Perioperative Nursing

Introduction

A perioperative nurse is a nurse who is responsible of taking care of surgical patients prior to, during and after surgery. These tasks include attending to their physical, logistical and emotional problems. Perioperative nurses report on everything that transpires during their surgical care, including meticulous recording of vital signs, diagnostic tests and laboratory results, surgical dressings and drugs. In addition to all this, they are responsible for the overall assessment and any warnings about the change in status, which to the physician are crucial. The perioperative nurse is an integral part of a surgical team, and as such, the role it plays is crucial to the health and welfare of their patients. (Phillips, 2014)

The patient enters the operating waiting room, where the nurse interviews the patient with special emphasis on ensuring the patient has informed consent and has been NPO for at least 6 hours prior to surgery. The procedures are explained and anxieties of the patient and family are addressed, therefore, the nurse develops a rapport with the patient that enhances the operating experience for the patient by building trust and assuring only the best of care will be given. (Goldberg, 2010)

Post-Operative

If the patient is frightened, the post-op nurse will speak to him in a reassuring voice to calm him. They also regularly assess the patient’s vital signs, including heart rate, pulse, respiration and temperature. By checking pulse and heart rate, post-op nurses can ensure the patient remains stable and that they is coming out of the anesthesia as expected. They also ensure the patient stays comfortable, covering them with a blanket if they gets cold, a common side effect of anesthesia. In addition, they monitor the patient’s IV line and urinary catheter. This is to ensure it is going according to the IV regime and the catheter is draining approximately 30mls of urine per