| Surgical
Specialties |
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Registered Nurses |
As part of the surgical team, perioperative registered nurses
(OR RN) assist with a wide range of activities while sharing
responsibility for patient care before, during and after an
operation.
The OR RN assists in preparing an operating room for a procedure
and maintaining sterility throughout the surgical case. He
or she is responsible for assessing the patient during the
preoperative phase, and throughout the operation helps assure
the patient's safety.
As with other nursing specialties, OR RNs must meet the unique
challenges presented by their patients. They must have a clear
understanding of the perioperative process and know the particulars
of a great variety of surgical procedures and techniques.
They have to understand the significance of the various lab
tests that are commonly done in relation to a surgical diagnosis.
The nurse must also understand the medications used in the
operating room, including any possible adverse side effects.
While a surgical procedure is underway, the OR RN makes sure
the patient's body alignment is maintained and skin integrity
is intact. OR nurses, along with certified surgical technologists
(CST) and the anesthesia staff, position patients in the appropriate
manner for their surgery. The entire surgical team focuses
on the patient safety. Along with the CST, the OR RN maintains
sponge, needle, and instrument counts to assure that all surgical
materials are accounted for at all times.
OR nurses are responsible for the documentation of patient
information during the entire intraoperative phase. Working
with other members of the surgical team, OR nurses help maintain
sterility in the operating room environment. When acting as
a circulating nurse in an operating room, the OR nurse must
anticipate the needs of the surgeon and CST and be prepared
to provide assistance so there is no disruption in the surgical
procedure.
Like the CST, the surgical nurse must have a thorough knowledge
of all instruments and equipment used in the operating room.
The OR RN supervises the activities of CST and ancillary support
staff, plans patient care, and helps prepare for upcoming
cases.
At CMMC all OR RNs have completed extensive orientation,
including a rotation through each of CMMC's surgical specialties.
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