For Deitra Erickson, being Piedmont Hospital's operating room manager goes beyond scheduling and staffing surgeries and interacting with physicians. On any given day, she might also coordinate
with contractors on the hospital's construction project, manage budget issues or scrub in for a procedure.
"Every day is a new day, with new challenges and opportunities," said Erickson, RN, CNOR.
Fresh out of nursing school at DeKalb College (now Georgia Perimeter College), Erickson was hired in 1993 as a staff nurse at Grady Memorial Hospital.
"It was the perfect learning environment, with a hectic pace. I had to develop my skills quickly," she said.
After six years at Grady, she transferred to Piedmont Hospital in 1998. For almost five years she served as clinical coordinator of the operating room at Piedmont. This spring she was promoted to operating room manager.
Erickson's typical day begins before the sun comes up. She arrives at work by 6:30 a.m. — at least an hour before the first scheduled surgeries — to ensure that everything and everyone are in place. Scheduling staff is a key part of her job.
"Our staffing plan for employees is very flexible, and for many of our staff, the most important thing is to have that flexibility," she said.
Erickson supervises about 160 nurses, operating room technicians and support personnel. She also is responsible for ordering supplies and equipment.
The salary for operating room managers can range from $70,000 to $90,000 annually.
In the fall, Erickson will begin studies at Georgia State University for her bachelor's degree in nursing.
"I'm an empty nester now, and I'm eager to continue my education," she said.
Occasionally, Erickson schedules herself to work in the operating room or scrubs in to cover for a staff member.
"It's good to jump back in once in a while and keep your skills sharp," she said.