Perioperative nursing

Roles of the Perioperative Team
Perioperative nursing is a specialized area of nursing practice. Any type of surgery is a complex endeavor, and it requires a large support team of medical professionals to ensure that the surgery runs smoothly.

As a fundamental member of the surgical team, the perioperative registered nurse works in collaboration with other health care professionals which may include the surgeon, circulating nurse, anesthesia provider, surgical assistant, and other assistive personnel. The perioperative registered nurse provides nursing care to surgical patients preoperatively, intra operatively, and postoperatively.

Scrub Nurse:
A scrub nurse is a specially trained nurse who works with surgeons and the medical team in the operating room. Scrub nurses are extremely valuable members of the surgical team, providing support in the operating room and patient care outside of it as well. Scrub nurses are more formally known as perioperative nurses. Perioperative nursing involves patient care before, during, and after surgery. There are a number of different perioperative nursing positions; the scrub nurse is actually fulled “scrubbed in” for the surgery, meaning that he or she has used special soaps and wears sterile garments so that the nurse can work next to the operative field. The scrub nurse works directly with the surgeon within the sterile field, passing instruments, sponges, and other items needed during the procedure. Surgical team members who work within the sterile field have scrubbed their hands and arms with special disinfecting soap and generally wear surgical gowns, caps, eyewear, and gloves.

Circulating Nurse
A circulating nurse, another type of operating room (OR) nurse, works on the perimeter of the operating room, monitoring patient care, ensuring that the room stays sterile, and keeping track of instruments and sponges. Perioperative nurses also help to prepare patients for surgery, and they provide valuable care and monitoring for patients when their surgeries are over. The circulating nurse is responsible for managing the nursing care of the patient within the OR and coordinating the needs of the surgical team with other care providers necessary for completion of surgery. The circulating nurse observes the surgery and the surgical team from a broad perspective and assists the team to create and maintain a safe and comfortable environment for the patient. The circulating nurse assesses the patient's condition before, during, and after the operation to ensure an optimal outcome for the patient. Circulating during surgery is a perioperative nursing function. The circulating nurse serves as the patient advocate while the patient is least able to care for him or herself.

Surgeon:
The surgeon is responsible for the informed consent for the operation because he is the one who is responsible for the surgery.

Surgery is a unique human experience and an excellent OR nurse is a unique human being endowed with a keen eyes, dexterous hand, a witty mind which makes her profession a noble one.

When I want to understand what is happening today, or try to decide what will happen tomorrow…………..

I LOOK BACK.

by: Oliver Wendell Holmes Jr.