status, reviewing medical history, providing preoperative instructions, and ensuring all necessary paperwork and consent forms are completed. They help to alleviate patient anxiety, answer questions about the upcoming procedure, and coordinate care with the surgical team to ensure patient safety and readiness for surgery.

What are the key skills and qualifications needed to thrive as a pre op nurse, and why are they important?

To thrive as a Pre-Op Nurse, you need strong clinical assessment skills, knowledge of perioperative procedures, and a valid RN license. Familiarity with preoperative documentation systems, EHRs, and patient monitoring equipment is typically required. Excellent communication, attention to detail, and the ability to reassure anxious patients are vital soft skills. These abilities ensure safe patient preparation, effective coordination with surgical teams, and optimal patient outcomes before surgery.

What are some common challenges faced by pre op nurses, and how can they prepare to overcome them?

Pre-Op nurses frequently encounter challenges such as managing high patient volumes, addressing last-minute changes in surgical schedules, and ensuring all preoperative assessments are completed accurately and efficiently. To overcome these challenges, it's important to develop strong organizational skills, maintain clear communication with the surgical team, and stay updated on protocols for different types of surgeries. Building rapport with patients to ease their anxieties is also crucial, as is collaborating closely with anesthesiologists and surgeons to ensure patient safety.

What is the difference between Pre Op vs Surgical Coordinator?

AspectPre OpSurgical Coordinator
CredentialsRN, LPN, or Medical AssistantExperience in healthcare, often with nursing or administrative background
Work EnvironmentPreoperative clinics, hospitals, outpatient centersHospitals, surgical centers, clinics
Job FocusPreparing patients physically and mentally for surgery, assessments, educationScheduling surgeries, coordinating patient care, liaising with surgical teams

Pre Op roles primarily focus on patient preparation before surgery, including assessments and education, often requiring clinical credentials. Surgical Coordinators handle scheduling and coordination of surgical procedures, with a focus on administrative tasks. Both roles are integral to surgical workflows but differ in their primary responsibilities and required qualifications.

What is the average salary for a pre operative nurse?

A pre operative nurse's average salary varies depending on experience and location, but generally ranges from $70,000 to $90,000 annually. In California, salaries tend to be higher due to the cost of living, with many earning between $80,000 and $100,000 per year. Certification in perioperative nursing can also influence earning potential.
Infographic showing various Pre Op job openings in Colorado as of August 2026, with employment types broken down into 1% As Needed, 78% Full Time, 16% Part Time, 1% Temporary, and 4% Contract. Highlights an 93% Physical, 1% Hybrid, and 6% Remote job distribution, with an average salary of $77,733 per year, or $37.4 per hour.

Per diem

Posted 8 days ago


Key responsibilities

  • Facilitate patient care in the pre-op and PACU areas, including conducting pre-op calls and Pre-Admission Testing (PATs).

  • Coordinate patient transports and manage clinical recovery for Phase I and Phase II patients.

  • Perform therapeutic and diagnostic interventions such as IV placement, wound care, medication administration, catheterization, and specimen collection.


CommonSpirit Health rating

7.0

Company rating: 7.0 out of 10

Based on 541 frontline employees who took The Breakroom Quiz

423rd of 898 rated healthcare providers


Job description

Registered Nurses in the Pre-Op/PACU unit facilitate patient care across a 36-bed pre-op area and 12-bay PACU, supporting a facility with 17 OR suites and an average volume of 30+ cases per day. Working in teams of 6+ per shift. Staff are expected to float between the main OR and the surgery center to provide continuous coverage. Responsibilities include the full scope of perioperative nursing: conducting pre-op calls and Pre-Admission Testing (PATs), coordinating patient transports, and managing clinical recovery. Pre op RNs are responsible for recovering Phase II patients, PACU RNs will recover Phase I with occasional support for patient recoveries from other hospital departments.

Located in Lakewood, Colorado, St. Anthony Hospital is a Level I Trauma Center where we provide a full range of medical specialties and health care services to Denver and the surrounding region through our state-of-the-art medical campus and home base for Flight For Life Colorado. With four trauma rooms including the T-10 room, a dedicated field-to-surgery suite ready 24/7 for trauma surgeons and specially trained teams, our staff can provide life-saving care to the most severely ill and injured patients. In 2023, we received our exciting Magnet designation! We are so proud of our staff for this achievement, which is awarded to only 10 percent of hospitals around the world. Numerous other awards, certifications, and accreditations have been granted to us from the American Heart Association; Chest Pain Center (CPC); American College of Cardiology; The Joint Commission's National Quality Approval; the Emergency Nurses Association Lantern Award; NAPBC Accreditation; American College of Radiology and many others. At St. Anthony Hospital. We combine a heritage of expert care with the latest in technology and innovation. If you're looking to be part of a fast-paced environment where you can practice to the top of your profession in trauma, cardiology, stroke, neurosciences, breast imaging, cancer/oncology care, surgery and more, we invite you to apply.


As our RN, you will assume responsibility for facilitating, communicating, and collaborating with the healthcare team and patient/family to meet the physical, emotional, and spiritual needs of the patient, advancing modern nursing through compassionate care.

Every day you will promote optimal patient health, well-being, and safety through the nursing process, adhering to patient care standards, guidelines, and the State Nurse Practice Act, and demonstrating personal accountability for relationship-based care and our organizational mission.

To be successful in this role, you will be a Registered Nurse with a commitment to compassionate, high-quality patient care, strong communication and collaboration skills, and the ability to apply the nursing process effectively within a supportive, mission-driven environment.

  • Assess patient’s physical, psychosocial, cultural, and spiritual needs through observation, interview, review of medical records & clinical data. Evaluates patient’s response and intervenes to ensure optimal patient outcome.
  • Develop and implement patient plan of care and observe outcomes in accordance with nursing standards and in collaboration with the interdisciplinary team.
  • Demonstrate competency in a variety of therapeutic/diagnostic interventions including, but not limited to, IV’s, incision/wound care, medication administration, catheterization, and specimen collections.
  • Thorough and confidential maintenance of patient charts and records. Document ongoing status, interventions, patient response and outcomes in an accurate, timely manner. Use information technology to communicate, manage knowledge, mitigate error, and support decision-making.
  • Promote, advocate, and collaborate to protect the health and safety and rights of each patient.
  • Provide patient/family education through assessment of patient/family learning readiness, needs, and ability. Provide teaching and evaluate effectiveness of teaching.

Schedule- PRN- Variable days of week and start times per Surgical Volume and Current Unit needs. TBD with OR manager during interviews. 

Per policy PRN requires a Min availability for 5 shifts in a 6 week schedule block and 2 holiday per year 

Most shifts will be; Mon-Fri - 10hrs- 0800 start


Required

  • Associates Degree in Nursing; Nursing Diploma or by endorsement
  • Graduate of an accredited School of Nursing required for new graduates, preferred for experienced RNs
  • RN License required; Current state nursing licenses or valid RN license from a participating state in the National Licensure Compact

Preferred

  • Strong clinical background 

  • One year of Nursing experience 
  • Bachelors Degree in Nursing 

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