Surgical Nursing Overview

Overview of Surgical Nursing

Surgical nursing, also known as perioperative nursing, involves the care of patients before, during, and after surgery.

Roles and Responsibilities

• Pre-operative care: preparing patients for surgery, including assessing their medical history, conducting physical exams, and educating them on the surgical process
• Intra-operative care: assisting surgeons and anesthesiologists during surgery, maintaining a sterile environment, and monitoring patients' vital signs
• Post-operative care: providing pain management, wound care, and monitoring patients' recovery progress

Key Concepts

Surgical Settings

• Operating room (OR)
• Ambulatory surgery center (ASC)
• Physician's office

Surgical Patients

• Elective surgery patients: undergoing non-emergency surgery
• Emergency surgery patients: requiring immediate surgical intervention
• Pediatric patients: requiring specialized care and equipment

Surgical Interventions

• Open surgery: involves a large incision
• Minimally invasive surgery: involves small incisions and specialized instruments
• Laparoscopic surgery: uses a camera and specialized instruments inserted through small incisions
• Robotic surgery: uses a robotic system to assist the surgeon

Patient Care Considerations

• Pain management: assessing and managing patients' pain levels
• Wound care: assessing and managing surgical wounds
• Infection prevention: implementing strategies to prevent surgical site infections (SSIs)
• Patient education: educating patients on post-operative care and recovery

Surgical Nursing Specialties

• Cardiovascular surgery
• Neurosurgery
• Orthopedic surgery
• Pediatric surgery
• Plastic surgery

Overview of Surgical Nursing

• Surgical nursing involves the care of patients before, during, and after surgery.

Roles and Responsibilities

• Pre-operative care includes assessing patients' medical history, conducting physical exams, and educating them on the surgical process.
• Intra-operative care involves assisting surgeons and anesthesiologists during surgery, maintaining a sterile environment, and monitoring patients' vital signs.
• Post-operative care includes providing pain management, wound care, and monitoring patients' recovery progress.

Surgical Settings

• Operating rooms (OR) are where surgeries take place.
• Ambulatory surgery centers (ASC) provide outpatient surgical services.
• Physician's offices may also provide surgical services.

Surgical Patients

• Elective surgery patients undergo non-emergency surgery.
• Emergency surgery patients require immediate surgical intervention.
• Pediatric patients require specialized care and equipment.

Surgical Interventions

• Open surgery involves a large incision.
• Minimally invasive surgery involves small incisions and specialized instruments.
• Laparoscopic surgery uses a camera and specialized instruments inserted through small incisions.
• Robotic surgery uses a robotic system to assist the surgeon.

Patient Care Considerations

• Pain management involves assessing and managing patients' pain levels.
• Wound care involves assessing and managing surgical wounds.
• Infection prevention involves implementing strategies to prevent surgical site infections (SSIs).
• Patient education involves educating patients on post-operative care and recovery.

Surgical Nursing Specialties

• Cardiovascular surgery involves heart and blood vessel surgery.
• Neurosurgery involves surgical intervention on the nervous system.
• Orthopedic surgery involves surgical intervention on the musculoskeletal system.
• Pediatric surgery involves surgical intervention on children.
• Plastic surgery involves surgical reconstruction or repair of damaged or deformed tissue.

Learn about surgical nursing, also known as perioperative nursing, and its roles and responsibilities before, during, and after surgery.