Roles and Responsibilities of the Registered Nurses in Preoperative Process

Organization of the Surgical Unit

Each section includes a charge nurse and there is a good flow of services. Patient safety is the most critical concern for every team member. There is restricted movement of the patient in the operational area to further guarantee safety. In terms of communication, nurses are assigned helping duties to both the surgeon and the anesthetist. A surgeon, for instance, can assign a scrub nurse the role of supplying the surgical tools. Conversely, an anesthetist may authorize a Registered Nurse to aid with IV medicine.

Types of Clients, Operations (Including Medications), and Apparatus Used

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The client in this case was a victim of a bad fall who had badly injured his ankle and was in the surgical room for a total ankle replacement. In the preoperative stage, the patient was sent for a CT scan to give a visual image of how badly the ankle had been damaged. Afterward, a preoperative nurse offered to counsel the patient and detailed the procedure that would be involved in ankle replacement. In the surgery room, the patient was prepped for the operation by use of a general anesthetic procedure. The patient was then placed in a supine position on the operating table and a piece of arthroscopic equipment was used. A large syringe and lactated Ringer’s solution were used to dilate the joint. Hemostats were used to dissect the ankle and a viewing screen was constantly used to reflect the progress of the procedure. Other equipment included were forceps, probes, and knives. At the end of the procedure, a plaster was wrapped around the leg from the foot to the calf.

Standards of Care and Protocols Followed by the Registered Nurse

Some of the standards followed by registered nurses include medical care coordination throughout the patient’s perioperative journey. Another standard dictates consultation on the specialist discussion that is relevant for the patient. Health promotion of the patients and prescriptions is another set of standards of care followed by the RNs. Ethical standards, as well as efficient resource utilization, were also key protocols followed throughout the perioperative care of the patient. All this was done with the patient’s safety in mind as the top priority.

Stressors Experienced by Nurses in the Perioperative Setting

In my experience, the main stressors of a nurse in a perioperative environment are associated with burnout from high volumes of work, time constraints, concern for patient safety. Additionally, elements of insufficient communication among team members and verbal abuse contribute to a nurse’s workplace stress. Intrinsically, emotions of unpreparedness for operations, and demands for continual learning contribute to high levels of workplace stress.