A nurse who works in an emergency operating room is known as a perioperative nurse. These registered nurses assist surgeons with a variety of tasks, as well as assisting patients in relaxing and remaining comfortable during surgery. Patients may also benefit from the services of a perioperative nurse before (pre-operative) and after (post-operative) surgery (post-operative).
When working as a pre-operative nurse, a perioperative nurse is responsible for a variety of tasks, including interacting with a patient’s family members. Pre-operative nurses must assess each patient, prepare them for surgery, and talk to them about any fears or concerns they may have. When surgery begins, the pre-operative nurse’s role frequently shifts to that of a perioperative nurse.
Each patient is usually attended to two perioperative nurses during surgery. During surgery, the “circulating” nurse is in charge of a patient’s overall safety and well-being. This nurse collaborates with the surgeon, anesthesia expert, and scrub nurse to ensure that all safety precautions are taken. Although circulating nurses do not handle surgical equipment, this perioperative nurse may be responsible for assisting a surgical team.
The other kind of perioperative nurse is known as a “scrub” nurse. During an operation, a scrub nurse serves as a surgical assistant handing specific sterilized tools to the surgeon. In addition, the scrub nurse is in charge of ensuring that all medical instruments are well-maintained and safe.
Perioperative nurses are frequently called upon to serve as post-operative nurses after surgery. A post-operative nurse tends to a patient who has just undergone a surgical procedure shortly after surgery. A post-operative nurse’s primary responsibility during this critical period is to ensure a patient’s safety and comfort. Nurses who work with post-operative patients have received extensive training.
The job of a perioperative nurse is clearly not easy. At all times, these individuals must be able to perform three complex nursing tasks. In addition to general nursing training, perioperative nurses typically have extensive specialized training. Perioperative nurses have a rewarding career, despite the fact that it is a complex and difficult field. Anyone interested in becoming a perioperative nurse should have excellent communication skills and a general desire to help others.
Attending nursing school followed specialized courses is the best way to start a career as a perioperative nurse. Nurses with perioperative experience are in high demand in hospitals and private clinics. The operating room would be a confusing and potentially dangerous place without these people.