Final answer:
The circulating nurse is responsible for the handling and care of an intraoperative specimen, managing the operating room environment, and ensuring safe transportation of the specimen to the pathology department.
Step-by-step explanation:
The individual responsible for the proper care and handling of an intraoperative specimen is typically the circulating nurse. During a surgical procedure, the circulating nurse plays a critical role in ensuring all surgical team members are performing their tasks effectively. They are in charge of managing the operating room environment and coordinating activities, which include receiving the specimen from the surgeon, labelling it correctly, and ensuring its safe delivery to the pathology department for analysis. The circulating nurse's duties encompass the tasks mentioned in the question, such as confirming team member roles, patient identity, surgical site, and procedure, as well as managing the sterility confirmation and equipment availability.