Nursing Commons^™

Surgical Plume And Its Implications: A Review Of The Risk And Barriers To A Safe Work Place, Eunice Tan, Kylie P. Russell

Journal of Perioperative Nursing

Every year thousands of health care professionals worldwide are exposed to surgical smoke. There is evidence that this smoke consists of toxic gases, pathogens and particulate matter that is a hazard for patients and the perioperative team. Past research indicates that perioperative staff inconsistently comply with smoke evacuation recommendations. The aim of this study was to identify, review and discuss the issues related to surgical plume and its implications for patients and perioperative staff. The findings of this review relate to: surgical smoke content, its risks to the health of the perioperative staff, preventative measures, infection control measures, compliance with …

A Review Of Suspected Intraoperative Antiseptic Burns: A Quality Improvement Review, Monica Stankiewicz, Michele Wyland

Journal of Perioperative Nursing

No abstract provided.

Locus Of Control Profile In Anaesthetic Nurse And Theatre Nurse Students: A Recruiting Guideline?, Vera Meeusen, Carla Mangnus, Samantha Masters

Journal of Perioperative Nursing

In the Netherlands, an individual with or without a nursing background can enrol in a nurse anaesthetist or theatre nurse program. Admission to the program requires either a secondary school diploma with a specialisation in physics and health, or a nursing degree. At the end of the study, the Dutch anaesthetic nurse is comparable to a nurse anaesthetist in other countries while theatre nurses are similar in scope of practice to scrub/scout nurses in other European countries. Retention of students is challenging, with an attrition rate of around 24 per cent adding to the cost for hospitals delivering the program1. …

Knowledge And Perceptions Of The Nmsa Role In Australia: A Perioperative Staff Survey, Toni Hains, Catherine Turner, Haakan Strand

Journal of Perioperative Nursing

In Australia, the role of the Non-Medical Surgical Assistant (NMSA) lacks recognition and professional regulation. This paper reports the findings of a recent survey of Australian perioperative staff [n=116] to determine their knowledge and perceptions of the NMSA role. The survey findings confirm that the role is not well established across the Australian health care system. Of concern is that perioperative staff are required to fill the role of surgical assistant on an impromptu basis. NMSAs with no post-graduate qualifications are perceived by perioperative staff to be less equipped in mentoring, leadership, theatre efficiency, safety and procedural knowledge. There was …

‘When No Means No’ – Adolescent Right To Refuse An Elective Surgical Procedure: A Case Study, Julia Gilbert, Brigid M. Gillespie

Journal of Perioperative Nursing

At law, adults are presumed to have legal competency to provide consent for or refusal to consent to health care treatments unless they have cognitive impairment. But what of the adolescent who is, at law, a child but who refuses to undergo elective surgical treatment? This paper discusses the issues surrounding the case of Keith, a 14-year-old boy with ulcerative colitis, who refuses consent to undergo an elective ileostomy.

A Selected International Appraisal Of The Role Of The Non-Medical Surgical Assistant, Toni Hains, Haakan Strand, Catherine Turner

Journal of Perioperative Nursing

No abstract provided.

Exploring Experienced Nurses’ Views, Attitudes And Expectations Of Graduate Nurses In The Operating Theatre, Michelle Freeling, Steve Parker, Katrina Breaden

Journal of Perioperative Nursing

No abstract provided.

Surgical Consent And The Importance Of A Substitute Decision-Maker: A Case Study, Julia Gilbert, Brigid M. Gillespie

Journal of Perioperative Nursing

At law, all individuals are presumed to have the legal capacity to provide consent or refusal of treatment unless there are clinical indications of cognitive impairment. Once concerns are raised regarding the ability of an individual to provide valid consent for a surgical procedure, the use of a substitute decision-maker may be necessary. In this paper, we present an analysis of a clinical case study to illustrate the principles of valid consent. As part of the analysis, we discuss the issues relating to obtaining valid consent for an operative surgical procedure from an elderly client with obvious cognitive impairment. We …

Structured Communication Intervention To Reduce Anxiety Of Family Members Waiting For Relatives Undergoing Surgical Procedures, Kathryn Kynoch, Linda Crowe, Annie Mcardle, Judy Munday, Cj Cabilan, Sonia Hines

Journal of Perioperative Nursing

Perioperative nurses recognise that family members experience increased levels of anxiety during the wait for a relative undergoing a surgical procedure. It is often during this time that little or no meaningful communication occurs between family members and health professionals. It has been suggested that a structured information intervention has the potential to increase communication between families and health care professionals as well as decrease family members’ anxiety.

The aim of this study was to establish the effect of a structured communication program on anxiety of family members’ awaiting relatives undergoing surgical procedures. A quasi-experimental design was used with a …