OR Nurse Appreciation Week

Nurses are the unsung heroes of the Operating Room. Doctors usually receive all of the credit of successful surgeries. Nurses are responsible for scrubbing in, setting up the facility, cleaning equipment and tools, monitoring the safety of the patient, and assisting with procedures. This week is OR Nurse Appreciation week.

Have you ever wondered what the specific roles of an OR Nurse are? AllNurses.Com has outlined what they do in an excerpt from their article.

“The assessment includes, but is not limited to:

– Skin color, temperature, and integrity
– Respiratory status
– History of conditions that could affect surgical outcomes (i.e. diabetes)
– Knowledge base related to the planned surgery and complications that could arise
– NPO status
– What medications were taken the morning of surgery and the time taken
– Allergies and what reactions the patient experiences
– Placement of any metal implants, especially AICD’s and pacemakers
– Time of last chemotherapy or radiation therapies
– Verification of patient’s name and date of birth
– Checking to verify all medical record numbers match the patient’s name band and paperwork

This information is then used to develop the perioperative nursing care plan.
Diagnosis

The nursing diagnosis is written in a manner that helps determine outcomes. Some nursing diagnoses for surgical patients are:

• Impaired gas exchange related to anesthesia, pain, and surgical procedure
• Potential for infection related to indwelling catheter and surgical procedure
• Activity intolerance related to pain
• Anxiety related to anesthesia, pain, disease, surgical procedure
• Alteration in nutrition less than body requirements related to NPO status.”

If you or someone you know is a nurse in an operating room or surgical center, let us know by commenting below! If you work at a hospital, how does your hospital or ambulatory surgical center celebrate OR Nurse Appreciation Week? Happy OR Nurse Appreciation Week to all of the OR Nurses who work efficiently and consciously for the safety of patients everywhere!