What’s it like working in an operating theatre?
Sep 21, 2026
Rowell Falco is an Operating Department Practitioner – or ODP for short. He helps patients before, during and after their operation – an expert in what goes on in the operating theatre as well as being a friendly face. See him in action at Great Ormond Street Hospital.
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Video Summary
AI GeneratedThis video provides an overview of the role of an Operating Department Practitioner (ODP), emphasizing their critical responsibility for patient safety and welfare. It highlights the versatility of the role, from providing emotional support to patients and assisting anaesthetists to supporting surgeons in the scrub role.
The ODPs are a key member of the team.
You need to be able to react to difficult situations,
have a really close eye on the patient,
who is the number one priority.
My main aim is to provide patient safety and welfare.
On a normal working day, I'm based as an aesthetic ODP,
so I'll be working most of the time with nurses and anaesthetists,
but you can work in accident and emergency,
Normally, a patient comes in really shy, scared at the same time,
so we talk about their favourite subjects at school,
favourite food they're going to have, just to distract them.
I want them to feel comfortable.
When the patient's asleep, we go straight in the heater,
transfer the patient into the operating table
and perform the procedure.
I need to assess the anaesthetist
and basically maintain patient safety.
But if you're an ODP on the scrub side,
you'll be assisting surgeons,
so you'll be more passed instruments to the surgeon.
They have to count the instruments to make sure
that there's no instrument left inside the patient.
As an ODP, I think you have to be compassionate,
hardworking, dedicated, respectful
and able to work in multidisciplinary team.
The best bit of my job is knowing that the patients
are all fine and OK by the end of the procedure.
It was nice because before, he was distracting me
when they were putting needles in my hand.
And I knew who he was afterwards when I was really tired,
which was nice.
ODP job is very rewarding.
Being appreciated by my team members,
the parents and the patients themselves is very fulfilling.