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.